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

Justihed-tf ever vengeance is iusti-
ned. or will that lusty bettlecry. Re
member the Maine" come re-echoing
down the ages to haunt us and remind
us OF vengeance too swift?
It's temper cooled by thirteen years
OF reflection the nation which con-
Victed and punished Spain for the
tragedy OF mid February 'ss. now
awaits In suspense TO learn whether
Spain was. after all. but the victim of
circumstantial evidence.
After generating the Names own
officers and crew OF negligence and
concluding that she was blown up by
a submarine mine that caused par
tial explosion OF two or more of her
Forward magazines. the court of in
curry which sifted the mystery de-
clarcd Itself "unab BILE 10 obtain evidence
fixing the responsibility for the de-
struction OF the Maine upon any per-
Bon persons"
What appears astonishing in these
days of government spies and Federal
detective bureaus is the paucity OF
evidence. except that of technical
character, gathered in Havana during
the days succeeding the catastrophe.
Anonymous Letter Tells Plot.
Soon after the explosion Consul
General Lee. at Havana. received an
ANONYMOUS letter written in Spanish
anc signed "A Friend" 1t gave de-
tails of conspiracy between certain
merchants OF Havana and three des-
peradces-two harbor thieves and d
skilled diver-to blow UP the Maine
Details as to where the trio had pro-
cured their equipment, where they had
hidden their boat and the names OF
their hackers were given. as was the
price which they were TO be paid for
the Job-S2,00o in advance and $4,000
after their work had been accomplished
Before dawn of the day OF the
catastrophe the trio sneaked out into
the harbor. where the diver did tho
work to bring about the explosion.
out Just when they were retiring they
were attacked, from some quarter not
stated. One OF the two thieves was
Killed and left his teeth in the boat
The other was wounded taken prisoner
and at the time the letter was written
was being administered morphine
constantly that he might be put out
OF the way before betraying the plot,
only the diver escaped. according
70 tho mysterious writer. VINO sug-
Eekted that this survivor. named Pepe
Taco be found and made TO talk. when
he would probably do II offered HIS
original share OF the profits which
he now feared 20 claim.
No funds with which to run this
story down were in the hands of
Consul General Lee during those days
OF excitement. but he assigned his
clerk. Henry Draine. TO the task OF
finding Pope Taco. He sent Draine
40 Charles Carbonell. an American
citizen Of Havana. as the likeliest per
son who could help them and car
bonell enlisted the services OF his
arusted boatman. who reported that
Pepe Taco could not have been tho
man, as he had died severed DAYS he
Tore tho Names destruction: SO 1T
must have been Pope Barquin. who
was meant, the boatman added But
search for Barquin resulted. IL is
alleged, in the discovery that he toe.
mad died suddenly several DAYS before
the explosion. The Court OF Inquiry
considered the anonymous letter ana
called upon our consulate for fur
Their investigation nf this story. but
further evidence was not forthcom-
ing
The Mysterious Witness
The only direct evidence before tho
court bearing upon the authorship OF
inc conspiracy was presented by
mysterious person thus described in
the proceedings OF the tribunal:
a witness then appeared before the
court, whose name and address are
suppressed by agreement with the
witness that mis- identity should not
president. through the interpreter"
This mysterious witness said he WAS
crossing about $50 O'clock on the
morning OF the 18th from Havana To
Reglas on ferryboat. He was stand
Ing close to the wall near where four
SDaniards.-.n fat citizen wearing 9.
large diamond. naval officer. an army
lieutenant and IN army staff officer
were speaking in low voice, and with
no
them. They were discussing the Maine
one OF them having remarked that Il
was a shame 10 Spain tibet she was
in the bay. The stan officer remark
ed that he had heard in the CirculIo
Militario, or military club on the Pra-
do. that they were going to blow her
up.
But If you blow her up another one
would come" replied the lieutenant.
They would take care not to send
another" said the stan officer
viii not making explosions In the
bay run great risk TO the city OF Ha-
vana?" asked the stout citizen
the STAFF offcer replied in the mega
tive: The explosion would simply
open the vessel. he. said, and she
would sink Immediately.
II take plenty of beer on that oc-
cAsion," laughed the citizen. at which
''''~N''S ca N"i toiiie AoEWdTQ ana
the voices of the speakers lowered
Cries Name OF Guilty Man.
Since the war precipitated by the
Maine tragedy evidence that the
Cubans and not the Spaniards were re-
sponsible for the explosion has been
volunteered from several sources
In a lecture delivered in Kansas
City last November. Jasper Ewing
Brady. a former army officer and
4 brother of the we'll known divine, Rev.
Cyrus Townsend Brady. stated that
rs one of the cour army officers who
had investigated the Maine mystery
ne had become convinced that Cubans
had destroyed our battleship.
When went to investigate the dis
aster with three other officers" Cap
tain Brady said. there were three