The Oregon mist., April 01, 1898, Image 1

"V -"T
(I irU - R
MIST
-X3 V
VOL. XV.
ST. HEtENB, OREGON, Fit I J) AY, APRIL 1, 1898.
NO. 15.
MAINE BLOWN OP
Rep
ort of, the Board of
In'q
uiry Received.
RESPONSIBILITY IS NOT FIXED
pain Noll Of it of tha Findings of tha
Naval Court-Madrid Krnaaa to Ha
rail tha Torpedo flotilla and la
Actively Fortifying Pi.rto Kleo.
Washington, March 38. The court
of Inquiry appointed to,inveetlgnte the
cauae of the Maine disaster haa report
ed that the lose of the battle-ahip waa
due .to an outalde explosion. The state
department, by direction of the preai
dent, haa oabled Miniater Woodford, at
Madrid, to notify the Spanish govern
ment of the conclusion.
The preaiditnt and hit cabinet ad
viser held two extended aeaaiona today,
one at 10:110 A..M, and another at 3:30
P. M., at which the reort waa consid
ered in detail. Mora ben of the cabl
"net itatod after the meeting that the
diatjuiatan waa of a grave character,
and that never fine the wrecking of
the Maine baa the situation scorned to
critical,
. The Spanish government haa oabled
officially to Washington that the Hpan
iah naval commission holda the disas
ter to the Main to be of internal
origin.
The government of Spain, it 'can be
tated positively, 'it not disported to
tnrn back the torpedo fleet now pro.
ceeding from the Canaries, and would
he disinclined to consider a suggestion
from thla government tending to inter
fere with the disposition by Spain of
her own naval forces.
War preparations on an unprecedent
ed scale are being hurried to comple
tion by the war and navy departments,
and the country practically it on a
war footing.
The foregoing gives the record of one
of the most eventful days the national
capital hat teen tince the close of the
civil war. It wat day of profoundly
important action and of the deepest
anxiety, coupled with naval and mili
tary activity, one step following another
in rapid succession.
Representative men of the adminis
tration, publio men in all branches of
official and congressional 1 1 ft, no less
than the public in general, shared in
the tension to which the situation haa
been wrought. There wat no effort
among the highest ofiloinls.nor, indeed,
wat it potsible- from what waa clearly
apparent in the development of the
day, to minimize 'the situation.
Verdiot of tha Conrt of Inquire.
Viewed in detail, the finding of the
court of Inquiry wat the most vital fac
tor. ComuoaiHlnr Marix, Judge advo
oute of the court of inquiry, delivered
the report to Secretary Long early this
morning, and shortly afterward it wat
carried to the White Houte and placed
. in the hand of the president.
At 10:80 the Cabinet assembled, half
an hour earlier than, usual, and begun
the consideration of the moraeutout
document. JCven the rigid xulet of
ncrecy whioh prevail at cabinet meet
ing! were made doubly strict in this
case, and no intimation of the results
readied by the court wat known until
8 0'olook, when a press bulletin gave
the information to the country, aa well
as to the eagerly waiting official!
throughout ' Washington. These re
' tiiltt, briefly ttated, are that the lost
of the Maine wat due to an exploaion
from the outside, the court being un
able to fix the responsibility for the
explosion. '
The court doet not expreat an opin
ion at to the character ot the exploaion,
but the testimony goes to ahow that it
wat a powerful submarine mine, the
vxact character of which waa not deter
mined, though tha belief wat expressed
that it wat a floating submarine mine.
There were two exposiuns, the court
finds. The first wat from the outside,
and that let off one of the smaller
luagaaines. ,
It wat thit. expressed in detail, and
with the precision of a court deeply
contoloot of ltt responsibility, together
with the evidence upon whioh it wat
baaed, that occupied the attention ol
the cabinet throughout Ub extended ses
sions of the . morning and afternoon.
All other subjects have given way to
thit foremost question. There waa no
change in the plan of making the re
port publio and transmitting it to con
gress, accompanied by a brief message
from the president.
Tho afternoon cabinet session lasted
until nearly 6:80. The entire situa
tion wat diacuased at length, bat no
definite point was reached. The situa
tion it regarded aa decidedly critical,
and it la feared there will be great
difficulty in avoiding trouble.
While interest wat thut centered at
the Whit House, the navy and war de
partments were hurrying forward their
work of preparation.
Thm Spanish Flotilla.
