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Chronicle
VOL. II.
PRESIDENT REFUSES REQUEST TO
ALLOW CO-OPERATION.
WILL INVESTIGATE INDEPENDENTLY
Americans Must Do the Work First; Af
terward Spain May Make an Ex
amination of Maine's Hull.
President McKinley had a confer
ence with Secretary Long of the navy
department, and Assistant Secretary
of State Day Saturday morning in re
gard to the formal request of the Span
ish government at Havana to be allow
ed to co-operate with tho United States
government in the investigation of the
wreck of the Maine and its surround
ings. The decision reached by the
president and his advisers was that no
objection will be made to tlie Spanish
authorities making an investigation,
but that the United States would
make its own investigation and its
own report.
The president’s reply sent through
Assistant Secretary Day means that
this government will insist upon its
rights to say for itself, on the testi
mony of its own citizens, what caused
the. great disaster which has brought
two nations to the very brink of war—
to say whether it shall mean war or
peace.
The president also decided that the
United States would act independent'
ly in regard to the court of inquiry
and would conduct the report inde
pendent of other authorities.
Favorable Comment Produced.
The president’s position has called
forth favorable comment on all sides.
Of course it is nothing more than ho
should have done, nothing more than
he is bound in honor to do.
At first it was feared that because
the harbor where the ship lies is Span
ish grounds the president would be in
clined to accede to the request of the
Spau|sh officials.
But it was so clearly shown to him
that the control of the ship and every
thing belonging to it .is under the ex
tra territorial rights of the United
States that the president was strength
ed in his position against allowing tL i
Spanish government to participate ifi
the investigation.
ATTRIBUTED TO SUBMARINE MINE
Well Known Newspaper Correspondent
Presents Proof of Foul Play.
A cable \c from Sylvester Scovel to
The New k Evening World under
Saturday’s date from Havana, via Key
W est, says:
“The concensus of opinion of those
who have studied the wreck closest is
now that the explosion was caused by
a submarine mine. The forward mag
azine, it is now generally supposed, is
intact, also the forward six-iuch mag
azines.
“This leaves only a few saluting
charges and a few small caliber shells
in the pilot house ivhich could possi
bly have exploded aboard tho ship.”
“At the same time the fearful dam
age is too big for any but an extremely
large torpedo. divers will
“If it was a torpedo the
find the torpedo fragments, hut if it
were a submarine mine no traces
would be found:
“All the American officers are inter
nally boiling. There is not one of
them, from Captain Sigsbee down, who
is not firmly convinced a government
submarine mine did it.
“The Spanish dailies are loudly
clamoring ‘Accident, accident,’ when
evsn now the fact is known that the
whole middle deck, which was blown
straight up, never had an ounce of
ship’s powder under it, aud that was
where the first blaze was seen.”
THE WEEK IN CONGRESS.
A Number of Important Measures To Be
Considered In tlie Senate.
A Washington dispatch says: The
diplomatic and consular and the mili
tary academy appropriation bills will
be considered and passed by tbe sen
ate during tlie coming week. There
will be more or less debate in execu
tive session of the Hawaiian annexa
tion treaty and speeches will be made
on the claim of Air. Corbett to a seat
in the senate on the appointment of
the governor of Oregon.
NEW TRIAL DENIED
In the Case of Sausagemaker I.uctgert
Convicted of Wife Murder.
A motion for a new trial was made
at Chicago Saturday on behalf of
Lnetgert, the sausage manufacturer,
sentenced to life imprisonment for
wife murder, The courtroom was
crowded.
Luetgert apparently was far from
hopeful. His attorneys attacked the
court, claiming that the jurors had
been prejudiced by Judge Gary’s re
marks. Counsel gave twenty-three
other reasons of a technical nature
why a new trial should be granted.
Judge Gary, however, denied the
motion and formally sentenced Lnet
to life imprisonment.
ABBEVILLE. GA.. THURSDAY FEBRUARY 24. 1898.
SPANISH CRUISER AT NEW YORK.
