Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-03-28
Naval Officers Story of
Destruction of Battleship
Maine in Havana HarbOr.


the following narrative written Cor
The sun by naval officer who serveg
through the Spanish war and had I'M
usual opportunities for obtaining much
important and exclusive information
about the destruction of the Maine
After leaving the naval service he
made several visits to Havana to pur-
sue his Investigations. He became
thoroughly convinced that the facts
given in the story he has written are
correct. but there are some details
that cannot be verified, in fact. it is
probable that they never will be. He
consulted his friends about the pub
Hcation of the story. and it was their
conccnsus that with some proofs miss
ing it had better be given in narrative
FORM as more specific and detailed
recital of facts might lead to un-
pleasant consequences for those who
have supplied some of the essential
particulars under the seal of secrecy.
The officer in question held high rank
after the war.
Ii was a street la the foreign quar-
ter of New York. The evening crowds
jostled each other on the side walk. and
the shops were brightly lighted, With
doors irvitingly open for the, most
part. As | passed an eating place the
sound OF Laughter came out to me and
an odor of cooking; an odor that sug
gested tamales, chile con carne and
frijoles. not to mention other good
things cooked in the way that reminds
one Of Mexico and other sunny places.
went in. taking a seat at one of the
unoccupied tables. addressed the wait
or i'll the language that was spoken
around me and ordered my favorite
dish and wine.
1t was not an elegant restaurant
1t was not even middle Glass; Can
dor compels me to admit that it was
rather dirty and disreputable, but IL
had a certain air of jolity. The
sizzling sounds that came from behind
the partition against which, sat were
inviting and more than all the cook
ing smells were the same that / had
known under stone arches in q far
away land across the sea. and had
often longed for them again.
While / was waiting for my supper
an elderly man at the next table at
tracted my attention. He had close
cropped gray hair and Il short.
bristling mustache. His eyes were
very deep set and bright and his
swarthy. wrfnkled face was unusually
thoughtful in expression. He was
alone and ate slowly, washing down
his platter of fish with a mixture of
brandy and water which he himself
prepared with care. Although there
We're tattoo marks on the back of one
of his hands, the hands themselves
were rather plump and soft He was
t1n a N n 20 ct
OF the others in the place lie did not
LOOK mp when the women laughed. and
after his supper he smoked his cigar
in silence. eyins me askance once in
"a while. As he had noticed my
presence | was encouraged to ask him
for i match. when I had pushed away
my plate and relied q cigarette. My
accent seemed to encourage him, for
he quoted proserb as he handed me
the match tray, and was sure Their
of the particular province in which he
had been born.
one remark led to another. and be-
fore long l had moved over to his
table he was smoking one of my
cigars and was sharing his little bot
tie of brandy. Soon we were talking
of cities that he had not seen since
his boyhood and | had not visited for
years. Names that neither of us
could recollect at first came bacl; to
one or the other. We recalled
cathedrals, theatres and bull-rings OF
two continents. He had spent sew
eral wears on different vessels. though
whether as a sailor or steward l did
not ask and he did not tell me-
Finally he said he had settled down
in Havana and there he lived for -
years.
He had been soldier. he claimed
but the proprietor of the place told me
the next day, when | went back to find
cut what could about him. that ii
was not true: he had been a barber
However. he showed the most intimate
knowledge of the Spanish regiments
that had been sent over to fight the
Cuban rebels. He knew all their Of
flcers by name, the number OF troops
quartered in and about the city, the
calibres of the guns at the castle and
the fortress across the harbor. and
was part;cululy familiar with the
names of the staff of Governor Gen
eraF Blanco. | was able to prove all
these things from my own records af-
ter | got home. The proprietor called
him Emilio but when he quoted or
ders that had been given to him he
spoke of himself as jose His
story was so Interesting that l have
written it down. Moreover it ought
to end the contention as to who blew
up the Maine and therefore it should
be known to every one.
will not try to reproduce his
idioms and will omit every foreign
word SO that it may be plain. And I