Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-03-23
REPORT ON ITS WAY
Lieutenant Commander Mark
Has the Document in Charge.
MANUSCRIPT voLUMlNoUs.
Arduous Task of Court of Inquiry
Probably Ended.
Findings Brought from the Nashville
Early in the Day and Signed by
Admiral Scard.
MANUSCRIPT voLUMlNoUs.

Key West, March 22.-The report of
the court of inquiry left here today, in
the custody of Lieut.. Commander Mark,
judge advocate. If the train connections
are made, he will arrive in Washington
with the documents Thursday night
Whether tine report will meet the ap-
proval of the navy department is mat
ter of conjecture. Even Rear Admiral
Sicard declines to prophesy. The gen
eral opinion of naval officers here, how
ever, is that the navy department will
quickly approve the findings and public
Nv convey them to the nation with as
little delay as possible
Within the last few days minority
sentiment has been steadily growing
that the court has been unable to de-
termine definitely the cause of the eX-
plosion. Still, it is true that ma
iority hold to the conviction that the
report will find and prove that the
Maine was blown up Intentionally,
AS is natural, all who could speak au-
thoritatiyely. continue to maintain the
silence which has marked the history
of this most remarkable court In tne
absence of any reliable basis, specula-
ton continues rife as ever, and accurate
news from Washington is awaited as
eagerly by Rear Admiral Sleard as pE
tSe Youngest cadet in the fleet.
The sending of the report today TO
Wa shington. as forecasted by this cor
respondent yesterday, proved an undrd-
matte climax to weeks of waiting.
lieutenant Commander Mark went
aboard the Nashville early in the day
and brought off the findings. After a
prolonged conference with Rear Admiral
Sjcard certain alterations were maui,
and then Rear Admiral Sicard attlXeq ms
signature Of approval After luncheolli Il !
lieutenant Commander Mark boarded
tCe steamer City of Key West and sailed
for Miami at 4.30 o'clock with the court S
finding safely slowed away in stateroom
No. Is. Only two persons were at tffe
dock to wave farewells to the steamer.
One of them was the Associated Press
correspondent.
Lieutenant Commander Mark before
leaving was in a. non-coE1mlta- mooe'
He confined himself to saying unat ne
was immensely glad to be through with
a very tedious task, and once more 10 De
: on the way north.
Despite the absence from Key west
of the documents on which the eyes OF
the world are fixed, the court of inquiry
continues in existence, though inactive.
Sbould the navy Department. require
further investigation and express dissat-
isfaction with the findings, it is probable
the court would be obliged to return TO
Havana, though the release Of all the
Maine officers held here as witnesses un-
til today makes it unlikely that any
loophole has been left which would JUS
tify the department in requiring the
court to perform further work. From
statements made here the conclusion is
drawn that the findings will be given to
the public in about week
Lieuts. Jungen and Hood, Cadets
Bronson and Boyd, Assistant Engineer
Bowers, Assistant Engineer Morros and
Carpenter Hilms of the Maine also left
on the City of Key West for Miami.
Gunner Hale of the lost battleship will
leave later. There are no commissioned
officers of the Maine here.
The receipt by the officers of the
Maine of their orders to leave for their
homes caused the greatest joy among
them, for it meant their release from
the irksome, idle bondage under which
they have been held, awaiting the pleas
ure Of the court. They had been ex-
pecting to go home by every recent
boat. and when the orders finally came,
it was really a case of being taken by
surprise
1t is reported that Rear Admiral ST.
card has been before the board of re-
tirement on the cruiser New York, and
will probably be relieved of his com
n1and on account of physical disability.
The Marblehead has arrived from Port
Tampa via the Tortugas, after supply
ing the Massachusetts with ammuni-
tion.