(extraordinary Precaution* Taken lty Offl
eluls For Her Protection*
The Spanish armored cruiser Viscaya
is in New York waters on a “friendly
visit.” She dropped her big anchors
live miles south of Sandy Hook light
house at 5:30 p. m., Friday, after a
thirteen day voyage from the Canary
islands.
When her officers and men learned
Ihe startling news of the disaster to
the American battleship Maine in
Havana harbor and of the downfall of
former Minister DeLorne, they broke
into a wild uproar of talk.
For u time all discipline on the great
ship seemed to vanish to tho winds.
Men rushed below to tell their com
rades in the lower decks.
Rear Admiral Bunce has given liual
instructions to Lieutenant John A.
Dougherty, who will have charge of
the patrol tugs, six in number,to guard
the Spanish cruiser during her stay-in
the vicinity. board, while
Each boat is to have on
on watch, four murines, and one non
commissioned officer of marines, a
roundsman and four policemen of the
metropolitan force. patrol
While on duty tho boats will
the waters carefully iu the vicinity of
the visiting Spaniard, and no boat or
person will be allowed to approach the
Viscaya without the sanction of the
commanding officer of that vessel.
At night it is intended to keep tiie
Viscaya brilliantly illuminated with
electric lights, and the watch boats
will be also well lighted so that there
can be no possible means of approach
ing the vessel without detection.
ALL FAVOR (1001) ROADS.
People of Alabama Have Been Spurred
Up by Anniston Convention.
The good roads convention at An
niston, Ala., has, at least, served one
good purpose. It has directed the at
tention of the people of Alabama to
fact that they are far behind the march
of progress iu the matter of good roads,
and it has set them to talking about
the best meaus to remedy the existing
difficulty.
It was a noticeable fact that the
words of county commissioners of at
least three-fourths of the counties in
the state were represented at the meet
ing. These boards have in charge the
public roads of their respective coun
ties. These commissioners went to
Anniston for instruction and informa
tion; while there they swapped expe
riences. They took dots as to the best
methods of drainage, etc.
They found that lands in the coun
ties having good systems of roads
were worth twice as much as the lands
in the muddy counties. Alany of them
were heard to say that they proposed
to return to their homes and insist on
the building of good roads at almost
any cost.
The convention resolved to demand
some good roads legislation from the
next general assembly and appointed
a committee to consider the formula
tion of a code of good roads laws. It
is evident that the impiovement of the
public highways will he a popular
issue in the next state campaign.
HANCOCK SAID “NIT.”
President of Atlantic amt North Carolina
Railway Refused to Resign.
A Raleigh, N. C., dispatch says:
President Robert Hancock, of the
Atlantic and North Carolina railway,
went to see Governor Russell Friday
and urged the latter not to take up the
matter of his removal from office until
Alay, on the ground that it might prej
udice his interest iu the ten-thousand
dollar damage suit against him by the
mother of the girl he is alleged to have
enticed to her downfall.
The governor said he would not de
lay. He asked Hancock if he would
resign.
Hancock said, “No.”
The governor then said that the de
lay until February 22d in taking action
was to give Hancock an opportunity to
resign.
Hancock said, “I swear I will never
resign.”
' Then said the governor, “I will dis
miss you.”
Hancock repented his words, “I will
never resign, ” and added that the courts
will have to oust him.
The governor at once called the board
of internal improvements together and
ousted him as director.
To be president one lias to he a di
rector. The directors will oust him
aud end the matter.
CARTER’S PRIVATE LETTERS
Are Iti'ounlit Out In Evidence at the
Coxirtmartlal.
A Savannah dispatch says: The fea
ture in tbe Carter couvttnarttal Friday
was the introduction in evidence of u
number of personal letters written by
Captain Carter to Captain Green, a
member of tbe Atlantic Contracting
company. All were written prior to
1890.
One referred to a certain marble
quarry, another was about a patent
pneumatic jack for stowing cotton
which Carter seemed to want Green
and J. F. Gayuor to go into.
