The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-06-20
SCHLEY DIDN'T SAY 1T.
Lieut.. Com. HOdgesOn Clears
the Admiral of Newspaper
Charges.

WASHINGTON. June 20-The occurrences
on the bridge of the Brooklyn during
the battle Of July 3, having been the
subject of a controversy IN the news
papers, the navy department recenClE
undertook an investigation OF the var
ioI1s allegations Lieutenant Command
ar Hodgeson and Lieutenant Command
ar HeiIner. who have figured IN the
controversy, were both called on 1or
explanations Of the utterances arrrlo-
uted to them and the former was a.
rected to report for examination on TINS
r0iut to CAPTAIN Chadwick at Boston
The Department has gwen out TOT pun
LEGATION Captain Chadw1ck's report on
the matter. 1t is not yet QeterA1I1ICe t
whether or not the answer OfLIeutenanG
Commander HeiIner Will be MADE pup
lie at this time
Captain Chadwtck's report is as fol-
lows 4-,
Mass. June H. 1889
sir In obedience to your order OF
the 18th instant. I have to report the
following as the statement Dy Lei
tenant Commander HOdgeson OF the
conversation between Rear Admiral
SchIey and himself during the action OF
July 3. 1895
He states as follows
AS we were approaching the Span
fsh ships I heard Admiral ScnIey say
port or starboard several times 70 ZAP
admiral being on the platform sur
rounding the coming tower. L had peen
on the bridge above and was Just com
ing down to report the position or the
ships when I heard the admiral say,
Hard q port The Maria Teresa was
then hauling abaft our port beam ne
Brooklyn was heading about northeast:
I told the admiral. or at least suggested
TO him that the Texas was very close
on our starboard hand and that turn
ing to starboard would bring Us close
10 her I don't know that l used the
word collision I did say. Y on mean
srarboard' 7 intended him to under
stand there was danger Of running into
the Texas He said, All right or words
TO that Effect can not repeat yer
batin- When knew he was gong To
turn to starboard, I suggested backing
the starbOard engine in order 70 make
a smaller circle and give the Texas
wider berth but he decided against tnat
as decreasing the speed of the turn He
did not say, that I know OF. We are
near enough to them (the Spaniardsl
already The only thing I gathered
from what he said was that If We turn
ed to port we should get SO close that
we should expose ourselves TO torpedo
attack I supposed he meant torpedo
boats and replied to him that had not
seen them
Lieutenant Commander Hodgeson
states that he did not intend TO convey
in his note Of denial sent at the request
of Admiral SchIey and published in the
CoIIoquy took place
He states regarding this as follows:
. Admiral SchIey wrote me enclosing
an editorial from a New York paper
of June l. asking me to write a denial
of what he phrased an oft repeated
caTumny.' He said he had no recollec-
ton Of any such conversation I wrote
a lengthy letter Of explanation giving
my recollection Of the conversation as
nearly as possible
Admiral Schley wrote me saying:
There is much in your letter which
should not like to use as IL would pro
woke assault upon you which would
not like to happen What I want TO
show is that the dialogue did not occur
I then wrote a denial Of the col
Ioquy. certainly not intending that no
such couoquy occurred, but that it
did not occur as printed At the same
time I sent with this an explanatory
letter explaining to Admiral SchIey that
the letter of denial was a denial OF the
dialogue as it appeared in print and
that 1 had told the correspondent Of the
paper that the substance OF the con-
versation was correct In writing the
letter I wished to refute the fact OF
auy controversy existing at critical
stage of the battle It. the letter, was
a denial Of the words as they stood in
the published article, a denial of their
literal correctness and not a denial of
the substantial correctness OF the state
ment.'
a copy Of the letter has not been r.
tanned by him: he had a rough draft
which has been E1islaid- Lieutenant
Commander HOdgeSou appends his sig
nature as voucher for the accuracy
with which the foregoing Is given
Very respectfully.
F E CHADWICK
Captain United States Navy,
a G. HODGESON.
Lieutenant Commander. L s. N