The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-24
WHAT DIVERS SAY.
Evidence Lacking to Show the Maine
Was Blown Up Accidentally.

NEW YORK, Feb. 23.-The correspondent
of the Herald at Havana says: The further
inquiry into the causes that led to the
Maine disaster proceeds the more remote
appear the chances that any evidence Will
be discovered to show that the disaster was
due to accident. / am able to give you the
result of the investigation made this CTues-
day. morning by divers Those that pene-
trated into the forward part of the wreck
found that the whole forward end of the
ship from a point just abaft the forward
turret had been twisted fifteen or twenty
degrees to starboard. That part of the YES
sci was a wilderness of debris and curled
and twisted plates. The sharp. Jagged edges
of some of the plates added danger to the
difficulties of the divers, getting the life
lines into a tangle and fraying the cords,
and in one instance almost cutting through
a rubber tube which supplied a diver with
air.
One important discovery was the position
of the corpses found in the wreck-one hum
dred of which were floating about the torn
compartments. A full score of these were
examined by my informant. All of these
were in hammocks and all had arms curved
upward, as If they had been startled by
some sudden shock of danger and were in
SAASAA
hooks to swing themselves on deck when
death came. This seems to confirm what
has already been said about there having
been two explosions, the first starting the
men into the act of arising from their ham.
mockS, the second daShing the IRE out OF
them while they were in that position.
Before the explosion the ten,incn magaZi iI
was located on the starboard side forward
and beneath the forward turret. what Is
left of the magazine seems 10 nave peen
driven toward the port bow in diagonal
a rH direction.
zine, which had its location in the port SIDE
of the ship forward, was hurled IN a uirec-
ton directly opposite to that of the ten-lncn
magazine. One of the copper cyhn9rlcal
tanks for the siX-irch magazine was tound
by the divers In the wreck OF that structure.
1t contained no powder charge. Inc ten
inch magazine had not been closely exam
ined at this writing. but such Inspection OF
it as was made leads my Informant 70 De
leVe that big pile Of twisted Wreckage
that lies about the top of it is composed OF
unexploded ten-if1ch charges.
My informant believes that the . slX .,lci1
magazine was exploded by the first shock
that was felt and there was another eXplo-
sion in the ten-inch magazine Though
questioned him closely, / could gam no ldea
as to whether the curvature of the plates
indicated that there had been an outside eX-
plosion. He could not tell me, as he mad
made no examination in that direction.
The theory of two explosions IS porne OUT
by the testimony of Senior Antonio Cabal-
lero, a well-known tobacco dealer or Ha-
vana Senior Cabalero was crossing the bay
in q ferrybOat at the time of the disaster.
He was familiar with the Maine, having
paid several visits to that. craft, and was
pointing out to a group of friends on the
ferry her peculiai tiles when there came, ne
said. a dull report from the forward part
of the ship, the upheayal of a geyser OF
water about the boat, followed almost IN
stantly by a terrific roar ana onnulng
flash of light He is positive about the
first explosion, and. says that Il was no O.
ticed by his companions This statement or
his came to the ears of our court OF inquiry,
and last night an officer was sent to Senior
Caballero to ask him if he would appear as
q witness before the court. He announced
his Willingness to do so, and was to have
appeared to-day.
Many strange tales of the disaster are
brought out as the days wear on. One OF
these was made known Yesterday, when the
captain of an English bark, anchored IN the
harbor, and nearly a mile distant from the
Maine told how a bewhiskered Jaw had fall
len on the deck of his vessel The captain
has also been asked to appear as witness
before the court of inquiry.