An account shewing that in 1886
Captain Carter borrowed $1,600 from
Green was also read.
THE FUNERAL PROCESSION WAS
LAllUE AND VERY IMPRESSIVE.
CITIZENS TURNED OUT EN MASSE
To Show Respect to the American Head.
All Civil and Military OftlciaU
Took Part.
The interment of the martyrs of tho
Maine took placo nt Havana Thursday
afternoou.
The flags on tho public buildings
were at half-mast and mauy of the
houses were draped in mourning.
All classes were represented in the
throngs that filled the streets along
which tho funeral procession passed to
the cemetery.
The funeral cortege started from tho
principal entrance of the city hall on
Weyler street. lined
The population that the route
gave every indication of the profound
est respect.
General Blanco witnessed the pass
ing of the funeral procession from the
balcony of the palace. The entire
ceremony was a most impressive de
monstration of sympathy.
Very elaborate preparations were
made for the interment of the dead.
In the morning twenty-two bodies
were carried to the city hall, where
they rested in coffius covered with
beautiful crowns of silk ribbons, with
appropriate inscriptions. The crown
from the city council boro the inscrip
tion:
“The people of Havana to the vic
tims of the Alaine.”
There was a handsome crown of
silk ribbons in tlie Spanish national
colors with the inscription:
“The navy department at Havana
to the victims of the Maine.”
All the civil, military and state offi
cials and thousands of the citizens of
Havana followed the remains to tho
cemetery and took part in the exer
cises.
Wounded Doing Well.
The correspondent of the Associated
Press visited tlie hospitals of San Am
brosio and the Alfonso XIII during
the day and met Aliss Clara Barton
and John EUvell, of the Rod Cross
Society. Tho scene was heart-break
ing. Borne of the men, however, are
already much better. sent
Captain General Blanco has to
tlie Spanish charge d’affaires at Wash
ington a cable message on behalf of
the colonial government requesting
him to tender to President AIcKinley
the condolences of the cabinet upon
the terrible disaster that destroyed the
United States warship Alaine, request
ing him, moreover, to “tender our pro
found sympathy to tlie American gov
ernment aud.assurances of how deeply
we regret that this port should bo the
witness of such a tremendous accident
to the American navy.”
The following cablegram from Cap
tain Sigsbee, dated nt Havana, was
received Thursday evening by the
secretary of the navy:
“Twenty-seven will he buried this
afternoon, twenty-five found in the
harbor and two died iu hospital.
“The following only can lie recog
nized:
“Dierking, drummer; J. S. Graham,
AV. S. Tinsman, landsmen; Brown,
sergeant of marines; Nero, chief ma
chinist; Keys, ordinary seaman; O.
Sheridan, Gaffney, Cosgrove, Seary,
firemen; Golpine, marine; Ivaiica, coal
passer; J. Smith, seaman.”
GOVERNMENT FOR ALASKA.
Plan. For Organization of tlie Territory
Under AVuy.
A Washington dispatch says: Sena
tor Carter, from the senate committee
ou public lands,has reported favorably
the house bill granting right of way to
railroads and extending the homestead
laws in Alaska, with amendments by
the senate committee.
The amendments of the senate limit
to forty acres the amountof land to Vie
taken unless the land is distinctly ag
ricultural, the object Leing to prevent
a monopoly by any individual of valu
able sites. No homestead title shall
limit or abridge tlie free navigation of
tlie waters of tlie territory. Purchase
of land for canneries or trading pur
poses are limited to forty acres.
MAY VET BE WAR.
Excitement Over Blowing Up of the Maine
Grows More Intense.
While official Washington is extend
ing to the Alaine disaster that sus
pension of judgment for which Cap
tain Sigsbee has asked in his official
declaration, the situation becomes
more aud more intense.
Nine-tenths of those in authority
who expressed an opion on the quiet
have come to the positive belief that
it is only a question of a very short
time before Spanish responsibility for
the horror that has shocked the world
is made manifest, und tho conviction
is supplemented by another-—that tho
end of all is sure to be war.
