New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-20
HUMAN BONES FOUND
IN WRECK OF MAINE
Two Forearms and a Foot, En-
crusted in Coral Growth,
Placed on the Leonidas.
IDENTIFICATION IMPOSSIBLE
Copy of Marie Corelli's Worm
wood" Also Brought Up, but
Owners Signature Is
Illegible.

Havana. June 19.-With the first dis
covery this morning OF some human
fragments. the work OF exploring the
hill Of tho Maine for the primary pur-
nose Of recovering and giving honorable
sepulture to the remains Of her gallant
crew was at last begun, after many
weary months of preliminary work.
While workmen were clearing the
snardeck between the after and engine
room superstructure in the immediate
vicinity of the after portside turret. they
found bones of "A right foot Enclosed III
the ragged remnant OF a shoe, and near
bv the bones of a forearm. the hand be-
ting missing.
Soon after this they came upon the
bones Of another forearm. All were
bIackened. possibly from the action II
fire and deep incrusted with cora
growth
None of the remains offered hope OF
Identification, except that the shoe sng-
eested that the wearer probably was
an officer. a mess attendant or member
of the marine guard. the bluejackets IN
tropical service habitually going pare
foot.
Further exploration in that portion OF
the ship where the relics were found dld
not reveal ANYTHING which might assist
in the identification. The remains were
placed i'm receptacle on board the
United States collier Leonidas
A search of the spardeck and the otf-
GERS quarters superstructure resulted
in the discovery of paper covered mover
"Wormwood," by Marie Corelli. in which
the owners name on the title page was
il,egible: a pair of binoculars, mucn
corroded: two raincoats. two rubber
mats a barrel of bottled mineral water
quantity Of porcelain belonging to the
captain's and the wardroom messeS
and number of pencils and rubper
hands. II was noticeable that the rub
her articles withstood we'll the action or
the water All metallic objects were re-
duced to unidentifable masses of black
oxide.
During the morning a leak developed
in the south side Of the cofferdam De-
tween two caissons. but il was stopped
after exploration by divers and the
dumping of additional material WITHIN
the caissons adjacent 10 the leak
The water level had been lowered al
nightfall TO fourteen feet. leaving visiois
all the spardeck from the stern TO the
fore part OF the engine room super
structure on the port side. The latter
deck is badly bulged. and apparently the
side of the ship under this, including tlt
armor belt, was blown outward, WHICH
probably resulted in the explosion OF the
main after magazines.
Up TO the present it has been impos'
sible TO identify that portion Of the kee
which. according to the report Of tnf
original board OF survey. was raised
many feet above it's original position
and which was strongly indicative o.
an exterior explosion. But so great Is
the confusion Of the masses of materia
heaved up that identification OF any por'
ttcn of the structural material Is ex'
ceedinylv difficult and can probably
only be completely determined when the
wreck is entirely clear OF the water
This evening the after part of the YES
sci, including the officers quarters. nae
been for the most part cleared Of muo
and debris The dead lights Of the main
deck on the after port side are visible
above the water, but a view OF the IN
terror is obscured Ivy masses Of mud
BY morning the water level will be re-
duced to fifteen feet, when the pumping
will be suspended. The exposed por-
tions will then be freed from silt and
marine growths and further exploration
OF the interior will be made possible.
Brigadier General Bixby, chief OF the
engineer corps, L. s. A. said tonight:
There is no reason for haste. The best
policy is to clear up the exposed portions
before further lowering the water level
When the water is all out a great part
OF the hull will remain embedded many
feet I'm the mud Then it is probable
that the explorations will continue in
the interior of the hull below the null
| leNel' pelOTe we uiiuci tahV 'Hc N"i~ui'
and tedious task of removing the muI
and revealing the exterior of the hull.
The greatest difficulty will be expert
enced in exploring the bow section. which
appears to be mere confused mass of
torn and twisted decks ribs and side
| plating. apparently almost entirely sep
arated from the rest of the ship. In this
section it is believed the greatest loss
Of life occurred. and in all probability
many weeks will elapse before a full
exploration is possible"