Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1901-10-18
COOL IN BATTLE WAS
COMMODORE SCHLEY
Lieutenant Griffin Commends
Bearing of His Chief.
SENIOR WATCH OFFICER

He Told of His Talk With Schley
About Going to Guantanamo to
Coal, and of the Latter's Objection
TO Leaving the Blockade.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-THE first new
witness called before the Schley court
of inquiry was Lieutenant Commander
T. D. Griffin. who as lieutenant was the
senior watch officer on the Brooklyn
during the war with Spain. After him
came number of junior officers. who
served on the Brooklyn during the cam
paign. Before any new witnesses were
summoned 3 number of former wit
nesses were called for the purpose of
correcting their former testimony.
It had been the intention of Admiral
schley's counsel to PROFOUND yesterday
a number of questions to the court
which it was proposed to put to the wit
nesses for the purpose of determining
to what extent Admiral SIMPSONS con-
nection with the present inquiry could
be gone into, and it was not decided
until the beginning of the afternoon
session to withhold the questions, This
decision was then reached largely be-
cause it was believed that the informa.
ton intended to be elected by the ques.
lions could be secured in a more direct
and certain way by Lieutenant McCau-
ley's testimony regarding signals on
July 3.
SIMPSONS Relation to Inquiry.
The questions which had been formu,
lated for presentation previous to Mr..
MCCauley's taking the stand related
principally to the movements of Ad-
miral SIMPSONS flagship, the New
York, on July 3, the day of the battle
off Santiago, and especially to the sig
nails of that dGy directing the feet TO
disregard the dagship's movements. Ii
is still the intention to present other
questions involving Admiral Sampson s
relation to the inquiry before the close
of the case. It seems probable that the
presentation will be deferred until a
time shortly before the beginning OF
Admiral 5chley' testimony
The first Of yesterdays witnesses
called for the correction of testimony
was Commander Mason, and after him
came in succession Lieutenant Com
mander Sears, Lieutenant McCauley
and Lieutenant Webster. Quite a num-
Der OF questions were addressed to Lieu
tenant Webster by Mr.. Hanna Reply
ing the witness said that he had seen
signal lights at night on the shore while
lying off Santiago. In connection with
the question Of the distance of shore at
Santiago Mr.. Hanna asked:
"While the vessels were on blockade
at Santiago, from May 90 TO %, inclu-
sive, were you able, during the night,
to distinguish points on shore readily
while you were on watch"
The witness replied in the negative.
could you make out Aguidores and
Cabanas?"
Not Familiar With Coast.
ST was not familiar with the coast at
that time and would not have known
those points under any circumstances,
but it was so dark think l could not
have seen t them.
What was the background"
''The high hills back of Santiago did
give US good points later when we were
familiar with them. We could see them
quite readily"
Gould you discover the shore line at
night"
mot the line of breakers. if there
were any"
Gould you see the vessels on the in.
ner picket line at night?'
mot without the aid of the search.
lights.
On redirect examination Mr.. Raynor
asked Webster concerning the bearing
of the Iowa and the Texas on the morn
ing of July 81, the beginning of the
battle. The witness admitted that they
bore abafU the starboard beam of the
b 90 1lyn, the Texas being TO the right
of the Iowa The Brooklyn was headed,
he says, north or north northwest
In reply to another question by Mr.
RaynOr, he stated that after the surren-
der of the Colon, July 3, he had gone to
the fOrecastle to look for other ships.
He had only seen the Oregon and the
Texas The smoke of other vessels was
visible between the vessels themselves.
When Lieutenant Webster was ex-
cused, Lieutenant Commander Griffin
was called. He gave details of the
CienfugOs campaign, saying that the
distance OF the blockading line was from
three to seven miles, being farther out
at night.
Heavy Sea Impeded Fleet.
Speaking of the voyage from Glen
fuegOs TO Santiago, the witness said the
weather was heavy, and that there was
a short, cboppy sea. He also said that
the heavy sea had Impeded the fleet by
delaying the smaller vessels, especially
the Eagle.
Asked by Mr.. Baynor concerning
a conversation between Commodore
Sohley and the commander OF the Eagle
the witness said:
81 was present when the converse.
ton took place, although I cannot give
the exact words. When the Eagle came
up astern of the Brooklyn the commo
dore hailed the commanding officer OF
that vessel and told him III substance
that he could not delay the squadron
any longer on his account and that he
wanted him to proceed TO Jamaica for
coal. The commanding officer of the
Eagle seemed very DESTROYS of remain.
ing with the squadron and expressed
sincere regrets at being obliged TO part