Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1899-01-07
THE MAINE.
Facts About Her Destruction
May Soon Be Known.
CUBAN EDITORS ALLEGATIONS.

Zacarias Bresmes Implica.sd-Fisht
Over Funds; Distraction BETWEEN
X port and Transmission Should Be
Made-United states senator Hale on
Expansion-Wh War Department
Will Concentrate Navy at Havana
News and Notes.
Havana, ia 5.-Senor Hernandez
editor of FL Reconcentrado. issued yes
terday IL third attack upon his old enemy,
ZacariaS II smes, whom, with three
othe.s, he accuses of Blowing up the
United States batt.eship Maine. Brcs-
mes, who was II judge and politiclah,
sailed for Spain abIu two weeks ago.
The installnents of the story thus FAR
have been devot ID to the alleged ielOnies
and trcav vheIles of Bresn!,s. The edi tor
tells his read rs to be patient. as in due
time they will get the facts regarding
the Maine explosion. He describes his
proof as largely mu';l."
Captain Si"sbea, in writing in The Cen
tury Of the sinking of his shin. has in
sinuated in language rs strong as is per-
miSSiblc to Il naval officer dealing with
state secrets Chat the end was not yet
that circumstances tended to show the
existence of ID Spanish plot, and that lG3.
! might yet be shed on the mystery. Nor
does the fact that the peace commits
Siohers have treated the tragedy as "A
closed incident" prevent the curiosity Of
naval and other high officials from i'm
| iy,,
tion that come with possession of the
wire and torpedo stations ashore. and
uhtIamelled liberty to search the harbJr
bottom To their hearts content. During
the original investigation the board of
| inquiry held its sessions under the yaWn-
Ing mouths of 81 anish cannon. and the
| spanish torpedo arrangements might as
we'll have been in the moon as within
pistol shot. So far as their ins p@ction was
| concerned.
Unless the Sraniards took precautions
| before they retired ON Jan. to ob,ittlatn
all clues Whereby the operations of their
secret mires may he traced. it is prob
able that the experts of the United States
enginecring service will, ere long, be in Il
| position to write new chapter in tne
| history of the Maine. Should their re-
port show evidences ofotlicial counivant =
on the part of the Spaniards in a plot for
destruction of the ship, and should the
charges against Zecarias Bresmes, the
fugitive Spanish judge, prove to be we'll
| founded. the influence thereof may b.
very decidedly against the acceptance of
the treaty of peace which yesterday was
presented to the United States senate.
and might result in its ultimate rejection.
The specific charge against Judge
Bresncs is that he was one of those uc
lively engaged in the plot which resulted
in the destruction of the Maine FL Re-
concentrate, the Cuba libre official Or
gan, says:
when the Maine came into Havana
| harhnr RreSmeS declared in the Spanish
cafes that such an act Of audacity on the
part of the Yankees could not pass With
out punishment His threats We're direct,
and huded obstruction to the American
saip. Ills associates Were Felipe Con
zalc2. bio Sio Vega and itusebo Azcue.
violent Spaniards.
These men boastcd that the Yankees
Were about to get their due, though no
charge can be directed against any save
Bresmes.
He and the hot-hnaded Spaniards of
! Muralo street met nightly at a house
near the corner OF Murallo and Habana
streets. where the police know the plot
against tn Main" was concerted and all
arrang" g"H!rnti completed.
| when the explosion took place Bres
mes WAS in the Tacon theater with
| friend. At the sound of the explosion
! h cried There goes the Maine Cham
| pagne was drunk in honor of the terrible
! event at the moment when others were
vaguely inquring of one another what
| had happened
, Bresmes' name was mentioned before
the American court of inquiry. but not
| sufficient evidence was then forthcomins
to warrant any action. and all referenca :
to him was suppressed in the published
| reports.
Washington, Jan. 5.-When the at
| john of the war department was called
| yesterday to the reports of excitement
| in Cuba over the customs question and
the alleged friction between General
| Brooke at Havana and General Wood a t
Santiago, he said:
IF the order upon which General
Wood is acting can only he printed, the
matter will he fully understood. There
! Is no controversy existing. The trCub.e
| Is. some persons do not seem tn make
! a distinction between Il report and the
transmission of funds. An order was
framed, having in view the perfecting Of
a system Of collecting duties on the
island and this order, in speaking Of
the officer in charge of the SUPPORTS of
ently. said He shall make weekly re-
ports to the collector of customs Of the
is.and, at the chief port, Of all trans
actions ut the suh-port over which he
has jurisdiction with copies of u | en-
tries of merchandise truly certified
Now" continued Mr.. Meikcljuhr.
that does not mean cash. Weekly re-
Ports must be made in order that we
nay keep track of the revenues of the
sand. This does not say that these
ports must be accompanied hy cur
vncy. but simply that they shall be
}ade."
Ahd is General Wood to be at liberty
| max" use of the funds received from
! "s'"r'S for improvements i'm the
r"yince"" was asked.
~ Is distinctly understood that these
t%s are for the island of Cuba, and
tio lie expended upon the preserta
-j&p!ans and specifications for rub
q (o"k But Two Ballots.
, =, nM/ER Mich lam Tt,