SENATOR MASON DEMANDS AN JM
MEDIATE INVESTIGATION.
fl SENSATIONAL DEBATE ENSUES.
Much Warm Talk Indulged In Republi
cans Reply to Their Colleague
From Illinois.
A Washington special says: Iu the
senate Friday Mr. Mason offered a
resolution for an investigation of the
Maine disaster providing for a private
committee to make an investigation.
Air. Hale asked that the matter he not
pushed.
Air. Alason, iu reply, said that it
was' evident that facts in regard to
Cuba were being concealed from the
people of the country and from cou
gress.
Air. Alason said that the policy of
the government was delay, and noth
ing was stopping the murder of people
in Cuba.
The DeLorne letter had not stopped
the murders. The Afaine disaster had
not stopped them. It was time for the
senate to act. Air. Alason said he did
not want tho facts regarding the Maine
locked up in the executive depart
ments.
Air. Alason said we had waited while
the diplomats have deceived us. They
had sat at our table and misrepresent
ed the situation. Air. Mason said that
while the diplomats delayed 250 of
our brave seamen were iying in the
harbor at Havana.
Air. Alason said the American peo
ple were tired of investigating behind
closed doors, that with 250 seamen ly
ing at the bottom of Havana harbor
the people of the United States want
ed to know whether she was blown up
by her enemies or from spontaneous
combustion. Air. Alason said that if
it was found that the disaster was the
result of an accident the people would
be better satisfied if a committee of
congress should find it so aud no barm
would be done.
Mr. Alason, referring to the DeLorne
letter, said he thought every one would
commend the president for the manner
in which he handled a matter which
was in part so personal to himself.
Mr. Alason said that those who are so
anxious to go slow iu the matter of the
matter of the Alaine were defenders of
DeLorne and had praised his wise
statesmanship. president said
Air. Alason said the
iu his message that one reason why he
had hesitated to interfere was because
of tlie promise of autonomy, and yet,
at the same time the Spaniards were
denouncing the government. Air. Ala
son said there should be American
divers for the Alaine so that the truth
could be told. He would not act upon
an investigation committee, he said,
because he wonld not sit at a table
with a Spaniard unless he had a sti
letto in his pocket.
This caused a titter iu the senate.
Senator Wolcott created a sensation
in replying to Air. Alason. Air. Wol
cott said the senator from Illinois had
said the people were losing confidence
in one of the great departments of
the government, a statement that
could not go unchallenged. Air. Ala
son sought to interrupt Mr. Wolcott,
hut the latter peremptorily declined
to he interrupted aud insisted that the
words be read.
SECRETARY LONG CENSURED.
MhcIi Resentment Felt Toward Him Be
cause of His Attitude.
A Washington special says: Resent
ment is now felt toward Secretary
Long that he should, without substan
tial proof, insist upon giving out the
theory that tlie disaster to the Alaine
was the result of an accident.
Iu the whole course of reasoning
the assumption is that the Maine wns
blown up by a torpedo. Congress
men, nave 1 rfficers and other men in
the government do not hesitate to ex
press this belief, while tlie adminis
tration, for fear of offending tbe Span
ish, persists in giving out the contrary
theory.
The administration asks for a sus
pension of judgement, while the sec
retary of the navy forestalls that 8118 -
pension by posting his opinion.
TO DISMANTLE MAINE.
Tlie Merritt Wrecking Company Mecure.
Contract tor the Work,
The Alerritt Wrecking company has
been directed to send vessels to Ha
vana for the purpose of performing the
preliminary work of saving property
pertaining to the Maine.
Several telegiams were received by
Secretary Long from other wrecking
companies desiring to contract for
raising the sunken battleship. It is
believed generally by the naval offi
cers in Washington that the proposi
tion to raise the Alaine is quite feasi
ble, unless the damage to her hull
shall prove to be very exteuseve.
MISS FRANCES WILLARl) DEAD.
rresident of the W, C. T. IJ. raries Away
Suddenly In New York.
