Attachment 2: Transcript Ofnew Yorkjournal Article on the Sinking of the Ussmaine,Feb.17,1898

Attachment 2: Transcript ofNew YorkJournal article on the sinking of the USSMaine,Feb.17,1898

NewYorkJournal(Transcriptoforiginalnewspaperarticle)

DESTRUCTIONOFTHEWARSHIPMAINEWASTHEWORKOFANENEMY

AssistantSecretaryRooseveltConvincedtheExplosionoftheWarShipWasNotanAccident.

TheJournalOffers$50,000RewardfortheConvictionoftheCriminalsWhoSent258AmericanSailorstoTheirDeath.NavalOfficersUnanimousThattheShipWasDestroyedonPurpose.

NAVALOFFICERSTHINKTHEMAINEWASDESTROYEDBYASPANISHMINE.

GeorgeEugeneBryson,theJournal’sspecialcorrespondentatHavana,cablesthatitisthesecretopinionofmanySpaniardsintheCubancapital,thattheMainewasdestroyedand258menkilledbymeansof marinemineorfixedtorpedo.ThisistheopinionofseveralAmericannavalauthorities.TheSpaniards,itisbelieved,arrangedtohavetheMaineanchoredoveroneoftheharbormines.Wiresconnectedthemineswitha...magazine,anditisthoughttheexplosionwascausedbysendinganelectriccurrentthroughthewire.Ifthiscanbeproven,thebrutalnatureoftheSpaniardswillbeshownbythefactthattheywaitedtospringthemineafterallthemenhadretiredforthenight.TheMaltesecrossinthepictureshowswheretheminemayhavebeenfired.

MineoraSunkenTorpedoBelievedtoHaveBeentheWeaponUsedAgainsttheAmericanMan-Of-War---OfficerandMentellThrillingStoriesofBeingBlownintotheAirAmidaMassofShatteredSteelandExplodingShells—SurvivorsBroughttoKeyWestScouttheIdeaofAccident—SpanishOfficialsProtestTooMuch---OurCabinetordersaSearchingInquiry—JournalSendsDiverstoHavanatoReportUpontheConditionoftheWreck.WastheVesselAnchoredOveraMine?

AssistantSecretaryoftheNavyTheodoreRooseveltsaysheisconvincedthatthedestructionoftheMaineinHavanaHarborwasnotanaccident.TheJournaloffersarewardof$50,000forexclusiveevidencethatwillconvicttheperson,personsorgovernmentcriminallyresponsibleforthe[destruction]oftheAmericanbattleshipandthedeathof258ofitscrew.

ThesuspicionthattheMainewasdeliberatelyblownupgrowsstrongereveryhour.Notasinglefacttothecontraryhasbeenproduced....

Source:ExcerptfromNewYorkJournalandAdvertiser,February17,1898.PurchasedbyWilliamRandolphHearstin1895