The advance of the. Spanish: torpedo
flotilla continued to reooive the.olosest
attention of naval ofBoiuls,. and while,
o far aa could be ascertained, no defi
nite line of action waa determined
upon, the need ot intercepting thit fleet
wa urged by the highest naval author
ities. .
From the standpoint of the Spanish
.government, this movement waa not a
menace, having been decided upon
iany weekt aeo.
THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.
No Kseonimsndatlon I, Maris Regarding
Aetloa to Me Taken.
Washington, March 89. The pretl-
dcut today mut the fulluwlng message
to congress:
"To the congress of the United
Stales For om time prior to the
visit of the Maine to Havana harbor
our consular representative! pointed
out the advantage to follow the visit
of naval ships to Cuhan water! in ac
customing people to the presence of onr
flag at a symbol of good will and of our
ships in fulfillment of tho mission of
protection to American interests, even
though no immediate need therefor
might exist. Accordingly, on the 95th
of January hint, after a conference with
tho Spanish minister, in wliich a re
newal of the visits' of our vesselt to
Spanish water wat discussed and ac-i
pepted, the peninsular authorities at!
Madrid and Havana were advised of.
the purpose of thit government to re
sume friendly naval visit at Cuban
porta, and that with that end In view,
the Maine' would forthwith call at the
port of Havana. - I
"Tina announcement was received,
hy the Spanish government with ap
preciation of the friendly character of
the visit of the Maine and with notifl-'
cation of an intention to return the
oourteay by tending Spanish ships to
the principal porta of tl.e United States.
Meanwhile the Maine entered the
port of Havana on the 25th of January,
her arrival being marked with no spe
cial incident besides the exchange of
customary satutet and ceremonial visits.
"The Maine continued in the harbor
of Havana during the throe weeka fol
lowing her arrival. No appreciable
excitement attended her ttay. On the
contrary, a feeling Of relief and confi
dence followed tha resumption of long
interrupted friendly inlercoorte. So
noticeable was this immediate effect of
her visit that the consul-general strong
ly urged that the presence of our ships
in Cuban waters should be kept up by
retaining the Maine at Havana, or in
j the f her recall, by tending an
other vessel there to take her place.
'At in minntea nt s o'clock in the
evening of the 16tb of February, the
M,.ii, w letrnwl hv an axnioaion.
oy wmon mo emirs lurwam part
forward part of
the ship wat utterly wrecked. In this
catastrophe, two officers and 360 mem
bers of her crew perished, those who
were not killod outright by her explo
sion being penned between decks by
: (he tangle of wreckage and drowned by
the immediate sinking of the. bull.
Prompt assistance waa rendered by
neighboring vessels anchored in the.
harbor, aid being especially given by
the boats ot the Spanish cruiser Aj
phonso XII and the Ward li- e steamer
City ot Washington, which lay not tar
distant. The wounded were generously
....A.l tf..w l.u Ih. aiithniptf aa of l(a.
vana, the hospitals being freely opened
to them, while the earliest recovered ot
the bodies were Interred by themunici
I pality in the publio cemetery In the
' oily. Tributes of grief and tyrapatby
were offered from all official quarters
of the island. .
, "The appalling calamity fell upon
tho people of onr country with crush
ing force, and for a brief time intense
excitement prevailed, which, in a com
munity less jnat and selfishly con
trolled, must have led to hatsy acta of
blind resentment. Thit sprit, how
ever, soon gave way to the calmer pro
cess of reason and to a resolve to in
vestigate the" facta and await material
proof before forming judgment at to
the responsibility, and if the faots
warranted the remedy due. Thir
course necessarily recommended itself
from the ouUet to the executive, for
only iu the light of a dispassionately
ascertained certainty could it deter
mine the nature and measure its full
duty. in tho matter.
, "The usual procedure wat followed
at in caset of casualty or diaaater to
national vessel of any maritime state.
A naval court of inquiry waa at once
organised, composed of officers well
qualified by rank and practical experi
ence to discharge the onerous .duties
imposed npou them, and, accompanied
by a strong force of wreckers and div
ers, the court proceeded to make a
thorough investigation on the spot,
employing every available meant (or an
impartial and exact determination aa
to the cause of the exploaion. Ita oper
ation! have been conducted with the
utmost deliberation and judgment,
nd while independently pursued, no
lource of information waa neglected
ind the fullest opportunity was allowed
or simultaneous investigation by the
Spanish authorities.
