Evening star., 1901-10-03
DOYLE'S TESTIMONY
Examined Regarding the BroOklyn's
Log,
TELLS ABOUT IT'S CORRECTION
Yesterday Afternoon Before the
Schley Court.
S H RP CON Gu D E S


After The Stars report of the proceed
ings before the Schley court of inquiry was
closed yesterday afternoon the first wit
ness in Admiral Schley's behalf was intro
duced. This was Lieutenant James G.
Doyle, who was watch officer on board
the flagship Brooklyn during the war with
Spain. The fact that Lieutenant Doyle
was put on the stand does not mean that
the Navy Department has concluded the
presentation of it's side of the case. Mr..
Doyle was called by the department, but as
it also had been the purpose of Admiral
Schley to summon him advantage was
taken of his presence on the stand to ques-
ton him as an original witness for the
applicant" He was under examination by
Mr.. Rayner in the interest of the admiral
when the court adjourned for the day. ~
Before undergoing examination at Mr..
Rayner's hands Lieutenant Doyle, at Cap
tain Lemly's request, explained his part in
the battle of July 3 and his original entry
in the ships log concerning the famous
loop, and his alteration of that entry, be-
cause he subsequently discovered that his
first entry had been erroneous.
Just before the adjournment for the day
the court announced its decision not to al
low any questions concerning the blockade
of Santiago after June l. when the COM
mander-in-chief, Admiral Sampson, arrived
there.
Three officers of the Netherlands navy
were present in the court room yesterday
afternoon and listened to the proceedings
during the last hour of the session. They
were Admiral A. P. Tadema, cousin of
the celebrated artist, Alma Tadema; Cap
tain j. Wenthoer, chief of the torpedo bu-
reau, and Lieutenant J. P. Rappard.
Capt. Sigsbee Questioned.
When Captain Sigsbee was called to GER
tify to the correctness of his testimony he
was asked several questions by the court
as follows:
You have stated there were two meet
ings off Santiago while you were blockad-
ing there have you not?'
II stated that to the best of my recollec-
ton there were l am not too firm in that
belief. l am positive there was one'
Upon what ship or ships were these
meetings or this meeting held?"
Either the Yale or the Harvard. One,
think, was held aboard the Harvard, Cap
tain Cotton's vessel. If another was held
at all 1t was aboard the Yale"
Were the meetings accidental or by or
der of the senior officer present?''
by order of the senior officer present
Commanding officers will repair on board,
or some such signal as that"
What was the object of these meetings
of commanding officers off Santiago?"
They were informal meetings to talk
over the situation. l remember / objected
to one because the Spaniards might come
out and catch US out of our ships at any
time, and wanted to go aboard my ship
The meeting was broken up on that ac
count 1t was referred to by Captain Wise,
and, of course, it shows a meeting with
Captain Wise"
Were any orders of the Navy Depart
ment read or discussed at these meetings?'
Il cannot now recollect distinctly. l pre-
sumo they were"
''State as nearly as possible the substance
of each of these dispatches so discussed
and their dates.'
it, ~
Can you designate the dispatches or re-
ports published in the appendix to the re-
port of the bureau of navigation that you
handed or exhibited to Commodore Schley
on May 26?"
II can show one. Ttat is the one I
read yesterday, to the Minneapolis. 1t is
In my testimony. cannot remember spe-
ctfically handing him the written dispatch -
Mr.. Hanna then handed to CAPTAIN Siys-
bee press copy book containing the order
to himself in response to which he had
proceeded to Santiago to meet the flying
squadron. The dispatch read: Proceed at
once off Santiago. The Spanish fleet is re-
ported there; communicate occasionally
Captain Sigsbee said the dispatch was
correct. Mr.. Rayner asked him whether
.in view of the state of the weather and
the sea on May 26 ships could have coaled
with safety to them"
Captain Sigsbee replied POSSIBLY, yes
on the evening Of the Goth, but at risk of
danger to the ships. The weather had
somewhat abated, and l cannot say that
1T would have been impossible"
Captain Sigsbee also made an addition to
his statement of the day before concern
ing any statement that he might have made
to Admiral Sampson or any one else to the
erect that Commodore Schley was block
aiding Santiago harbor twenty-five miles out
at sea. He said: Il did not, and never
have stated that Admiral Schley was block
aiding twenty-five miles out at sea-
Lieut.. Doyle TestIaes.
When Captain Sigsbee left the witness
stand he was succeeded by Lieut.. James
g. Doyle, who was watch officer on board
Commodore Schley's flagship, the Brook
lyn, during the Spanish war There was
much interest in his appearance. as he is
the first Of the Brooklyn's officers to be
called to the stand since the inquiry be-
gan. He was called by the department,
but when Captain Lemly had concluded his
examination Mr.. Rayner announced that
1t had been Admiral Schley's intention to
have Lieutenant Doyle summoned as
witness in his behalf. He therefore, with
the consent of the court questioned the
witness as If his examination had been in
examination.
In response to questions by Captain
Lemly; Lieutenant Doyle said that during
the battle off Santiago he had had charge
of the two turrets. He had, he said, writ
ten the log giving the account of the bat
tie as there recorded, but afterward an
addendum had been made by the naviga-
tor.
When the Brooklyn steamed westward
witness was first in the port turret and
then in the starboard turret.
did you have an opportunity of observ-
ing which way the vessel turnedY' Cap
tain Lemly asked. Witness responded in
the affirmative. He said. however. that he
did not hear orders given to the man at
the wheel
What did you observer
II observed while in the port turret that
we had an opportunity of firing at the
Spanish ships, and the turret was trained
nearly ahead. The Spanish ships were
little bit then on our port bow and we
lost sight OF them by our ship turning with