Evening star., 1901-10-15
SEARS ON THE STAND
Experience on the Brooklyn During
the Spanish War.
DESCRIBES THE BATTLE OF JULY 3
Story of the Loop and the Chase
of the Colon.
THE COURT OF INQUIRY
THE COURT OF INQUIRY


Of inquiry today. When yesterdays wit
nesses had been recalled and had made the
verbal corrections necessary In their testi-
mony. t.ey were promptly dismissed, and
at the instance of Mr. Rayner the judge
advocate summoned Lieutenant Comman-
der James H Sears, who as lieutenant was
Admiral Schley's flag officer on board the
Brooklyn during the war with Spain. He
testified to many details connected with the
campaign and was promptly succeeded by
number of other naval officers who
served on the Brooklyn.
Commander Sears testified to his intimate
relations with Commodore Schley and said
that he although a younger officer, had
been allowed the utmost freedom in dis
cussng all matters relating to the war
and that Commodore Schley had at ell
times informed him in relation to matters
that were transpiring or questions that
were under consideration. His testim ony
dealt with the entire period from the time
of leaving Key West on the 10th Of May
until after the battle of July 3. When
asked in regard to Commodore Schlay's s
bearing under fire he spoke of him in the
very highest terms, and said that he had
often urged him to not expose himself to the
fire. and he considered him a model for the
emulation of any officer He had been
with the commodore during five occasions
of either battles or bombordments. Dur
ing the morning he was examined In chief
by Mr.. Rayner and later Judge Advocate
Lemly began very long series of cross
examination, during which he was On sew
eral occasions overruled by the court in
several questions he desired to ask the
witness.
The list for the day included Commander
n. E. Mason; executive officer of the
Brooklyn: Lieutenant Commander T. D.
Griffin who had charge of the powder divi
sion of Admiral Schley's flagship, and Lieu
tenants Edward Simpson, who was in
charge of the eight-inch turret of the
Brooklyn. and opened fire on the Spaniards
when they came out of the harbor at San
tiagO; Charles Webster and Edward Nc
Cauley, the former being a watch officer
and the latter signal officer the Brook
lyn. 1t was the understanding that If this
list could not be completed today that the
ofncers named should come tomorrow.
Admiral Schley thinks it quite probable
that the presentation of the testimony in
his behalf can be completed this week and
next He will be the last of the witnesses
to be heard. and when he goes on will
make review Of the entire campaign, COW
ering the points in controversy.
Eduardo Nunez, the Cuban pilot, was
former testimony He added to his state
ment of yesterday that he had seen the
Brooklyn firing May 81, the day of the
bombardment of the Colon, whereas the
records show that that vessel was at that
time coaling and did not participate in the
engagement. He also made a correction in
versatiou with Commodore Schley on first
meeting him. His corrected statement of
that incident was presented by his inter-
prefer in written form and read as follows
During the conversation l had with
Commodore Schley l said, not that the wa
ter was not deep enough, but that In ac-
cordance with the information 1 have had
in Kingston, Jamaica, in regard to the di-
mensions of the Spanish ships, they were
of such large size that they could not get
In the harbor in consideration of the mar
Of ha apIo al Il he ,,ioIy+
they had to make at the Diamond ShoaP
in front of the entrance, and l still believe
that vessels of such size cannot enter San
t1agO not being under the most favora BILE
conditions of weather. l also was asked
by Admiral Schley If 1 thought his flagship
gould enter the harbor, and 1 answered
him that | did not consider 1t advisable
for the conditions before mentioned, and
because there Were no buoys to mark the
channels for the Spaniards had picked them
up to prevent the American fleet from
coming in the port, and, besides that they
had too many torpedo lines across the en-
trance"
Lieut.. Commander Sears followed Nunez.
Mr.. Rayner questioned him, saying at the
beginning of the examination that he
would ask him concerning the points of
the precept, and requesting that replies
should be as concise as possible Mr. Sears
said that when the flying squadron arrived
of Cienfuegos he knew nothing of a code
OF signals for communication with the Gu
ban insurgents
orandum he said that it had been brought
to Commodore Schley by the Hawk and
go by no other vessel to his knowledge
The Meeting With the AduIa.
Commander Sears gave a detailed account
OF the meeting with the British steamer
Adula, the examination on this point ue-
ing as follows: Now, coming to Cienfi,e-
gos. give us the principal incidents that
took place while the feet lay off Cienfue-
and pi.,fI
you are familiar, the coming in Gf the
Adula -
The Adula arrived off the port there
and was boarded at first under orders,
from Commodore Schley by the Castine
and after Captain Berry of the Castine had
made his report to the commodore the
commodore sent one of the officers of the
Brooklyn aboard her. After he had re-
turned and made report. the commodore
directed me to go aboard the Adula and
see If / could ccntrive some manner of
inducing the captain of the Adula, an En-
glishman, to put himself out a little Ia
tell us something about what was going on
inside of Cienfuegos. The captain said
OF course he would be very glad to do IL
he coming under some authority
from our feet in Jamaica.
He suggested that when he came out on
the next day We should bring him to with
shot, so that anybody observing IL from
shore would see that he was acting under
force, and that anybody who could speak
Spanish could find out all they pleased
from tne refugees she had on board"
with what understanding did they go
into the port? Was there any understand
ing with you?"
That he was to come out the next day
and 1t would be possible for us to get that
information-in fact. that 1t would be very
easy to do so.''
Did he come out the next day?"
He did not"
The witness also stated that Commodore
Schley had told him that Capt McCalla
mad brought code of signals for COM
munication with the insurgents ON shore
near Cienfuegos.
The blockade of Cienfuegos.
Describing the blockade of Cienfuegos
Commander Sears said that 1t had been
maintained from one to four miles out, and
tnat the Dupont was stationed inside with
instructions to keep close to the mouth OF
the harbor and maintain careful watch, re-
porting any suspicious Incidents
The witness in giving the details of the
cruise from Cienfuegos to Santiago said
the weather was boisterous, with a heavy
sea- and that coaling at sea would not have