Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-10-18
THE BROOKLYN'S OFFICERS.
TESTIFY TO SCHLEY'S COULNEsS
AND BRAVERY IN BATTLE
The RrOokiyn's Signals Read-Schley's
encouragement TO Msn-The Incidents
Of the Battle of July 8 Bescribtd.

The Rrooklyn's Signals Read-schIey's
Encouragement TO M.n-The Incidents
Of the Battle of July 3 Lescribtd.
The officers of Admiral Schley's flag
ship, the Brooklyn, occupied the aLten-
tion of the Schley Court of Inquiry for
the entire day Wednesday. The pro-
ceedings began with the recall of Capt
Cook and Lieut. Commander Sears and
they were followed in succession by
Commander n 4 Mason, who Was the
executive officer Of the Brooklyn; Lieut.
Edward McCauley, Jr, who was signal
officer, and Lieut. Charles Webster, who
he'd charge OF the forward gun deck
battery of the Brooklyn during the bat
tie of Santiago and was a watch officer
on board that ship.
Their testimony covered the same
ground as that of Capt Cook and the
other officers of the flagship who have
already testified. Each of the wit
nesses praised in the highest terms the
bearing of Commodore Schley during
the Santiago fight and at all other
times when they had seen him under
| fire. They all declared that he was
calm, self-poss sessed and brave
Lieut. McCauley. who was near the
commodore most of the time during the
| figh.. in reply to question regarding
| Schey's conduct ami his attitude OF
command, said that Mt the beginning OF
the engagement the commodore said sew
| eral times. give 'em hell, huilies.
This declaration of the witness was
greeted with much laughter by
| Admiral Dewey and the other mem
bers of the court and the crowd
of spectators that filled the room.
The witness read from the Brooklyn's
signal book the list of signals TO aud
from the Brooklyn on July } he also
gave q list of the signals made from the
! Massachusetts while that vessel was
! being used rs Commodore Schey's flag
ship, May 81, and when asked whether
any signal mad been sent to the fleet to
mot go in any closer" replied NO,
sir
He was asked "Can you give US any
| inc dent to show that he was not labor
Hing under any great mental excitement
on tina. day. when Ellis was killed.
another officer and myself picked up his
BODY and started to throw it overheard.
The Commodore saw us and said Don {
throw him overheard. Cover him up
with something."' "Were you present
when Ellis was killed?' "ies, sir. y
"Hog near was Ellis 10 the commodore
when he was killed, and to YOU lie
was staudrg right next to me. he wa
about 10 feet from the commodore
should think"
4 Iieue MeCauley said that he bad on
his own hook hosted the signal, Clear
ship for action, ard that when he had
reported this action to the comuodore
the latter had told him to hoist CLOSE
up
, Can't Cooks new testimony related to
the uncoupliug of the Biooklyn's en-
gines, which he said, was done under y
particular oruer from Admiral Samp'
son. the slow speed at which the vessels
, were steamiDg on blockade preventing
the use of all their engines. he test.
! fled that the squadron did not proceed
| with all dispatch" fronl Centnegos
4 but said it was because the rough wealth
| er delayed the smaller vessels.
, Comdr Sears spoke again of the con
versation reported as having taken place
t between himself and officers OF the
Massachusetts, in the ward room OF that
r vessel on May 81, in which he was alleg
ed to have said that it had been dlf1cult
to getCommodore Schley up to the point
OF unQertaklDS lUt DOluDaIuIhchl Va thN
Colon, and be again denied that he had
said anything rejecting up9n his
superior officer.
lie said that on the morning of July
the Brooklyn had begun turning to star
board Immediately after the engines
were started. that the helm CT the
BROOKLYN had been put a. port when tho
, helm of the Niscaya had been put a-port
He said that when he bad said to Com
mo tore Schley during the battle that ne
thought the BrooBly lyn was about 1t;
tactical diameter from the Viscaya. tac
tical diameter of the Brooklyn had moi
) been determined, ana he supposed 1t tt
: be about $50 yards.
l Asked how much time had been con
2 sumed in the Brooklyn's turn. he SAID u
might have been IL or 20 minutes. Th'
i Brooklyn was always nearest the Colon
= he said. during the chase and at thu
surrender.
: lii the purpose of Mr. Rayner to frs
examine the officers of the Brooklyn
. aud to follow these with q number o.
those on the Oregon during the battle o.
Santiago. 1t is understood that hi!
entire list of witnesses is practically con
. fined to persons on board those two
, vessels.