"The finding! of the court of inquiry
were readied after 33 days' continuous
labor, on the 31st of March, and hav
ing boon approved on the 3d, by the
onmniander-in-chlef of the naval force
ot tha North Atlantic station, were
transmitted to the executive. It It
herewith laid before congress, together
with tho voluminous testimony taken
before the court, which it in brief as
follows: , . ...
"When the Maine arrived at Havana
the was conducted by a regular govern
ment pilot to buoy No. '4,, to which the
was moored in from 64 to 6 fathoms
of water. The state of discipline on
board and the condition of her maga
zines, boilers, ooal bunkers and storage
compartments are passed in review,
with the conclusion that excellent order
prevailed and that no indication of any
Atlanta, Ga., March 80. Firemen
responding "to an - alarm found the
bodiea of Mr. and Mrs. Briley, white,
a nd Robert Wilkinson, colored, in "a
store at 75 Humphrey street, which
wat being rapidly destroyed by Are.
Tho bodies wore taken out witout being
marred by the flames. AH were hor
ribly mutilated, the inatruments of
death, a hntchut and meat knife, being
found on the floor. Briley wat the
proprietor of the store, and it is be
lieved -obbery'was the motive,
j ,t . '" , - '. . t- .".
came for internal explosion existed
any quarter.
"At 8 o clock In the evening, on
February 18, everything had been re
ported aecure and all waa qniot. At
40 minute. Paat o'clock -the vessel
mm a M aniljlan 1 at rtnmt a Auml H Vi ne-aa aiA
There were
two diatinot exploaioni with brief in
tervals between them. The first lifted
the forward part of the ehip very per
ceptibly, the eocond, which waa more
prolonged, it attributed by the court to
the partial exploaion of two or more of
the forward magazinei. ? v
"The evidence of the divert cstab
liahet that the after part of the ahlp
waa practically intact, and aank in that
condition a very few minntea after tha
exploaion. The forward part waa com
pletely demolished.
"Upon the evidence of concurrent
exteral cauae, the finding of the court
la aa followa; " - "
" 'At frame 17, the outer ahell of
the ahip, from a point 1 1 feet .from
the middle line of the ship and aix feet
above the keel when .in normal posi
tion, had been forced to about four feet
above the surface of the water, there
fore, about 84 . feet above where it
would have been had the sunk unin
jured. The outside bottom plating it
bent into a reversed "V" thape, .the
after wing of which, about 15 feet
broad and 82 feet long (from frame 17
p t0 frame S5)i iB Almb(Hi back upon it
self against a continuation of the same
plating extending forward.
" 'At frame 18, the vertical keel it
broken in two and bent into a singular
angle, formed by the outside plates.
This break it about aix feet below the
surface of the water and about 80 feet
above its normal position. "
" 'In the opinion of the conrt this
effect could have been produced only
by the explosion of a mine tituated un
der the bottom of the ship at about
frame 18, and somewhat on
aide of the ship.'
the port
"The conclusions of the court are:
" 'The Iota of the Maine waa not in
any respect due to the fault of or negli
gence on the part of any officer or
member of her crew.
." 'That the ship wat deatroyed by
the explosion of a aubmarine mine,
whioh .caused a partial explosion of
two or more of her forward magazines,
and that no evidence haa been obtain-
able fixing the responsibility for the
destruction ot the Maine upon any per
son or persons.'
."I have directed that the finding of
the court of inquiry and the views of
thit government theron be communicat
ed to the government, of tier majesty,
the queen regent of Spain, and I do
not permit myself to doubt that the
sense of justice of the Spauibt nation
will dictate a course of action suggested
hy honor tad friendly relations of the
two governments.
"It it the duty of the executive to ad
vise congress ol the result and in the
meantime deliberate consideration it
invoked. WILLIAM M'KINLEY.
"Executive Mansion, Maroh 38, 1898."
PERISHED ON AN ICE FLOE.
Tarrlble Fatf of Fortr-8avn tailor, on
a Nawfoundtaud Healing Hteamer.
