The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-09-24

II
Commander Schroeder the Only New
witness-Lemly Thinks Comparisons
OdIous.
Washington, September 21.-Only one
new witness was introduced today TO
the naval court which is investigating
the conduct of Admiral Schley during
the Spanish war. This witness was
Commander Seaton Schroeder who was
executive officer of the battleship Mas
sachusetts during the war and is now
governor of the island of Guam. His
testimony dealt with the cruise of the
flying squadron from Cienfuegos to
Santiago and the bombardment Of the
Spanish ship Cristobal Colon as she lay
in the mouth of the harbor at Santa
go on May 31st. The commander said
that the cruise was not as expeditions
as it should have been. He also said
that in the bombardment of the Colon
the fleet had not acted as deliberately
as the commander -in-chief had an
nounced it to be his purpose to have
it act.
While Commander Schroeder was
giving his testimony Judge Wilson,
counsel for Admiral Schley, sought to
have him make a comparison of the
distance of the fleet from the shore un-
der Admiral Schley with the distance
under Admiral Sampson after the lat
ter officer arrived and took command.
The judge advocate objected and Mr..
Wilson withdrew the question saying,
however, that he did so temporarily
and that he would raise the point at
later stage in the investigation
CAPTAIN HARBER ON THE STAND
The first witness called was Captain
Harber, executive officer of the Texas
during the Spanish war, who was on the
stand when the court adjourned yes
terday.
The judge advocate asked no QueS-
tion of him and he was Immediately
turned over to Mr.. RaynOr, of counsel
for Admiral Schley who questioned him
concerning mis- statement made yester-
day to the effect that he did not recall
that there was any picket line estab-
lished inside the line of blockade at
CienfuegOs. y report by Admiral
Schley was read, to the effect that
picket had been maintained, but the
witness declined to change his state
ment.
Asked if the Brooklyn had not, on
May oath, signaled the Texas to go
alongside the collier and coal, he sail
he did not recall anything of the kind.
Mr.. Raynor read the signal message as
follows:
go alongside the collier and coal as
rapidly as possible but no amount Of
pressing could bring the witness to say
that he remembered the incident. He
had, he said, had very little to do with
the signaling.
Captain Harber was also questioned
closely concerning the rate of speed of
the fleet on the sail from Cienfuegos to
Santiago on May 25th-
CAPTAIN HARBER CONTRADICTS
THE SHIPS LOGS.
He said the weather was fresh and
the sea moderate; that it was hard for
small vessels, but it was nothing
have made from ten to twelve knots.
Mr.. Rayner had the witness read from
the logs of the Massachusetts,, the
Iowa, the Brooklyn and other vessels
concerning the weather at that time.
Mr.. Raynor read a report from Captain
Higginson, saying that the weather had
been rough and sQually" on the 25th.
Captain Harber stated that the report
of Captain Higginson was not borne out
by the log book of his ship. 1T does
not correspond with the log" he said,
and he added that having given his best
recollection concerning the weather, he
thought Mr.. Haynor had an Interior
motive in his questions. Mr.. Raynor
declared that he had no such end in
view.
Captain Lemly objected to the exam
ination of Captain Harber on the record
of a ship which he had had no part in
preparing.
The court retired to consider the
points. After an absence Of ten min
utes. the court returned and sustained
the objection that the witness could
not be examined upon the log of the
Massachusetts,.
Captain Harber maintained that it
was his recollection, as stated yester-
day. that the fleet was further out at
night than in the day time. When mis-