Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1901-10-11
NEWS TN GENERAL
lscnLEY cocRT or INQUIKY

was taken at i o'clock order to al
low court and counsel to recuperate
after an arduous weeks labor. Prac-
tically the only witness of the day
was Lieutenant Commander Albion G.
Hodgson, who was navigator of the
flagship Brooklyn during the cam
paign of ISas. and almost his entire
time was taken up with the reading
of correspondence between himself
and Admiral Schley concerning an al
legged colloquy between them during
the battle of Santiago. which the Wit
ness was reported to have detailed
to newspaper correspondent. The
correspondence has been published.
and this fact rendered the proceed
ings of comparatively little popular
interest.
Washington. Oct. s.-Lieutenant
Commander Hodgson yesterday again
occupied the greater part of the time
of the Schley court of inquiry as a
witness. He was followed on the
stand by Captain w. M. Folger, for
merly chief of the bureau of ord
nance of the navy department, but
commander of the New Orleans dur
ing the Spanish war. Lieutenant
Dryson also was recalled to add some
details to his former testimony con-
corning the coal supply of the Ameri-
can fleet during the Santiago block
ade.
Commander Hodgson repeated and
extended his story of the battle of
July 8. giving the opinion that Com
modore Schley's conduct on that oc-
casion was such as that of COM
mander-in-chief should have been.
He also explained at some length
his correspondence with Admiral
Schley concerning the alleged COLO
guy between them while the Santa
go engagement was in progress. He
said he had no controversy with the
commodore, but he repeated that the
commodore had said: damn the
Texas" when told that vessel was
in danger.
Captain Folger said that the bonn
bardment of the Christobol Colon on
May 81 had been eminently success
full in developing the strength of the
Spanish shore batteries, and had
shown them to be very weak. He
also said that if the Spanish vessels
had attempted to escape at night
they could not have been seen by the
blockade feet in bad weather.
Washington, Oct. 9.-There were
two new witnesses before the Schley
court of inquiry yesterday. They
were Commander Richard Vain
wright, who commanded the Glouces-
ter during the war with Spain, and
Lieutenant NJ. L. Bristol. who, as en-
sign, was watch and division officer
on the battleship Texas during the
period Lieutenant Bristol had not
concluded his testimony when court
adjourned for the day. He did not
no NV tho Rrnnlr1un
the greater part of his testimony
turning upon chart he had made
showing, largely, according to his
memory, the positions of the various
ships of the American fleet at differ
cnt times during the engagement of
July 3. There were several spirited
controversies between counsel over
questions asked tho witness by Mr..
Rayner concerning this chart. Conn
mander Wainwright's testimony dealt
largely with chart making. He was
for time senior member OF the
board of navigators which prepared
the official charts showing the posi-
ton of the American ships during
the battle of Santiago, and he gave
details of the methods Of its prepara-
ton. He said he did not consider
the positions assigned in that draw
ing accurate, but that they were
given as the result of compromise
of the views of the members of the
board. Lieutenant Commander Hodg-
son, Captain Folger and Lieutenant
Drvson made additions to their pre-
vious testimony.
Washington, Oct. 10.-In the Schley
naval court of inquiry yesterday
Lieut.. Mark l.. Bristol completed his
testimony begun Tuesday and three
new witnesses were introduced. They
were Rear Admiral Henry c. Taylor,
who as captain commanded the bat
tleship Indiana during the war with
Spain. Lieut., Commander Templin NJ.
Potts, who was navigator of the bat
tleship Massachusetts during that
period and Lieut., Edward F. Leiper,
who was on the New Orleans during
the war, the last named being still
on the stand when the court ad-
journed for the day.
Admiral Taylor related incidents
of the battle off Santiago on July 3,
including the Brooklyn's famous
turn. He said that none of the Span
ish ships had made any effort to ram
| the American vessels when they came
out of the harbor at Santiago. Com
| mander Potts testimony dealt espe-
| cially with the bombardment of the
| Colon. Answering a question from
Judge Advocate Lemly as to the con-
| duct of Commodore Schley during the
engagement, he said it was that of a
man laboring under great mental ex-
citement and of a man who was anx-
ious to discharge as soon as possible
q disagreeable duty. Lieutenant Leip-
er expressed the opinion that the
Spanish shore batteries at Santiago
had not been at any time formidable.
During Commander Potts examina-
ton Mr.. Rayner secured permission
| from the court to introduce as evi.
| dence the order of Secretary Long 70
Admiral Sampson, dated April 6, in
which he was admonished against the
exposure of the American vessels to
| the fire of strongly fortified ports