New Britain herald., 1923-02-15
BOX OF CARTRIDGES
and WAR ON spain
NsWspapernan Explains Why
Maine Was Sent 10 Havana

tFNentyriise years ago tonight lh
hatileship HMaine" was sunk in span
ish waters, Thousands upen thous
aRis Of Reonle have often times won
derel Why the battieshlR MAS eve
sent 10 Havana, In a special story
Walter Scott MeriwetheF, the Onll
surviving newspaper correspondent
who reported the disaster for tbs
New York Herald" reveals the 81
year old seeFet,
The story Of Mr, scott, who Is nov
working on the Mississippi "sun" oI
Charleston, Tiss,, follows
IN sleRhens0n's American history
the one now being used in our public
schools, occurs this paragraphs
"'At Havana there were public
demonstrations OF IN will toward Am
orleans. Therefore the hattleshiI
Maine was ordered 20 Havana as an
/ intimation that Americans would be
protected by their government
''fhe Maine was not sent 10 Havana
I as an intimation that Americans
would be protected by their govern
ment,' She was sent there because OF
misinterpreted cable message which
newspaper correspondent in Havana
sent 10 his paper In New York. All the
correspondent wanted was a box OF
cartridges. A hattleship was sent in
stead. The hattleship was blown up
IN Havana harbor. war with Spain en-
sued and a considerable part OF the
geography OF the world was changed
as a result.
1.-THE Ariter was In Havana at the
time OF the Maine disaster. reported
that immortal horror TO the identical
newspaper whose assistant cable edi-
tor had misinterpretcd that message
about cartridges and makes this Feb
ruary i5th-the 25th anniversary OF
the tragedy-thc occasion for setting
history right.
THE reason this revealing chapter
has not been written before Is this:
The correspondent who had sent the
cable was one of my most valued
friends. Under seal OF confidence he
had told me the entire story. He had
planned to write II himself but
thought 1t inadvisable to do so until
some years had interviewed. | asked
and obtained his permission to make
passing reference to 1t in an article
which / had been asked to prepare
describing the scenes at Havana on
the night of the Names destruction,
but the reference did not attract the
attention it deserved. More with the
idea of supplying my friend with data
than employing it myself, / had, as
served, asked the several
actors in the drama each of whom ]
knew, the parts they had
played. Then the man for whom
these notes were intended. came back
from Havana, where he had been sta
toned as correspondent for the Asso-
ciated Press, and suddenly died. I
felt that his death released the story
to me, but just at that time / was
into war work as publicity
manager for the United States Ship
ping Board and the episode was for
gotten until the calendar brought it's |
reminder that the twenty-fifth ami |
yersary of the disaster comes around |
On this February. 18th. Here is the
'ull story:
In February. 1898
ut was early in February, 1898,
hat L received orders from my news
,aper, the New York Herald to pro-
eed to Havana and relieve John X.
Caldwell, in charge of the Herald's
Iavana bureau. Caldwell was an eX-
eedingly capable newspaper man but
omehow had come into disfavor with
he 1at |
ames Gordon Bennett, who had ca
led from Paris curt order to make
he change.
Havana at that time was a trou-
lous city. The relations between this
ountry and Spain were strained to
he breaking point. Riots were fire.
uent and every American in Havana
cit that his life was in danger at all
mes. Caldwell realized it and sought
, arm himself. But there was Il
Lrict edict against the sale of fire.
rms, one chiefly directed against Gu
ans, for the island was then In
laze of insurrection.
80. unable to equip himself with
lie means of self-defense, Caldwell
rote to the Herald and asked that
evolver be sent to him. One was
urchased Immediately and shipped.
ut when it arrived there we're no
lrtridges and the correspondent
,uld no more purchase cartridges
ian he could purchase revolvers.
the situation was growing
orse. Instead of writing for car
idges, he cabled.
THE Herald and its Havana CORE
,ondent employed a private code. !
his was necessary because of the
riot censorship exercised in Havana
: the Spanish. And as it happened r.
e Herald man, Fred Burgin, who
as in charge of the code and of the
avana cable news, was home sick
hen this message came clicking into
e Herald office one night: Camera
ceived, but no plates, Please hurry
next steamer. John Il. CALDWELL
THE full name of John II. Cald-
ELI signified that the message meant
ore than the words indicated and
at the office would have to puzzle
out. Had Burgin been on duty he
)uld have instantly understood that
@ revolver had arrived but no car
dyes. But SPANS Nemesis was