St. John's, N. F., March 80. The
steamer Greenland has reached this
harbor with a greweome cargo. Twenty- I
(our corpsea were on deck and 6S men 1
were moaning in terrible suffering in
the hold in the pain of frostbitten
limbs and bodies. The dead bodies
were on the decks disfigured and almost ,
unrecognizable. The effects of the ter-'
rible Buffering whioh they bad endured
presented one of the most horribla sight
human eyes ever beheld. '
The frostbitten men number &5. All
will recover. '
The Greenland set sail from St 1
John's about the first of March on her
fateful voyage. She was commanded
by Captain George Barbour, and oar-'
ried a crew of nearly 800 sealhuntera. ;
The ateamer proceeded northward with
thereat of the sealing fleet, but after
a couple of hours the diverged on a
separate taok, and reached the bunting
grounds not long after. All went well names and amounts paid for the vari
until Tuesday last. Seals were quickly 00 yaoht! and tugs are not disclosed,
encountered, and several good "packs gg it jg aald thit would prove an em
were secured. . barraaauient to the government in pro-
On Tuesday morning the huntert
left the ship about 7 o'clock, as usual,
when the lookout reported. ice plentiful
around them. The men were clad in
light clothing, tor the slaughtering of
teals In exhausting work. Scattered
over the ice new, wey wanuereu mr
frora the protection of the ship, and a 1
gale and snowstorm shut them out from
view. The ice floe parted and they
drifted away from the steamer. Long
ere the storm subsided many of the un-j
fortunate tellowt had succumbed to the
terrible cold and exposure. Those who'
did not die were terribly frosbitten and
euffered exorutiating pain.
. t i . , l... r '
me lOliir muni passeu, uu muniina
Wn.,l.t ,,o hln. tar tho storm still
raam ami the atmoaohere was thiok '
with snow driven by the gale. Snow
oontinued nearly , all day, and the
evening brought no cessation to the
high wind. Another night was passed
in untold, agony, 8ome of the victims
had already given np hope, and in d,e
Spair laid down and died. Every hour
witnessed at least two deaths.
Toward morning the storm subsided
and dear weather enabled the lurvivora
to tee that the Greenland was not far
away, searching for the missing. Tho
steamer bore down on the drifting field
of ice, and began the work of picking
up the stark bodies of the dead and the
lifelest bodiee of the living.
tuminar Garden on Whaela.
Dayton, O., boasts of a "trolley
party" oar worthy of the name, one
whioh it not limply an ordinary car
decorated with a multiplicity ot in
oandesoent lamps. This oar is provid
ed with charts, instead ot teats, and
several tables, all of whioh are portable
and may, be placed in any position that
it most convenient and comfortable.
Another feature of the oar it a refriger
ator, where refreshments may be stored
and torved on the car if desired.
i FRESH SIGNS OF WAR
Xhe Spanish Flotilla "Starts
'
for the West.
THEIR FLEET MAY BE STOPPED
Secretary Long Plane Oar Squadron an
, a War footing Additional
Teasel Purchased. '
Washington, Maroh 36. Today wat
one of unexampled aotivity in all offi
cial quarters. Advices came early that
the Spanish torpedo flotilla had tailed
from the Canariet for Porto Itico, and
from this moment the most energetic
warlike measures followed one another
in constant succession. The movement
of this fleet is watched with the keen
est interest, at it waa felt to involve
serious possibilities which might com
pel tha United Statea governments
protect against the movement as of a
hostile character.
Immediately on the receipt of the
official dispatch from one of our naval
attaches abroad, briefly announcing the
tailing ef the fleet, the fact was made
known to the president, and an earnest
conference waa held between him and
Secretary Long and Assistant Secretary
Roosevelt. The newt of the movement
was fully considered, and the president
wat advised that naval strategists re
garded it at essential that the torpedo
fiect should not be allowed to reach
Western waters. What, if any, con
clusion waa reached it not known,'
Later in the day the Spanish min
ister, Benor Polo y Bernabe, called at
the state decartment and tnent some
time with Judge Day. It waa natural
ly interred tnat tne approach ot uie
Spanish flotilla wat one of the subjects
referred to. i
Navy oa a War Footing.
Following the flotilla announcement,
Important newt followed rapidly. The
first was thit announcement by Secre
tary Long indicating the placing of our
squadron and fleet on a war footing:
"Admiral Sioard haa been granted
leave, very much to the regret of the
navy department, and altogether on ac
count of bit health. Captain Sam(n
has been made commander of the fleet
at Key West. Captain Evans has been
ordered to take command of the hauls
ship Iowa. The orders to the squadron
in Hamtpou Roads have not yet been
ittued."
A Joint Coutmlaitlon.
