The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-08-26
Circulation Statement.


1t is no eNaggeTatiun TO say that the
Vixen log exposure has struck terror
10 the hearts of the navy ring. and that
fits members fully realize that some one
or more Of them will be in close quar-
tiers before the end Of the Sampson
scandal. That somebody falsified the
log of the Vixen, to make fl the nara
tive that Crowninshield furnished 10
the Senate as an official document
appears certain. not only on comparison
of the forged with the genuine log. but
on the face Of the former itself. Thus
as the New York Journal in its edi-
ton Of this morning points out, the
Crowninshield notes. attributed To
Lieutenant Harlow, Of the Vixen. state
that on July 8, 1895 at 11-15 a. m.-the
battle being in prOEress-the Iowa was
gaining on the Massachusetts. This
was a most clumsy and stupid inven-
ton. for the Massachusetts was not in
the fight at all. Assuming that the
forgery was imposed upon Crownin
shield and that he was acting in good
faith, il is passing strange that such a
blunder should have escaped his atten-
ton when he was editing the notes.
The journal calls attention To anOth-
er point Of Importance in demonstrat-
ing the fabrication Of the Official log.
1t says. Furthermore. the position Of
the New York at 1I:Ol, as given in the
CrOwninshieId report, is a physical i'm
possibility, both from the reports Of the
navigators and the report Of the Iowa q"
The true log. which will be intro
duced as evidence before the Court Of
Enquiry, agrees in every detail with
the facts Of the battle as developed in
independent reports Of navigating Off
GERS, other eyewitnesses. and the state
ments made by Vice Admiral CeTveTa,
Captain Eulate. and other officers Of the
defeated squadron. 1t is worthy of note
that a great deal Of honest testimony
was given and made available after the
engagement, before the tone Of the
American press convinced the Samp-
son ring that the history Of Schley's
victory would have to be falsified and
rewritten to suit their purposes. When
ii was seen that the whole country in
dignantly resented the Matanzas mule
mans claim to the honOrs Of a success
ful battle from which ne was absent
throughout its progress although there
is reason to believe that he had notice
that tie sortie would be effected on the
morning Of July 3, when he took him
self off behind the horizon in the New
YOrk-then began the work Of changing
geography. time, and circumstance, in
order To bring this gobbler Of other
mems glory within hailing distance
when the Colon, the last Spanish ship
10 strike her cOlOrs. surrendered to
Commodore Schley. commanding the
American squadron Lieutenant Har-
lows log shows that, at that moment,
Sampson and the New York We're still
eight miles to the eastward and did not
come up until AT least thirty minutes
after the curtain had fallen upon the
last act in that bloody drama Of the sea.
There will be no difficulty in =stab-
fishing the Genuineness Of the true log.
As 10 the other, its text inexOrably con-
dennis il as a forgery. The only trou-
BILE perhaps, viii be 10 identify and
punish the forger or fOrgers. Very
probably he or they may 20 unwhipped
Of justice. The aegis Of the Depart
ment which. like an umbrella, has COW
cred the Sampson scandal while il
stcwed, and protected a lair Of con-
spiratOrs against a gallant officer. and
the honor and credit Of the service.
may still remain il commission 70
shield the laundering fabricatOrs Of the
spurious log Of the Vixen.