The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1901-09-27
THE BROOKLYN
The Proceedings of the Schley
Naval Court of Inquiry.
Commander Bates Admitted the OH
ciai steam Log Contains No
Record OF the signal To Re-
verse the Engines.

1
fore adjournment examined four wit
Resses.
Marines were on guard at the rail-
| ing. and before the court opened,
| barred out ali save members of the
court and witnesses. Later Judge
| Advocate General Lemly arranged TO
| allow members of the press associa-
| tons within the railing.
The most important incident of the
day was the decision of the court
Withdrawing a question. put by the
| court itself, asking a witness TO give
his opinion concerning a point under
| controversy. The witness was Rr.
| Adm. ligcibson. who participated IN
| The Santiago campaign as captain OF
the battleship Massachusetts. This
vessel at one time was a part of the
| flying squadron. commanded by Com
modore Schley. and the court asked
| him To state whether all possible
measures were taken to capture or
destroy the Spanish vessel, Cristo1;d
Colon as ii lay in Santiago harbor
from May ~ 10 June /, 1898 Counsel
for Adm. Schley objected to the ques
| ton on the ground that "a reply
would involve an opinion and not
"A statement of facts. Judge AdNO-
cate T.emly admitted that the pre-
cedents were against questions of
| this character. and the court with
drew this interrogatory.
II is generally admitted that this
L .fa l,as AZ .f
teriGllly shortening the term of the
| court. as will also the courts miami
fest intention to cut out irrelevant
questions and all hearsay testimony.
In several cases the witnesses were
admonished to relate only events
coming within their own observation.
Adm. Dewey showed himself PROMPT
and methodical presiding officer He
called the court to order exactly
at the designated hour. and adjourned
it just rs promptly at 4 O'Clock.
The witnesses Friday were Rr. Adm.
IIigginson. who commanded the bat
tleship Massachusetts during the
Spanish war: Capt. {. VI. Chester. who
commanded the cruiser Cincinnaji:
corps, who commanded the marbles
on the Massachusetts, and Comman-
der Giles Il. Herber, who was eXecu-
tive officer OF the Texas, the latter
being opetlie stand when the court
adjourned. The attendance of. the
Publs4Skns spslA>s 49, s!er piac
GIFT. Leinlv infroduced~as e'fi9se ml
4 copy OF, rhe senate document re-
iating 20 the Sampson-Schley con;ro-
versv. together with photographic
Office charts showing the scenes of the
campaign.
Now | viii offer" said Capt. lem
~. "a chart showing the positions
OF the vessels off Santiago"
II object. spoke up Capt Parker.
Of Schley's counsel, quickly. The
chart is grossly Incorrect 1t places
the coast line six miles further south
and four miles further west than
il is IN fact.
The chart does not prove any
thing explained Capt. Lenly. y;
is not put as evidence, but for ref
erence."
general. then read the order of the
navy department. appointing Adm.
Ramsay TO be member of the court.
II ask YOU. Adm. SchIey. if you
have any objection 10 any member OF
this court" said Capt. LemIy
II have not" replied Adm. Schley.
Capt. Len,ly then swore i'm the MEM
i,s.ro nf hn IL. . l.
forward, and each grasping IA small
Bible
Capt. Lemly was himself sworn in
by Adm. Dewey. and in turn admin
istered the oath 10 the clerk and re-
porter of the court.
Washington. Sept. 23.-Thc testi-
rnony at Saturdays session of the
Schiey court of inquiry was unfavor-
able to the admiral.
Capt. Harder repeated his state
nlents that the sea was not too rough
To coal of Santiago. and declared the
only signals observed off Cienfuegos
before proceeding to Santiago were.
he thought, between the Spanish
forces
-NtnTDt0tI. VINO was
executive officer of the battleship
Massachusetts, at that time, corrob-
| GRATED most of Capt. Harber's tesfi-
| mony. He declared that during the
bomhardment of the Colon the Amer
clan ships might have gone in closer
He also testified that Adm Schley
nj that time, had given orders to
get away, saying, Lets get out of
this"
Washington Sept. 24.-The part
played by the baf:leslip Texas in
the naval hattie Off Santiago Jmiy 3,
1855. in which the Spanish feet under
Adm. CerseTa was sunk. was the basis
of the greater part of Mondays pro-
ceedings i'll the Schley naval court
of inquiry. OF the four witnesses ex-
amined during the day. three had
been officers on hoard the Texas dur
ing the battle and two of them were
new Witnesses They were Comman-
der George c. IIeilner, who was nav
igator of the Texas and Commander
Alex. Ii. Bates who was the chief en-
gineer on that battleship. Comman-
der Harder, executive officer and the
chief surviving officer of the ship
since the death of Capt. Philip, was
rsAs.s. tad no frnr~l 49,.