Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1901-10-05
SIGSBEE A WITNESS.
Commander of the Ill.F ated Maine
Before Inquiry Court.
A Newspaper Reporter Who Was on the
Texas During the Santiago Battle Gives
Sensational Testimony Not Fa-
v0rable to Schley.

Washington, Oct. 2.-There were
five admirals of the United States
navy congregated Tuesday within the
railing where the Schley court OF in
quiry meets. Admiral Dewey and
his associates, Admirals Benham and
Ramsay, occupied their usual seats
as members of the court, and Rear
Admiral Schley his customary place
ut the table set apart for 1.-THE appli-
cant" in the witness stand. Rear
Admiral Evans, who had been called
Monday, still occupied his position,
and continued to tell his story of the
part taken by him as captain of the
Iowa during the historic period of
the Santiago campaign.
Evans Indignantly denied that he
had an interview with Commodore
Schley on The Brooklyn on the morn
ing of July in which he (Evans)
said: did you know Jack Philip
started to run away with the Texas
at the beginning of the battle?" He
said he was not on board the Brooklyn
July 4. Evans also denied having
made the following statement to
Schley: II shot the bow off the Plu-
ton, the stern off the Furor, put my
helm to starboard and raked the
Texas and knocked out the Vizcaya."
Admiral Evans was then excused
and Thomas NJ. Dienaide, newspaper
correspondent who had been on board
the Texas during the Santiago cam
paign, was called. Dienaide said
that when the battle off Santiago be-
gan he had been in the room of the
junior officers of the ship and had
Immediately gone on the bridge with
Capt. Philip, remaining there until the
captain had gone to the lower bridge
with him. There he had remained UNI
til the chase of the Colon began. He
had at the time made notes of the
battle and these he read. The Texas
was then, he said. heading in the gen.
eral direction of the Spanish feet.
He did not see the Brooklyn until Is
minutes after the battle began, of
the port bow of the Texas, headed
toward the Texas on course about
right angles. Then Capt. Philip gave
the order: "Stop both engines; helm
hard starboard." Immediately the
Brooklyn was in front of the Texas
and Capt. Philip exclaimed: Look at
that fellow going out to sea-"
Capt. Charles ID. Sigsbee, who COM
manded the scout ship st. Paul during
the Spanish war, was next called. He
said that in obedience to orders from
Capt. Wise, who was his commanding
officer, he had proceeded to the vicin-
ity of Santiago, arriving there on the
21st. He told of taking aboard the
Spanish pilot, Nunez, and said that
he did not have great confidence in
that individual. His instructions
were to report to Commodore Schley
that the Spanish squadron was prob
ably in Santiago harbor.
He was then asked if he had en-
pressed his belief to Commodore
Schley that Cervera's fleet was not
in the harbor as reported later by
Commodore Schley. The witness re-
piled: II stated that we had seen
nothing of the Spanish feet. may
have stated that knew nothing pos
itively or absolutely about its move
ments, but I recited certain events
to show that there was probability
of the fleet being in Santiago ut the
time"