The next important move wat a de
termination to oreate a joint commis
sion from the war departments, so as
to bring tbem into harmonious action
on all measures. Captain Barker, the
naval aid to Secretary Long, was desig
nated to represent the navy department
in thit common plan of action. The
representative ot the war department
bat not yet been named. It will' not
be neoeasary for these two . officers to
leave Washington, at they can arrange
a joint plan of action in conference
with the bureau chiefs of the two de
partment! here.
Then at the close of. the day came an
announcement that the navy, depart
ment had succeeded in purchasing
eight steam yaohtt and four steam tugs,
presumably at or near New York, for
use in the auxiliary navy fleet The
boats are of about 400 tons each, and
in an emergency would be suitable at
torpedo boats. The ' yaohtt purchased
are among the fleetest along the At
lantic coast, and are taid to be tome
what similar to the Mayflower, recent
ly purchased from the Ogden Goelet
estate. Thit addition to the navy it
regarded at an exceptionally valuable
one at the present time, aa the greatest
need it telt tor small craft suitable tor
torpedo-boats and dispatch boats.
There was additional satisfaction jit
the navy department at the large num-
be, secured in a single purchase.
The
motimr inoculation in other oraft for
whioh negotiations are now pending.
Fsealdent 8av Main Waa Blowa Up.
Throughout the day the White House
presented an animated appearance, sen
ators and representatives from both po-
Ht'cal parties calling to confer with
the president Among the oallers were
Senatort Cnilom, Fairbanks, Aldrioh,
Jouea of Arkansas and Spooner, and
Bepreaentative Bailey, the Democratic
l-ader in the house. The president
W to teveral ot Ins visitors today, in
discussing the situation, that he would
do everything oonsistent with tha Hon-
m nA tiitrniiv a! t Ka ounlrv to aVAirl
to avert
j
war, and that he
still believed war
He also said he be
could be averted.
lieved the government ot Spain waa at
anxiout tor peace aa we were.
The president frankly acknowledged
that he believes the report of the board
of inquiry will find that the Maine
wat blown up from the outside,
Malna Report Raaohea Washington.
Lieutenant Commander Marix and
hit naval companions, bearing the re
port of the Maine court- of inquiry,
reaohed Washington at 0:45 tonight
The crowd was so dense at the depot
that the party left the train outside
the shed and took carriages for the Eb
bitt house, where the officers will
spend the night
Orders were issued today detaohing
Captain Sigabee and other officer! from
the battle-ship Maine at Havana and
ordering thorn to proceed home and
await order.
( The old tingle-turreted monitor Ken
tucky haa been ordered from League
island to Portland, Me.
Brought Up From tha Maine.
Havana, March 36. The body' of
Lieutenant Friend W. Jenkins, of the
Maine, was found early this morning
near th torpedo tuba aft, as it hm
been hoped would be the case.
A WARNING TO SPAIN.
two Kotea Cablod bjr tha President to
Miniater Woodford.
Madrid, March 39. President Mo
Kinley has cabled two notes to Spain
through Minister Woodford, One deals
with the Maine, the other with Presi
dent McKinley'a plan of humanitarian
intervention in the Cuban war. Both
note are expressed in strong, firm lan
guage, without a suggestion ot a
threat. They are, perhaps, . merely
preliminary.
. For the destruction of the Maine,
the president demands no. indemnity.
He merely acquaint! the Madrid gov
ernment with the fact that the conrt
of inquiry finds that the ship wat blown
dp in Havana harbor by an external
agency and that nothing but a mine or
torpedo of the largest aize could have
wrought the deatruction. The presi
dent submits the facts to the Spanish
government, and waits a reply. Mr.
Woodford did not even demand an
early response.
At t the war in Cuba, President
MoKinley advised the Spanish govern
ment in the politest terms that the
time it fust drawing near when the
United States would be compelled to
act upon the warning to often given to
Spain tince the struggle in Cuba began.
The president clearly intimated that
the war in Cuba must cease, but be
fixes no date. The note makes the
question of Cuban intervention para
mount to the Maine case, which the
pretident'l. memorandum refers to
merely at a lamentable incident. The
issues and problems of the Cuban war,
the United States government nowcMil
urgently to the attention of Spain, de
claring that the conditioni prevailinr
in Cuba, so near to the shores of the
United States, have long been intoler
able to the American people.
Negotiations to End tha War.