Miss Frances E. Willard, president
of the Womau’s Christian Temperance
Union, died shortly after midnight
Friday night at the Hotel Empire in
New York city.
Miss Willard lias been ill for about
three weeks with profound anemia,
which was the direct cause of her
death.
Frances Elizabeth Willard was born
in Churcbville, N. Y., September 28,
1839. She was graduated at North
western Female college, Evanston,
Ill., in 1859, becamo professor of nat
ural science there in 1862 and was
principal of Genessee Wesleyan semi
navy in 1866-67. The following two
years she spent in foreign travel, giv
ing a part of the time to study in Paris
and contributing to periodicals. Tn
1871-71 sho was professor of esthetics
in Northwestern university and dean
of the women’s college, where sho de
veloped her system of self-government,
which had been adopted by other ed
ucators.
Miss Willard left her profession in
1874 to identify herself with tho Wo
mau’s Christian Temperance Union,
serving as corresponding secretary of
tho national organization until 1879,
and since that date as president. As
secretary she organized the home pro
tection movement and sent an appeal
from nearly 200,000 persons to the
legislature of Illinois asking for the
temperance ballot for women, At
the death of her brother, Oliver A.
Willard, she succeeded him as editor
of Tho Chicago Evening Post.
In 1880 she accepted the leadership
of tli e White Cross movement in her
own unions which had been establish
ed through her influence in twelve
states for the protection of women.
In 1888 she was made president of
the American branch of the Interna
tional Council of Women and of tho
World’s Christian Temperance Union,
sho had founded live years before,
and she was repeatedly re-elected.
Resides many pamphlets and contri
butions to magazines and the press,
Miss Willard has published several
volumes relating to temperance and
other reforms.
ANOTHER DISASTER AT HEA.
Fifty VRHNoiiffli'N of a Tramp Steamer are
Drowned.
A special from Juneau, Alaska,
drted February 12th, confirms the
news of the loss of the steamer Clara
Nevada. The cause of tho disaster
was doubtless the explosion of her
boilers.
Of the fifty people on board none
are believed to have been saved. The
wreck was discovered by Customs In
spector Marquam, at Juneau, who or
dered the Bustler to the scene in Lynn
canal, where a burning vessel had
beeu seen. Wreckage bearing the
name of the ill-fated vessel was found,
but thero was nothing to show the
identity of any of the passengers.
The Clara Nevada was a tramp
steamer, and as she was plying be
tween United States ports she did not
file her passenger list with the customs
house officers.
It was thought she carried about
twenty passengers, of whom two or
three were women. Several were hound
for Juneau and the bulauce for Seat
tie.
BUTCHER YVEYLER TALKS.
Ho Given His Views In Kegurd to Maine
Disaster.
Lieutenant General Weyler, who
arrived at Barcelona, Spain, Thursday,
expressed the opinion in the course of
an interview that the disaster which
had befallen the United States war
ship Alaine in Havana harbor was
“due to the indolence of her crew.”
He announced his intention to ask
the government’s stand permission to go to
Havana and as a candidate fer
tile chamber of deputies for the Havana
district.
HARBOR FULL OF TORPEDOES.
Significant Letter Written By a Gunnel
On tlie Maine.
A special to tlie Detroit News from
Bay City, Alieli., states that, u letter
was received in that city Thursday
Elmer Afeilstrup, gunner on
board the battleship Alaine, dated
February 11, in which Meilstrup
wrote that lie would not he surprised
ii they should be blown up any day,
that the ship was surrounded with
torpedoes and could not leave the har
bor without consent and direction of
tlie Spanish authorities.
ILLINOIS STANDS READY.
Governor Sends Message to Legislature
Which Whs Applauded.
Governor Tanner, of Illinois called
on the legislature Thursday to author
ize him to tender to tho president of
the United States tho “moral and ma
terial support” of Illinois, to “pre
vent or punish any attempt at hostile
invasion of otir country.” This aud he
did in a message to the senate
house. In the senate the message
came as a profound suprise. While it
was being read by the governor’s pri
vata secretary, there was the deepest
silence in the senate, and at its conclu
sion there was a burst of applause
from both sides.
