The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-10-25
Admiral Schley Continues His
Story of Santiago.
A DELAYED DISPATCH
Testimony Objected To but Admit
ted by the Court.
CRUSHING OF THE SPANISH FLEET
The Admiral Describes His Plans for
the CIimactic Stroke of
the War.

Washington. Oct 25.-In the Schley cour
OF inquiry to-day Admiral Schley contin
ued the recital of his narrative, which ht
began yesterday. He had covered mos
Of the points OF the campaign previous t
the beginning of the Santiago blockade
leaving that blockade, the reconnaissance
of May 81, the battle Of Santiago and tht
famous loop OF the Brooklyn yet to bt
told Of. The admiral was prompt in his
arrival at the courtroom this morning an(
notwithstanding the strain Of yesterday
appeared fresh and in good condition fol
the work before him to-day. The court
room was crowded as it never has been
before. AS was the case on yesterday
Admiral Schley was thoroughly self-pos-
sessed, and he again spoke clearly and
distinctly, so that his words were heard
throughout the hall. admiral Schley's
testimony of yesterday is given on page
10)
With the courts permission Admiral
Schley said he woud go back to Cienfuegos
in order that his narrative might be clear
Regarding the McCalla memorandum. he
said he received but one copy. If there
had been another it would be in the
papers which he returned to the navy in
January or February. He said he had not
bombarded the earthworks at Cienfuegos
because he was convinced that such bonn
bardment would be unavailing. Subse-
quent experience in the war, he thought,
bore out this opinion.
objection From the Court.
Admiral Schley was proceeding to say
that dispatch No. 10, concerning which
Lieutenant Marsh had testified (the dis
patch containing positive information that
the Spanish fleet was in Santiago was not
received by him until June 10, when the
court objected.
Captain Lemly-If the court please, l re-
gret very much to be compelled to make OBJ
lection TO this character Of testimony; but
j understand from the court itself that it
wants facts.
Admiral schley (sotto voce)-Well. these
are facts.
Captain Lemly-I do not understand this
witness is here for the purpose OF making an
argument. and ! do not think this character
Of testimony from a witness, even the
stand in his own behalf, is a matter Of tes-
timony.
Mr. Rayner contended that Admiral
Schley was not giving opinion; that he
was simply testifying to facts within his
knowledge. After some further sparring
the members Of the court held a brief con-
sultation without leaving the courtroom,
and Admiral Dewey announced its decision
as follows:
The court is of the opinion that it is emil
nently proper for the witness to make the
statement that the dispatch was dated May
q and not received until June 10, then drop
it; just give the facts
To this Admiral Schley responded that
this was all he had intended to do. Pro-
ceeding, Admiral Schley testified that he
believed Captain Cotton's statement re-
garding the offer of Lieutenant Field to
60 ashore at Santiago to learn positively
whether the Spanish fleet was in Santiago
was somewhat faulty, and he detailed
some facts relating to Fields offer which
fixed his own impression of it in his mind.
In Touch With Insurgents.
On May 81, after the bombardment of
the Colon and after Captain Cotton had
gone to Mole st. Nicholas with a report
to the department upon that subject, Ad-
miral Schley testified that he sent NuneZ,
the pilot, westward to communicate with
the insurgents. Nunez landed near AS
cerederos, fifteen or sixteen miles west
of Santiago and joining some of the
Cuban insurgents, went into the interior.
He returned June 16 with detailed in
formation OF the location of the Spanish
ships in the harbor. II sent him. added
Admiral Schley, to the commander-in-
chief at that time"
Here Admiral Schley brought his mar
rative up to Santiago and he said in that
connection that he had regarded the or
ders of the department concerning the
portable presence Of the Spanish fleet at
Santiago as more of suggestion than a
mandatory order. He considered that it
would take only little while to get back
in any event. He repeated that the prop
er military maneuver would be to pro-
ceed westward toward the bases at
Havana and Key West.
He had arrived with the squadron off
Santiago at about o'clock p. m, May 28,
he said, and had then taken up his posi-
tion five or six miles out, afterwards
holding the fleet in formation at night.
He had on that first night sent the Mar
blehead closer in with instructions to keep
close watch on the mouth of the harbor
That night he had, he said, noticed the
signals on the shore and he had also OBJ
served at that time the lights on a lower
plane which he had since become con-
vinced were from the Colon lying in the
harbor. The next day he had discovered
the presence of the Spanish vessels there
as he had also that of other of the enemy's s
war vessels. He said when he had thus
secured irrefutable proof of the fact that
the vessels were there and told CAPTAIN
Sigsbee Of the fact, that officer expressed
surprise that such was really the fact
1t was at this point that he sent a dis
patch to the department giving absolute
information of the presence of the Span
iards.
Plan 10 Crush the Spaniards
Admiral Schley said after locating the
fleet in Santiago he formed the blockade
in the only way he believed such small