Washington, March 29. The de
velopments of the day in the Cuban
situation indicate progress in the nego
tiations of this country and Spain look
ing to the maintenance of peace, far the
present at least. There is good au
thority for saying that Spain's wish it
to secure a cessation of hostilities in
Cuba, rather than to engage in a war
with the United States, and that it is
more than probable that the negotia
tions with the Sagasta ministry will
take each a turn , in the immediate
future. The present Spanish minis
try has expressed a pacific disposition
from the beginning, and the indica
tions are strong .now that it will avail
itself of the good offices of the United
Statet to the fullest extent that public
opinion in Spain will allow in bring
ing to an end the hostilities In Cuba.
To what extent the United States
may go in assisting Spain in her pres
ent design of securing an armistice is
not determined, but the conservative
element in the administration consider
the manifestation of this desire on the
paitof Spain tor even a temporary!
peace a direct result of President Mo- j
Kinley's diplomacy, and they naturally!
are disposed to contend tbat the preei-;
dent should be left free, for the present ;
at least, to pursue a policy which prom-'
ises much in the way of preventing war ,
between this country and Spain; also
of bringing to a close the hostilities in '
Cuba. Hence there will bean effort1
on the part of the peacefully inclined
in congress to hold that body in check j
and to prevent inflammatory utterances
thereuntil this promising diplomatic
lead may be exploited. f
: On the part of the administration it ;
it stated that the development of the '
situation will not require a great length
ot time, and hence there will be no ex-'
tended delay. - ,
A policy has been fully determined
upon by the president. It is to bring
the Cuban war to a close. Thit will
be accomplished by pointed interven-
tion, if necessary, but it is considered
far preferable that the end should come:
as the result of peaceful negotiations !
than that it should be accompanied by
hostile demonstrations on the ' part of 1
the-United States. Hence the disposi
tion of the president is to give Spain
an opportunity to secure an armistice
with the Cubans and allow her k rea
sonable time to come to an understand
ing with the hostiles.
It is ttated tbat there it no abate
ment ot the president's intention to tee
that the war is terminated, and that it
ia closed on terms that will render the
Cubans practically a free people.
Friends of the administration feel
that the situation is very dclioate, and
much will depend upon the course the
Cubans may pursue. , ....
Tha Spanish Kleetlons.
Madrid, March 39. The election!
for the popular branch of the oorteg
have passed quietly. The indications
are that the government of Senor Sa
gasta will have an enormous majority,
estimated at 800 of the 433 seats in the
chamber. Disorders are apprehended
at Bilboa, where the polling caused
great excitement The military judge
at Bjlboa issued a warrant for the ar
rest of three socialist municipal coun
cilors. One of thera was taken into
custody, but the other two escaped.
. Spain's Refusal.
Berlin, March 39. The Madrid
correspondent of the Berliner Tageblatt
Bays: "Spain will not only refuse to
allow American interference in assist
ing the suffering Cubans, but will de
cline to pay indemnity, unless it is :
shown unmistakably that the Spanish
authorities were responsible'' for the
Maine explosion. If President MoKin
ley demands these two things, war it
unavoidable." .
A Fund to Bay Warships..
Ma'drid, Maroh 29. The latest intel
ligence from the United Statet has oc
casioned a great patriotic movement
throughout Spain.. A large number of
persons have announced their intention
to give up a day'e pay for servioes in
order to raise a fund to purchase war
ships. A committee, over which the
bishop of Madrid will preside, bus been
organized to receive the subscriptions.
READY, TO BUY LIBERTY.
Cohans Would Weleome Bueh a Solu
tion of the Problem.
New York, March 38. A special to
the New York Tribune saya: General
Gomez, commander-in-ohief of the
Cuban army of liberation, reaffirms the
willingness of the insurgents to pur
chase independence by payment of a
reasonable indemnity to Spain. Gen
eral Gomez expresses the hope that the
price of Cuba's liberty may not neces
sarily bo war between the United
States and Spain, and declares there
can be no doubt aa to the ultimate tri
umph of the Cuban cause, even thongb
the insurgents receive no outside aid.
Tha Spanish Veraloa.
Madrid, March 28. The report of
the Spanish board of inquiry into the
loss of the Maine says emphatically
that the explosion was of internal ori
gin, that it is "scientifically and prac
tically demonstrated that the explosion
waa internal."
The United States minister, General
Woodford, bad a long conference thit
evening with the minister of foreign
affairs, Senor Gullon. Absolute reti
cence it observed aa to what transpired.
- JOHN LEONARD HANGED.
Murderer ef Jacob Melqniat Pays tha
Death Penalty.
