Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-09-30
Mr.. M'lNTYRE'S DEFENSE.
His Witnesses Tell Virtually the Same
Stories That Were Told for
the Prosecution.

the Prosecution.
DENVER, Sept 29-The prosecution in
the court-martial case of Chaplain Joseph
z. Mcintyre. OF the battleship Oregon.
rested this morning and the defense be-
gan the introduction of testimony. j. X.
Schermerhorn. state senator, who heard
Chaplain McIntyre's lecture, was the first
witness for the defense. He testified that
| the chaplain said that the Oregon was
one of the best ships afloat. and that the
Eastern ship builders. through their polit-
| ical influence, had for years been able to
secure contracts from the government and
having competition. had not been care
| full in constructing vessels. The Oregon,
| being the first one built by a Western con-
| tractor, received special attention IN ITS
construction He heard no charges of dis
| honesty in building ships. The chaplain,
| witness said, asserted that at the begin
| ming of the battle the oregon was five
miles from the Spanish ships and the Iowa
| about three miles. The oregon at once
| started for the Spanish vessels and met the
| Iowa going the other way. He heard
| nothing about the Iowa going to the rear.
| The chaplain referred TO Captain Evans as
Fighting Bob but there was no manner
| indicating contempt. The audience laughed
when such illusions Were made.
Witness testified that the chaplain said
| that when the battle began Admiral SamD-
| sons flagship. the New York. was eleven
| miles away, but during the fight she came
| up. 80 tlat at the surrender OF the colon,
| she was within signaling distance. which,
| ne explained, was within four miles, and
| that she was so reported. The chaplain
| did not state that the Admiral reported
himself within the four-mile limit. Wit
! ness said he believed the chaplain said
something TO the effect that the audience
| was much entitled to prize money as
! Admiral Sampson
| Senator Schermerhorn. on cross-eXamina-
| ton. stated that he had known Chaplain
Mcintyre for several years. and regarded
him as a personal friend He was OF the
| opinion that Chaplain Mcintyre was i'll at
-the time of the lecture. and that he should
| have been more explicit in some of his
| statements.
| testified to the same general effect
Judge E. \. Bonfils, newspaper edi-
tor. testified that Chaplain Mcintyre
| stated that for twenty years the Union
| iron works in San Francisco had been
| trying to obtain contracts for the con-
| struction of warships. but. owing to the
| the government, had been unsuccessful.
| Finally. when there We're more vessels
to be built than the Eastern manufactur-
ers could handle, the San Francisco COM
pany received contract. The company
| spared no pains to make the Oregon the
best ship ever built.
| quoted Chaplain Mcintyre as saying that.
| as the Oregon was going in, she passed
the Iowa and adding, in humorous
manner. .'and where was Fighting Bob
| Evans?'
| Chaplain Mcintyre, the witness contin-
| ued said something about the division of
| prize money. naming $4,000 as the amount
| to go to Admiral Sampson and $500 to
| Captain Clark. but there. was nothing
| said about the audience being entitled to
| as much as Sampson. Witness declared
| the report published in the Rocky Noun
| tain News, upon which the charges
| against the chaplain are largely based
! to be decidedly unjust to the chaplain.
| He denied its correctness in many points.
| Judge Bonfils was still the stand
| when the court adjourned for the day.