The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1899-06-24
Another Incident Of the Santiago
Naval Battle Causing Much
Controversy.
WHY WAS THE BROOKLYN TURNED.
Charge That schlcy "Nfadc the
Loop Through Fear Affirmed
and Denied-OMccrs Con-
tradict Each Other.

brated turn made by the Brooklyn.
The Brooklyn was meeting the
brunt of the attack of the Spanish
ships at the west end of the fighting
line when she turned away from the
shore, into the rest Of the feet that
was following, narrowly missing a
ramming from the Texas. and after
making n complete circuit, again head
ed west. 1t WAS said at first that Adj
miral Schley was avoiding a ramming
from the Vizcaya. The admiral told
a congressional committee he turned
to avoid %blanketing the fire of the rest
of the fleet.
tenant Commander Hodgson is cred
tied as saying took place between him
self and Admiral Schley:
Schley-Hard to port. (This would
turn to the east.)
Hodgson-You mean q starboard?
ITO the west.)
Schley-No, l don't. We are near
enough to them (the Spanish) already.
Hodgson-But we will cut down the
TeNus.
Schley-Damn the Texas. Let her
look out for herself.
The New York Sun, which learned OF
the alleged conversation, has printed
it from time to time to show that Adj
miral Schley was so demoralized by
the appearance of the Spanish fleet
that he only thought OF escaping aud
that he gave direct orders to subordi-
nate officers. who were really under
control of the commanding officer OF
the Brooklyn. Rear Admiral Schley
received this letter q few days ago
from Lieutenant Commander Hodgson
and it was reprinted in the Washing
ton Post:
Hodgson's Denial to schlcy.
gu. S. S. Brooklyn, Navy Yard, New
York, June il, 1sg9-Dear Admiral
schley: The %colloqny published in
the New York Sun and alleged to havo
taken place between you and me on
the day of the battle of Santiago. July
%, 1898, never occurred. Very respect
,fully.-A. c. Hodgson, lieutenant COM
'mander, U. S. N"
AS Lieutenant Commander Hodgson
was given by the New York newspaper
referred to as its authority for the con
versation, this denial was regarded by
Admiral Schley's friends Us conclu-
.sive. at this stage of the controversy
Lieutenant Commander Heilner ap-
peared, sending this letter to the
newspaper which created the contro-
versy:
Navy Yard, New York, June IA,
,1so9.-Paul Dana, Esq, Office of the
Sun, New York.-Dear Sir: | have
read the dispatch in the New York pa
pers of this morning, giving Il letter
printed in the Washington Post pur-
porting to be from Lieutenant Com
mander Hodgson to Rear Admiral
Schley. denying the truth of the in
tcrview said by the Sun to have oc-
cured between Schley and Hodgson
relating to the Brooklyn's loop at
Santiago. ! believe that the letter as
printed cannot have been written by
Lieutenant Commander Hodgson, in
asmuch us he repeated to me the con
versation alluded to, in substance, in
connection with the investigation Of
the Wainwright board of navigators,
using it to confirm the position
claimed by him for the Brooklyn.
The letter attributed to him must
have been garbled. Yours truly.
c. Heilner, lieutenant commander, U.
S. N"
10 Hear From Others.
Secretary Long declined to say
whether any charge growing out of
the difference in statements made by
Lieutenant Commander Hodgson and
lieutenant Commander Heilner had
been filed, but it is understood that
none has been filed against the latter
Mt least. In any event the depart
ment determined the matter had come
ITO such Il pass that it could rightly
be determined n subject for its action,
and hns therefore taken steps to es-
,tablish just who is right and who is
wrong.
If Lieutenant Commander Hodgson
lnade the statement to prove the posi-
ton of the Brooklyn at the meeting Of
the Wainwright board of navtgators,
then the department. feels that others
heard him beside Lieutenant Com
mander Heilner, and it is for this rea-
son that it has called upon the other
members of the board for their views.
Communications have been sent to
Lieutenant Commander Richard Vain
wright, who commanded the Glouces-
ter; Lieutenant Commander S. p. Con-
ley, navigator of the Indiana; Lieuten-
ant Commander w. II. Schultz, navi-
gator of the Iowa; Lieutenant Com
mander w. II. Allen, navigator of the
Oregon; Lieutenant Z. +. Capehart,
who was attached to the New York.
and Lieutenant Harry P. Ruse, navi-
gator of the Gloucester. AS these Of
sfcers are pretty widely separated it
Is apparent that some weeks will
elapse before all their replies will have
reached the department.
There is a disposition in naval cir
cles to believe that any court which
may grow out of the Hodgson-Heilner
controversy will receive testimony on
the events of the entire battle, in or
der that the world may know to whom
credit belongs for the victory. Well
informed officials say, however, that
if any court is appointed as a result
of the inquiry SET on foot today it will
deal only with the charges and the
specifications of those charges, and
the latter will be limited to a state
ment of the conversation. The ques-
ton is one of veracity between two of.
ficers, according to one of these men,
and goes no further.
|
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