Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-17
EXTENDED SIX MONTHS
MORE TIl<& GIVEN SPANISH
TREATY dAIss conmIss1oN.
Mr.. Chandler SPre kdent of the Board,
Shows ItssNed ssity-Adjudica-
tiod Of be Cases.

President Roosevelt has extended for six
months from March 2. 1903, the life of the
Spanish treaty claims commission, which,
since its first meeting on April 8, 1901. has
been engaged in examination of claims SUBJ
mitted to 1t under the law of March 2. 1901.
creating the commission. The extension Of
the lifetime of the commission was made on
showing OF the necessity therefor present
ed by Mr.. w. E. Chandler. president of the
commission. Mr.. Chandler in a letter to the
President, dated January II last, says that
the total number of claims presented to the
commission is $40 and the amount claimed
$61.6720T. OF these claims 152 are for
damages caused to enlisted seamen on the
battle ship Maine by the explosion in Ha-
Vana naroor' February Is, 1898; twenty-five
are LOT personal Injuries received in various
ways from Spanish authorities; fourteen
are for damages on account of both per-
sonal injuries and property losses, and 354
are TOT damages to real and personal prop
ersy. Inc amounts claimed, as above clas-
sified. are as follows:
For personal injuries suffered by seamen
on battle ship Maine, s., S25, 200.
for personal injuries received from Span
ish authorities. $2.351 800
For damages to real and personal prop
erty. $50. 1887
Total. $61. 672.O77.
Classification of Claims.
The claims for indemnity on account Of
property losses appear from the petitions
Mr. Chandler says, to be about equally d.
Vlded into two classes-D those in which
the acts complained of were committed by
Cuban insurgents ~ those in which the
acts were committed by Spanish forces.
These claims relate to about twenty Of the
20I sugar centrals or large sugar mills in
Cuba, and to about coo of the landed estates
In the island. which number 1851 sugar
plantations, 10, S31 tobacco planta lions and
O,Il farms. An award of So, 600 was made
FOR damages arising from arrest and i'm
prisonment of a United States citizen In
Cuba In 1896. The 152 cases arising from
the destruction Of the, Maine have been dis
missed on the ground that Individual claims
do not arise In favor of the officers and sea-
men OF ship of war for injuries received
While In line of duty and for which a for
elgn government Is responsible. The pres
ent status of the remaining $3.50 cases now
pending Is as follows:
At ISSUE Al; on demurrers, 1853; on mo-
tons for more specific statements, SO; on
stipulations for continuance and for more
specific statements II; on motions to strike
out parts of petitions, II; awaiting action
of Attorney General, where demurrers have
been overruled, IA; awaiting action of at
torneys for claimants, where demurrers
have been sustained, 49, Total, $3.50.
There was in the original act of Congress
of March 2, 1901, no express authority given
for the taking of testimony outside the
United States, and delay in this matter
occurred pending passage Of an act of Con-
gress June %. 1902 authorizing such testi-
occurred. it is stated, has been due entirely
to the necessity Of giving the government
ample time for investigation and counsel
time to prepare cases.