The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-23

theories concerning the origin of the
disaster-that the explosion was caused
from the outside by agents OF Spain:
that 1t was caused from inside and
that The Maine was anchored over u
mine prepared by the Cubans. We
were able 10 inform the President and
Secretary OF War that the last theory
was the most consistent with the facts.
This leads TO the conclusion that the
Maine was blown up by the Cubans Ia
order 10 bring en- war With Spain and
the deliverance of Cuba
Continuing. he said: Now. will
tell you for the first time the name
OF the man who blew up the Maine
He Is, or Was. Jose Zavaido. He was
electrician at MORO Castle 1t was he
who threw tho switch which set of
the powerful mine that destroyed the
ship and sent 201 lives into eternity
N a fash zalvaldo was aftcrward
shot by order of General Blanco. we
even got a piece OF the cable that led
from the mine 10 the room in MORO
Castle. That piece of cable is now in
the Navy Department at Washington.
Attempts OF several military and
naval officers in Washington to re-
pudiate Captain Bradys statement have
lately drawn ire from Francis At
water. OF Meriden. Conn, who was
editing a newspaper at Havana at the
time the Maine was blown up
According to Mr.. Atwater detec-
'pve assigned 80 the mystery han
traced the crime to this same Zavaldo.
who was not shot. but poisoned. and
one OF whose accomplices stood ready
to confess full details OF the plot.
The War Department was notified at
he time of this mans Willingness to
lay bare the mystery, according to
tho editor, but apparently took no &C
ton
Testimony Of Former Spy.
And this controversy between Brady
! and Atwater upon the one side and
the army and naval officers upon the
other has drawn cross-fire from one
| j. C. Crawley, of Aberdeen. Wash. who
| is alleged to have been a spy IN the
employ of the Cuban government
According to him, lavaldo, whose
name he prefers to spell "Seavaldo,"
Gid not actually blow up the Maine. al
though he was one of the principal
conspirators in the plot
lose Seavaldo." says MIR. Crowley.
was an electrician soldier In the Span
ish army. some say navy, but to the
best information OF our spies he was
] VI iit SiBHdl OF the army lie
had much to do with the connecting
of the mines in the harbor of Ha-
vana. which the Americans, assisted
| by the native Cubans in Havana. sue
cended in cutting. thus foillng the
! first attempt to blow up the Maine
"Seavaldo did prepare and connect
! the wire to the torpedo which de-
stroyed the Maine. but he did not touch
the button that set it off. That was
! actually done by a high Spanish of
ficer, Don Pedro, in Fl ferryboat. which
was rowed out OF the harbor just a
little before the explosion II was
the intention to explode the torpedo
under the power magazine. and If the
| Maine is raised 1t will show with
how much success.
The ferryboat had only two men
In 1t, the officer and the ferryman.
| SeavaIdo, after connecting the wires.
| tainted (whether in pretense or not
do not know. and was taken to the
hospital. forcing the officer to do the
work The ferryboat was gone n cou-
pie Of hours. I cannot say exactly
Tor we were too busy saving our own
| lives in the excitement following the
explosion.
American Spy Surprised Them.
The excitement was caused by an
American. who. being a frst-class
Spaniard by nature and tongue, was
acting as a spy, and was employed rs a
waiter in the Spanish omcers' Club.
He had tray in his hand containins
! bottles and glasses when the sound OF
the explosion reached the club. At tho
instant of the sound tae officer whom