Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-12-22
TELLS THE
NAMES SECRET
Detailed Story Of the Explosion
Given by Man Now Living
in Washington State.

Aberdeen. Wash. Dec 19.-That neither
cuba nor the Spanish government itself
was to blame for the blowing up of the
hattleship Maine or the resulting war
with Spain hut that the explosion was
prompted bv powerful interests to which
Spain was IN debt. is the statement of
j. c. Crowley, an American ex-spy for
the Cuban governments now living in
this city.
In signed statement to The Ore
gonian. which is directed to the "Ameri-
can public" Crowley says:
81 note In the press an article pur-
porting TO he the words Of Colonel j.
L. RradY, which places the blame for
The destruction Of the United states
battleship Maine upon the Cubans,
which IS wrong and which I wish to
correct because the theory was sprung
and exploited by the very men re
sponsible for that crime
II notice another statement from Scna-
tor Atwater. which Is nearer correct.
though It certainly was not jose SeaValdo
that actually blew Up the Maine.
Scavado was an electrician roldic, in
the Spanish army. some say navy. but
to the best Information OF our spies he
was of the signal corps OF the army
Seavado had much to do with the CON
meeting of the mines in the harbor Of
Havana. which the Americans, assisted
by the native Cubans in Havana. sue
ceeded in cutting. thus foiing the frst
attempt to blow up the Maine
ELECTRICIAN NOT THE MAN.
"Seavaldo did prepare and connect the
wire to the torpedo which destroyed the
Maine, but he did not touch the button
that set it off. That was actually done
by Il high Spanish officer. Don Pedro
/ ambassador tn America at tina time, In
/ a fcrryboat which was rowed out Of the
harbor ilSt a little before the explosion
Ii was the intention TO explode the tor
pedo under the powder magazine. and
IL the Maine is raised, 1t will show with
| how much success.
"'rhe ferry had only two men in it,
/ the officer and the fcrryman. Seavaldo,
after connecting the wires. tainted
. Cwhcthor iu preteuse or not, | do not
. know. and was taken to the hospital,
forcing the officer 90 DO the work. The
fcrirsoat wae gone q couple OF hours. /
cannot say exactly, for we were too
busy saving our own lives in the excite
mcnt following tho explosion.
"rhe excitement was caused by an
American who. being Il rirst-class Span
lard ny nature and tongue, was act
ing as spy and was employed as a
waiter in the Spanish Officers club He
had a tray I'm his hand containing bot
ties ard glasses when the sound Of the
explosion reached the club. At the in
slant Of ,the sound the officer whom he
W. uh M, 10,
if my mind is clear as to the name. of
the battleship Viscaya sprang to his feet
| eNclaiming:
There goes that---Maine."
The shock was too much for the
American. who let his tray fall to the
floor. speaking. it was afterward said
in English The crash and the Eng
fish words made an officer spring at
him and the cry Of spy was set up
The district was soon Swarming and
we did not know what was happening
until two of Us landed in the water and
tide mud.
After while the ferryman came
back with his boat. but without the
officer. As it was learned the next
day, the first ferryboat after setting
off the torpedo. met Il second ferry
! Watching LOT IL ana the Oillccf was trans
ported to the second, the first rcturning
| with the lone man. The officer was
pcked up next morning by the light
house tender and landed at Key West
and proceeded to Washington. received
his passports and was escorted to Canada
where, | believe. it Is well known that al
American gave him a good thrashing, re
sulting in considerable trouble to quiet
the scandal
"As TO who notified President Nc
kiney of all these facts, / do mo-
know"