Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-21
TALKS BACK, TO The. ADMIRAL
Heilner Insists He Made Statements Ac-
credited to Him,
REMARKS REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES
Conversation Occurs While Board IL
EndeavOring to Fix the Positions
of Various Vessels Dur
ing the Fight.

WASHINGTON, June 2O.-Following the
statement of Lieutenant Commander Hodg-
son respecting the events that occurred on
the bridge OF the Brooklyn July 8, the Navy
department today made public the following
report from Captain Chadwick of his eX-
animation of Lieutenant Commander He'll
ner:
U. S. S. NEW YORK. BOSTON, Mass,
June 10. 1S99.-Sir: In obedience to the or
ders, of the secretary of, the navy, l have the
honor to make the following report of an
examination of Lieutenant Commander He'll
ner, with respect to his knowledge of a con-
versation reported to have occurred between
Rear Admiral Schley and Lieutenant Com
mander Hodgson, reporting the action of
July 3. 1898.
Lieutenant Commander Heilner states as
follows: "At one Of the early sessions of the
board on ships positions during the action
OF July B. / strongly expressed my doubt as
TO the Brooklyn's position before making the
loop as laid down b. Mr., Hodgson; several
other navigators, Mr.. Comfy and Mr.. Schultz,
l know. sided with me-, Mr. Hodgson and
on this particular occasion walked up and
down the port side OF the cabin of the Brook
lyn In which the board was sitting. 1t is
my impression that Mr.. Hodgson claimed
that the Brooklyn was l,100 yards from the
leading Spanish ship when the turn was
made. The board, think, put 1t at 100
yards. Mr.. Hodgson told me that he felt
certain they were closer than 400 yards and
that their stadimeter gave 500 yards. He
said: We were so close that Schley gave
the order Hard a-port" / said to him,
"fou mean starboard. do you not?" The
commodore said, mo. I mean a-port; We are
close enough to them now"
Mr.. Hodgson said he then called atten-
tion TO the position of the Texas and told
the commodore he thought there was danger
OF running her down. The commodore re-
Piled 'D-n the Texas; let her look out for
herself This conversation was repeated to
me on several occasions.
Everything l say now was contained in Mr.
Hodgson's statement The words may have
been a little different, He may have said
Don't you mean starboard, commodore, F."
instead OF the first phraseology He cer-
tainly said I'VE are near enough now," and
also "D-n the Texas; let her look out for
herself"
He repeated this conversation to me at
least three times during the sessions of
the board because every time discussion
arose / recurred to the position given by
him. which | did not think correct.
placed no dependence on any observation by
stadmeter or sextant during gun fire. My
experience was that during the action !
could not get a single observation by the
stadimeter on which could place any con-
hdence. though / was using two stadimeters
and had a man In the coming tower with
cleaning material whose duty was TO try
TO keep the glasses clean. With the utmost
care this could not be done, tried keeping
the stadimeter under my coat, but IL was of
no use ! mention this as reason for the
doubts which brought up the discussion.
The report as published was practically
the conversation as repeated TO me.
Lieutenant Commander Heilner appends