Tuesday, February 15, 2005

Perhaps there has always been ........ a problem.... with terrorism....

The Fort Wayne News (Fort Wayne, Indiana), 16 February 1898, page 1:

Nearly Three Hundred Men go Down on Board the Battleship Maine in the Harbor of Havana

BOMB PLACED UNDER THE BOW OF THE BOAT

Special From Havana Leads to the Belief That the Hellish Deed May be the Work of Spanish Sympathizers.

NAVY OFFICERS SCOUT THE THEORY OF ACCIDENT

Captain Sigsbee Declares That the Magazine Was in Perfect Condition--Hundreds of Sharks Add to the Unspeakable Horror.

HAVANA, Feb. 16.--The United States steamer Maine, a charred and torn hulk, lies at the bottom of the harbor, a tomb for 100 of her crew. She was blown up by an explosion at 9:40 last night. Most of the crew were asleep at the time. The indications were that a torpedo had been exploded under the bow of the battleship. Captain Sigsbee, who was wounded in the head, says the ship's powder magazine was in perfect order. All of the crew who were not disabled showed great coolness and courage. The Spanish cruiser Alphonso launched boats and hurried them to the sinking battleship. The number of dead is unknown. The explosion shook the city from one end to the other, and created the greatest excitement. All electric lights were put out by the shock. It was almost two hours before it was known what had exploded

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