Colfax, Wash., March 28. The legal
execution of John Leonard for the mur
der of Jaeob Malquist, at Texas City,
occurred thit afternoon, in the presence
of fully 1,000 people.
Leonard wat brought from the jail
and ascended the scaffold steps unas
sisted, at 1:16 o'clock. Father Kearns,
at the request of Leonard, read a short
final atatement protesting hie innocence
of willful murder. '
At 1:21 o'clock Leonard stepped on
the trap and shook hands with the offi
cers and reporter!.
At 1:24 a voice called out, "Good
bye, Jack," and Leonard responded, in
full tones, "Good-bye, Charley." Aa
the last word left hit lips the trap was
sprung, and Leonard dropped isix feet,
the body rebounded slightly and tiien
hung stark, not a movement of the
muscles being noticeable. The body
hung 16 minutes, when he wat pro
nounced dead by the attending physi
cians. Leonard en the scaffold, although
showing nervousness, looked about at
the surrounding crowd. The body was
at once taken in charge by Father
Kearns, and conveyed to the cemetery
and funeral exercises held.
CLERKS UNDER SUSPICION.
Frauds on a Namber ot 8t. Paul Banks
Recently Unearthed.
Washington, March 38. Information
reached the government through a
number of banks at St. Paul that dar
ing the past year and 'more these and
other nearby banks have been made the
victims of a colossal fraud through the
inspected collusion of government
clerks connected with the commission
having in charge the improvements on
the upper Mississippi river. Full de
tails have not yet reached the govern
ment, bat the statements submitted by
the banks indicate tbat 1300,000 or
more haa been procured from them
through fraudulent time checks for
services never performed.
How the banks came to be imposed
upon to the extent ttated and why the
checka have been withheld until this
time, cannot even be oonjsctured. It
it understood the banks will make a
claim for reimbursement, but the law
fs taid to be clearly against this conten
tion. The government will begin a
searching investigation into the whole
matter - . ' ...
STORM IN UNITED KINGDOM.
Hurrleaae Sweep, tha Coasts Causing
Great Lois of Lira and Property.
London, March 28. The storm con
tinues throughout the United Kingdom.
Trains are imbedded in heavy snow
drift! telegraph wires are down in many
parts of the country, people have been
frozen to death, while a hurricane has
swept all the coast, and terrifio teat
have been running. The channel
service is suspended, there have been a
number of wrecks of amall craft, many
people have been saved from drowning
and shipping everywhere ia seeking
shelter. Much damage has been done
at the harbors, piers have been swept
away, and high tides are flooding the
streets. A Swedish brig went ashore
near Grimsby thit morning. The crew
perished. The greatest excitement is
felt for the safety of the fishing fleets.
The Site Selected.
La Grande, Or., Marob . 28. The
selection of a the for the sugar fac
tory has been made and the stakes have
been set for the buildings. The fac
tory grounds will be on the north 80
aorea of the Williamson farm. The
selection was made by, Messrs. Ecclea
and Granger and Engineer West last
evening, and wat approved by Engineer
Bellinger, for the O. K. & N. Co.
The tite, which is located northeast
of the city limits', lies between the
county road and the Williamson resi
dence, is a half-mile south of the river
and within a half-mile of the city
limit. , .
leflr.leac7 In tha Interior Department.
Washington, March 28. The secre
tary of the interior sent to the house
an estimate calling for appropriations
of over 8 000,000 to meet a deficiency
in the funds. Of this amount $2,000,
000 is oredited to lack of last year's
appropriation, and the $6,000,000 to
large increase, 'restorations and new
pension grants.
' , """Alaska Criminal Laws. "'''..
Washington, Maroh 28. The house
committee on revision of laws today
agreed on and favorably reported the
complete codification of the criminal
law and procedure in criminal cases in
Alaska. The bill compriea the report
of the government commission appoint
ed to codify the laws of the United
Statet. '
NEWS OF THE WEEK
Frdm all Parts of the New
and Old World. -
BEIEF AND ISTEKESTISO ITEMS
Comprehenalvo Review of tha Inrpart-
.rent Week. .
An explosion occurred at the Mano
aran coal mine near Mnnongahela City,
Pa. Two men are known to have been
killed. Five were injured, and from
15 to 35 are taid to be entombed in the
mine.
