The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-09-24


On this occasion given orders and that
the Texas held back anti il was dead
in the water. He said that on &C
count of this incident two or three
minutes hac been lost and that fully
three miles We're lost 10 the ship A
part Of this delay d, however, he
said been caused on account OF the
fault of the ships blowers. rendering
the vessel slow in getting up steam.
Referring TO Commodore Schiey'S
blockade Of Santiago barber. the wit
ness said that during the day the dis
lance was five or six miles out. but
that in steaming across the mouth Of
the harbor at night the distance was
gradually increased On the day when
the enemys ships were discovered the
fleet had been closer in. He had. he
said on that day seen three cruisers
inside the harbor.
Asked if the opportunity was good
at that time for observing the vessels
the witness replied that after the moon
set, as II did early in the evening at
that time. darkness was such that the
enemy's ships could not have been dis
tinguished at any great distance.
Commander Heilner was then qEes-
toned at considerable length concern
in6 signals Objection was made and
the questions were withdrawn tempo
rarily
The. court then took recess until 2
o'clock.
Admits Hap is Inaccurate.
When the court convened at , O'Clock
Mr.. Raynor continued his cross-exami-
nation of Colonel Heilner. He asked
him especially concerning the official
chart of the battle of Santiago. exhib-
fting the chart. The witness said he
had been one of the board of naViga-
tors who had prepared the chart. He
had testified that the Brooklyn was
only $50 yards distant when she crossed
the course of the Texas, but he stated
that according to the chart distances
was about l,S00 feet when the Brooklyn
was making the famous loop.
But" he said, we are going
through a lot of matter here which is
worthless"
oh. it is worthless. is it?" questioned
Mr. RaynOr-
According to the map the two yes
sells were never nearer than within 2.40O
feet of each other"
The witness replied that ne consid-
cred the map Inaccurate.
Mr.. RaynOr then commented quite
vigorously upon the fact that the chart
was an official document.
After a careful inspection of the map
Commander Heilner revised his state
ment. saying that the distance was
about half a mile, as shown by the
chart.
Commander Heilner also said that
the chart made the Brooklyn go half
a mile out to sea in making its loop;
that on that point the chart also WAS
not accurate. At the time he said the
Texas was going at the rate of about
twelve knots an hour. Mr. Raynor
questioned the witness at length con-
corning signal lights at CienfuegoS and
the latter said that he had not known
until after the arrival of Captain Nc
Gala on the Marblehead on May "a
that there was to be system of sig
mails for communicating with Cuban al
lies on the short. Nor had he known
until then that Cevera's fleet was not
inside the harbor at Cienfuegos.
Did you see any signals from the
New York on the day Of the battle?'
asked Mr.. Raynor
we did not receive any signals from
that vessel on that day until in the
afternoon replied the witness.
Inc witness also said that the New
York had not come up until the last
of the Spanish fleet came out of the
harbor.
Seeks to Make Comparison.
y Captain Lemly here interposed to ask
the purpose of the inquiries, and Mr..
Raynor stated that it was to be able
to make comparisons between Schley's
blockade and SIMPSONS, because if it
could be shown that Scnley's blockade
was equal to SIMPSONS he could not
be considered CensuTable.
He. also said that it would be shown
that the Colon was visible when Ad
mira,l Sampson came up.
Captain Lemly objected, not only to
the line of questions. but to the line of
argument
Replying. Mr.. Raynor said that not
vitnstanding the strenuous efforts of
Captain Lemly to keep Admiral Samp-
inevitably be brought into it, not for
the purpose of criticism. but for the
purpose of showing that Admiral
Schley had merely obeyed the orders of
hi ,fr.~.H
Sampson. in doing what he had done.
Continuing, Mr.. Raynor said that
Admiral Schley wanted to prove three
things. There We're:
First-It is maintained that the
blockade as maintained by Commodore
Schley was the same. so far as dis
tances were concerned. as that main
tanned by Admiral Sampson.
Second-The failure to engage the
Colon further on May 81 was in the
line of SIMPSONS policy as developed
after his arrival on June 1, When the
Colon was still in sight.
Third-That the Brooklyn had her
place in the line of blockade assigned
by Sampson when the Spanish fleet
came out on Jaly 5.
Having made this presentation Mr..
RaynOr, at the suggestion of Judge
Wilson, withdrew the question. Judge
Wilson said the subject would be
brought up when there was a witness
on the stand who could testify to the
facts.
viii Show Sampson Up.
I'VE propose" he said. TO show that
Admiral Sampson was never in the
fight Off Santiago at all. and that on
that account Admiral Schley had the
responsibility of the command through
out
Mr.. Hanna responded. saying there
would be no objection to any proper
reference to Admiral Simpsons con-
nection with the battle. but that so
far all efforts were clearly outside that
description
Commander Heilner was excused at
800 p. m.
Commander Harder was recalled and
Captain Philips reports of the SAN
tiago campaign were offered as evil
dence.
Commander Alex 3. Bates. who was
chief engineer on the Texas, was then
called. He testified concerning the
work of the engineer on that day
The court adjourned at O'Clock
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