Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 63, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 April 1898 — NO ROOM FOR DOUBT [ARTICLE]

NO ROOM FOR DOUBT

Destruction of the Maine Was Due to Spanish Agencies. LEE TALKS TO SENATE COMMITTEE. W--'-He Exon*r*te« Gen. Blanco of Complicity Enthusiastic Greeting Tendered Him on His Arrival in Washington. Washington, April 13. —Consul-Gen-eral Lee was before the senate committee on foreign relations for an hour late Tuesday. He talked freely with the committee in regard to the conditions in Cuba, and especially with reference to the destruction of the Maine. He said that in his opinion there was no room to doubt that the destruction of the vessel was due to Spanish agencies. “Do you mean the Spanish authorities in Cuba ?” he was asked by a member of the committee. “I mean the Spanish officials,” he replied, “butnotGen. Blanco. I think some of the officials were cognizant of the plans to destroy the vessel, but I do not believe that the captain general was.” Gen. Lee said that he had no knowledge of the reports that a mine had been discovered by a diver under the Montgomery whilh that vessel lay in the harbor at Havana. Arrival of Gen. Lee. Washington, April 13. Consul-Gen-eral Fitzhugh Lee arrived here from Havafaa at 2:30 o’clock Tuesday afternoon. A large crowd of enthusiastic admirers had gathered at the Pennsylvania station, and when the general stepped from the train he was greeted with a tremendous outburst of applause. Women waved their handker-

chiefs and men their hats, and altogether the demonstration was a notable one. Washington crowds as a rule are not demonstrative, but this occasion was a conspicuous exception. Long before the hour set for the arrival of the train the crowd began to gather. It completely filled the station and Sixth street on the east and extended far out into Pennsylvania avenue. The general occupied the last car in his train, and when it was known that it had reached the station there was a tremendous rush to get a look at him. By the time he was ready to alight the crowd was so dense about the train that even with the assistance of a platoon of police it w y as with difficult.v he reached the platform. Several personal friends of the general, among them a number of ladies, pressed forward and finally succeeded in grasping hipi by the hand. One of the ladies presented him a bouquet of roses tied together by ribbon of the national colors and bearing a tiny confederate battle flag. Immediately the crowd began to cheer, and round after round of applause greeted him as he walked slowly and uncovered down the long platform of the station. On reaching the B street entrance Gen. Lee entered a state department carriage and was rapidly driven up the avenue to the state department. The general has not perceptibly changed in appearance since he was last in Washington. His eye was as bright and his step as elastic as ever, and nothing in his manner indicated that there had been anything unusual in his experience during the last several months. How long he will remain In Wallington is not known, but it is assumed that he will make his wishes conform to those of the president as.to the length of his stay. Scene nt the State Department. News that Gen. Lee was on his way to the state department spread rapidly, and when the carriage drew up at the south front of the building a big crowd was assembled on the portico. Arousing cheer went up as Gen. Lee stepped from the vehicle, and, bowing right and left, hurried into the building. The cheers had apprised the clerks and other employes of the big building of his coming, and there was a wild rush for the state department corridor. -Clerks left their desks without leave, officers of the army and navy joined in the rush and for the time being the discipline of the building was relaxed. The crowd lined up in front of the elevator shaft, leaving a lane from the door to the secretary's office. As the elevator came ton stop and the consul-general stepped out n scene occurred unprecedented in the history of the great building. Hat in hand, Gen. Lee passed into the cor-

ridor, and some one said: "Now, boys!” and three rousing cheers went echoing down the long halls. Then there was another outburst and people poured forth from every room. > The cheering caused intense excitement, and it was some foments before quiet could be restored. Gen. Lee bowed to the crowd, and as he reached the door to Secretary ShermaM’s office turned and bowed again. Then the door closed on him and the throng dispersed. At the White House. After a few minutes the consul-gen-eral emerged, accompanied by Secretary Sherman and Assistant Secretary Day. The three entered a carriage and were quickly driven to the white house, Gen. Lee getting another ovation on his way over. At the white house the party was shown at once to the library, where the chief executive accorded a hearty reception to the consul-general. The only persons present at the meeting were the president, Secretary Sherman, Assistant Secretary Day and Gen. Lee. Secretary Sherman remained with the others for about half an hour and then returned to the state department. After being with the president fully an hour Judge Day and Gen. Lee took their departure, the latter going to his hotel. An immense, crowd augmented by a number of ladies who attended Mrs. McKinley’s reception, was on the portico when the two came downstairs, and Gen. Lee was given a tremendous ovation. As their carriage was being driven away some one fastened a Cuban flag to the front of the vehicle, and this waa the cause of additional enthusiasm. A Nltfht Demonstration. At night the city turned out by thousands when a serenade was given Gen. Lee at his hotel and stood for hours in the street awaiting a glimpse of him. The night demonstration was almost as quick and unpremeditated aS that which greeted Gen. Lee at the depot and state department. The United States Marine band had been secured from the barracks, and the Seventy-first regiment band, under leadership of Prof. Fanciulli, formerly conductor of the Marine band, came over from New York on an afternoon train. The crowd assembled without calling, and by eight o’clock was 5,000 strong in the streets about the Shoreham hotel, where Gen. Lee was quartered. Before the close it was twice that size. It -was after nine before he appeared on one of the small corner balconies, accompanied by a lommittee of the Union Veteran Legion and the Confederate Veterans’ association, which was jointly in charge of the affair. The bands struck up the “Star-, Spangled Banner” and there was a burst of fireworks from the neighboring houses, while mounds of red, white and blue lights flamed at intervals along the street. The crowd yelled itself hoarse, calling for Gen. Lee by name and demanding a speech. The speech was brief and so much broken by applause that the crowd caught probably little more than its general drift