An explosion too place at San
Rafael, Cel., at the United States
smokeless powder works, whioh result
ed in the death of two men, Charles
A. Jenks and Charles Nelson, who were
employed in the material room. Two
buMdings were completely destroyed,
and the roofs torn off the other build
ings close by and windows broken for
milet around.
A Havana dispatch alleges that Cap-tain-General.Blanco
and General Man
terola have notified the Madrid govern
ment that they will resign their offices
if the Spanish torpedo fleet -is to lie de
tained at the Canaries in obedience to
the demand of President McKinley.
Captain Eulate, of the Vizoaya, is aiso
alleged to have sent a similar mestittge
to the Spanish admiralty. .
: Chaplain Chidwick, of the Maine-,'
baa completed his mortuary : "report,
which shows tbat 257 men and two
officers perished in the eatastio1ie.
Six tuccumbed to their injuries while
lying in San Ambrosio hospital; one
died on the Spanish transport; 171
bodies have been recovered from it I in
wreck, of which Gl have been identified;
161 have been buried in Colon cemetery
and 11 at Key West. This is the 'offi
cial report, made public after careful
correction.
Bev. Orsen D. Taylor, ot The Dalles,
Or., who haa been in jail in Saginaw,
Mich., for teveral months, and against
whom proceeding! for securing inopey
under false pretense have been drag
ging along in the circuit court fur a
year or more, hat at last tieen sen
tenced to six years in the Jackaon state
prison. The complainant alleged that
Taylor induced him to buy $3,000
worth of sharea in the Interstate In
vestment Company, of The Dalles, Or.,
a concern whioh did not exist.
Roland Worthiugton, t'.ie veteran
journalist; died at hit home in Boston.
Representative King, of Dtah, intro
duced Tuesday a joint resolution recog
nizing the independence of Cuba.
The submarine boat Holland has
made another trip in New York. . At a
depth of 15 feet under water she showed
good speed, and wat handled with ease.
A dispatch to the Berlin Voasiche
Zeitung from Dare'a Salaam, 23 milet
south of Zanzibar, East Africa, sayt
that last month a party of German for
ester! was attacked, aud three Germans
and many of the native carrions were
massacred. '
While returning bome from chrireh
in Welleville, O., Oliver Rped asked
Sarah Walton ta marry him. and tfpnn
her refusal he shot her through tho
heart. He then blew his brains out
dying in a short time.. Papers found
on bit body ehow the deed wat premed
itated. ' ... ' . '' -,ri
The house committee on naval affairs
has completed the naval appropriation
bill. ' The bill is calculated as carrying
between $36,000,000 and $37,000,000,
of whioh about $3,000,000 will be ex
pended on this year's work on the three
battle-ships, six torpedo boats and six
torpedo-boat destroyers.
Replying to a resolution of inquiry,
the attorney-general tent to the senate
Tuesday a statement tit'it the recorda
of his department do not show that any
write of lnjunotion or restraining or
ders have been issued by United Statet
courts-, against labor organizations or
their members engaged in strikes in
1897 and 1898. . .,
A dispatch to the New TTork World
from Madrid says: Instructions have
been given tince Friday night torthe
press censor to stop all. foreign and do-
mesiiu preMM wicgrauie uu ctwi veto
phone messages containing news un
palatable to the government. ... Unau
thorized details of naval and military
preparations of the movements of war
ships, particularly of the flying squad
ron, of the purchase ot vessels ot war
and store abroad are especially inter
dicted. ' 7 ' :
The British Columbia, Seattle as Pa
ciflo Coast Railroad Company has made
application to the city council of Se
attle for a franchise 80 feet wide over
Railroad avenne. It waa stated to tho
council that it was the purpose of the
company to construct a railroad from
Portland, Or., to Seattle, and thence
to the British Columbia boundary.
The company was willing that a condi
tion be imposed in the franchise that
the work of construction should begin
in 30 days, and the line be finished
within 18 months. The two incorpo
rator!" of the company are Henry J.
Brokaw and Austin J. Fletcher, weil
known financiers of New York. The
road will cost between $1,000,000 and
$5,000,000.
After being opened to the public for
more than five years for recreation pur
poses. Castle island, in Boston harbor,
has been closed. Outers from Wash
ington to this effect have been expect
ed ever since the w,ork of handling ex
plosives waa begun at Fort indoperid
ence on the island some three week
ago. More than a score of men hav
been at work paiuting torpedo
and getting ready the wiring and ott,
necessary preliminHrh s to la; i
them in position in the b'lt
uueehsary.