Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-06-22

the Spanish board of inquiry on the othef
side Capt Pedro Pera1, who was CHAIR
man of the Spanish board, Is today the iast
representative Of Spanish naVai power Al, IL,
the Antilles. He is in charge OF the drv
dock which the United States did not claim
as part of the spoils of war, and whicn, py
courtesy. has remained in the harbor OF
Havana until the Spanish government de-
cides what to do with 1t. Capt. Peral al
ways had the respect and good viii or the
Americans, and in the most excitins Gays
of Spanish feeling against the United states
he sought to restrain 1t. To-Day ne Is one
of the most popular men in Havana and he
discusses the events of the war without
passion. Last winter at soclai oihheI l
saw him good aturedly write ms auto
graph in a book which incidentally pre-
sent ed the view that Spain was responsible
for the destruction of the Maine.
Aside from the testimony given before
the Sampson board by Lieut. PoWeison ana
Others, / always have had the notion that
the views of Capt Converse, who Is one OF
the leading authorities in the American
navy on the subject Of torpedoes. may have
had something to do with the opinion form.
ed unoficially by American officiais that
the Maine was blown up from without.
Capt. Converse was In command OF the
MONTGOMERY which was sent to Havana
after the destruction OF the warship: Elk
ecutive Officer Wainwright was one of those
on the Maine whose conclusions had great
weight at the time, as did the knowledge OF
Chief Engineer Howell, who has since died
stars and stripes from the wreck of the
Maine when it was abandoned to the Span
ish authorities Gunner Morgan, who re-
Gently has achieved a fair measure of fame
through his correspondence with Admiral
Sampson was one Of the divers whose tes-
timony Of what he saw underneath the
water had much weight. Gunner Morgan
was supposed to be laxative. but Diver
Morgan had tongue which could be made
to cleave in the roof of his mouth. A full
and detailed report Of his Investigations
would be Of great value to the British ma
val experts who have theories, provided
they were willing to submit their theories
to the test OF facts.
Pipe Dream Stories.
Since the question has been revived in a
way 1t Is almost certain that people will
be turning up who at this late day have
made valuable discoveries about the Maine.
Going down from Havana few weeks ago
an insurance man came to me In great
confidence and wanted me to see the presi-
dent of his company. Somebody whom the
president knew had been telling him
startling tale about the Maine. and he
thought it was new and ought to be given
to the world. This particular story was
many enterprising newspapers weary and
which belongs to the category Of what
they call pipe dreams"
In Havana there is an Americanized-Eu-
rOpean QetecIlVe WHO mas adu experience
in South America and Mexico, and there
fore claims to know the Spanish people.
One day Father Chadwick. the chaplain of
the Maine, told me that he had received
some mysterious hints from this detective,
who was going to write a book telling the
whole story and fixing the responsibility
on certain individuals. A few weeks later
at the request Of the detective, went
around to his Office to meet person who
was ION the trail" This person was a
former Spanish police official. He knew
Just as much some of the rest of us
knew and no more, but he thought IL he
. had s. 600 cash down he could go out and
bring In the actual witnesses who were in
Mexico, Spain and South America. He did
not saSs the $1,000.
The pipe dream which at one time
had the widest circulation aud which at
times now il revived, was that certain
Spanish divers .w.re concerned In the plot
to blow up the Maine. that after the ex-
pioeion work was found for them IN the
aarbor. and that BY some accident the air
WAS shut OF and they were brought to
the snrface dead. Had they been con-
cernsd In the plot this would have been .