NO. 6.
MANY BELIEVE THE MAINE EX
PLOSION WAS NO “ACCIDENT.”
NML MEN EXPRESS OPINIONS.
Public Opinion Seem# to lie Crygtalizlng
In the Belief That Wrecking of the
Warship Wan By Duslffn.
A Washington special of Wednesday
says: It means a heavy indemnity or
war with Spain, for there seems now
no good reason to doubt that the ter
rible tragedy that has cast a gloom
over the nation was caused by Span
isli treachery.
Despite the strong efforts of those
in authority to create a contrary im
pression, the opinion that the Maine
was wrecked by a Spanish torpedo, at
first advanced with reluctance, has
grown until it has become a convic
tion. The best thought in the navy
department now indorses this idea,
and the construction which experts in
these affairs put upon Captain Sigs
bee’s cablegram seems to bear it out
fully.
All of the official utterances Lave
been to the contrary. It Las been
given out in a semi-official way that
the president believes the wreck was
duo to accident, and the officials of
the navy department have been kept
busy trying to put up a plausible
story ou that line. At first the public
was inclined to take that view of it.
But since these first statements there
have been others, from tho men whose
views are valued most nt the navy
department, which have thrown a dif
ferent light on the situation; and in
consequence of the belief that some
Spaniard is responsible for the most
terrible disaster that bus ever over
taken this navy, or any other iu time
of peace, the feeling in Washington is
running high.
Nobody believes that tho act was
committed by authority of the Spanish
government. But almost everybody
now believes that the Maine was
sent to the bottom by some Spaniard
in consequence of the bitter anti
American policy in Madrid and Ha
vana, and that it was some man or
men who had means of securing the
deadly weapons which are made for
harbor defense.
Elaborate explanations are being
made as to the manner of the “acci
dent” that happened to the battle
ship. Some of these are plausible,
and are adhered to by those whose
every breath is for peace at any cost.
But under tho analysis of such men as
Chief Navy Constructor Hicbhoru and
other men high in knowledge of the
affairs of our navy, these explanations
vanish into thin air. It is the opinion
of Commodore Hichborn that the
“accident” that sent the Maine to the
bottom was a torpedo, and that the
investigation of the divers when they
get to work will demonstrate his idea
to be tho correct one.
Torpedo Did tl»e Work.
As to the theory of spontaneous
combustion, Commodore Hichborn
takes no stock in that. He says tlie
character of the powder and other am
munition arid the precautions taken to
protect them all combine to render
such an occurrence out of ihe ques
tion. All lie lias said for the public is
that he feels convinced the divers will
find that the indentations will turn
inward—-which iu reality tells the
whole story of his views, as that
would mean that a torpedo had done
the work.
Out of deference to the opinion
which Secretary Long expressed for
publication, most of the officials of the
departments have felt it incumbent
upon them to give out nothing that
did not seem to bear out the accident
theory. Nevertheless, the secretary
is quoted as having expressed to a
close friend his opinion that ft torpedo
did tjio work, and tho other officials
are talking more freely.
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt is one
of those who has all along adhered to
the idea that there was no spontaneous
combustion about it, but that a Span
ish torpedo did the damage.
Tho correspondent of the Associated
Press says he has conversed with sev
eral of the wounded sailors and under
stands from them that the explosion
took place while they were asleep so
that they can give no particulars as to
the cause.
SIGSBEE WAS WARNED.
Mr®. Sigsbee Ha® au Anonymous Letter
Which Creates Great Excitement.
A Washington special says: Mrs.
Sigsbeo lias given out a circular sent
to her by Captain Sigsbee over two
weeks ago on which was written the
words:
“Look out for your ship. We will
blow your whole rotten navy to pieces
if you send it here.”
Then follows a vast amount of abuse
against the yankees. Airs. Sigsbee
says she cannot givo out the contents
of the letter in which this circular was
enclosed, but she has felt vague
fears ever since Captain Sigsbee sent
it to her.