The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-09-29
HIRP TILT BEFORE
COURT Or INQUIRY
Captain HARDER OBJ
jects to Rayner's
Methods.
TELLS ABOUT G0lLlHe At SEA
ADMIRAL HIeeINson RECALLED
STATES STATION or BLOCK
AIDING FLEET.
TELLS ABOUT s0iLlHe IT sEl
Commander sezton Schroeder Tessi-
fed That Fleet Did Net Proceed
to Santiago From cienfuesOs
with All Dispatch

WASHINGTON. Sept 21.-Admiral
Dewey observed his usual rule of
promptness in calling the Schley court
OF inquiry to order at IL O'Clock today.
All the members OF the court were
present on the minute. and Admiral
Z Schley sat with his counsel at the
table set apart for them. on the left
or the witness seat. The attendance
Of the police was somewhat larger
than on yesterday.
The first witness called was Captain
Harder. executive officer OF the Texas
during the Spanish War, who was on
the stand when the court adjourned
1 yesterday.
The judge advocate asked no ques-
ton of him, and be was Immediately
turned over to Mr.. Rayner Of counsel
for Admiral Schley. who questioned
| him concerning his statement made
yesterday to the effect that he did
not recall that there was any picket
| line established inside the line of
blockade at Cienfuegos. A report bv
Schiey was read to the effect that a
picket line had been maintained. but
the witness declined to change his
statement
Asked If the Brooklyn had not on
May "a, signaled the Texas to 20
alongside the collier and coal. he said
he did not recall anything of the kind.
Mr.. Rayner 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 saw that he remembered
the incident. He had. he said. very
little to do with the signalling. The
same replies. practically. were made
in response to questions regarding
other signals. Mr. Rayner quoted
several OF these One transmitted from
the Texas to the Brooklyn read: con
afterthought the captain thinks it un-
safe to put collier between battle
ships Another from the Texas read:
DO not think it safe to collier. The
two ships will surely crush her"
Captain Harder replied that be re-
membered there was some talk of the
collier, but he could not recall what it
was
Continuing his testimony Captain
Harder insisted that the weather on
Nav 25 was not rough"
He also maintained that it was his
recollection. as stated yesterday, that
the fleet was farther out at night than
in the daytime. When his attention
was called to contrary statement bY
Admiral Higginson. the witness said
that it was not material to him what
any other man had said; that he had
given his estimate and was not con-
cerned about the statements of 9TH
ers.
"Then you object to having your
memory refreshed. said Mr. Rayner
81 said nothing OF the kind" replied
the witness. Il am here to give my tes-
timony. and I object to being spoken
to in the way you speak to me-"
Mr.. Rayner announced his cross-ex-
animation closed and the witness was
re-examined by Mr. Hanna, assist
ant Judge advocate.
Mr. Hanna asked whether it is prac-
ticable in times of urgency to make
log entries of signals The witness re-
piled that it was not practicable for
the person who usually made such en-
tries to put them down at that time.
It was necessary TO write them out
later. he said trusting to memory !.
4 He also stated that it was possible
for him to have had knowledge of sig
nails from the Texas. as Captain Phil
ips usually managed the ship personal
"
as it," said Mr.. Hanna. "a more
critical matter to coal ship in the open
with a battleship on either side than
with 5 ship on only one side2"
Decidedly.
/ Captain Parker here asked: "You
did some coaling on the 9th and 2Sth
Of Mayes
ION the night of the 9th and morn
ing of the 18th"
Did not, in the course of eoaling
the collier spring a leak because OF 3
collision with the Texas ~
You could not call ii springing q
leak. The plates were indentei and in
the Texas verv little water came
seeping through"
so the sea at that time was bad
enough to cause these vessels to col
Hdesp
THE inference. sir. is quite wreng
That was due to a float which We put
Ia between the vessels and did not no
tee that it was just abaft the armoE
belt The float consisted Of square
timbers.
By the court. what was the state
Of the sea when the Texas coaled
on Nay p. as compared with the state
on the 2sth2s
The weather was smooth some
what. I believe: more favorable. +
This concluded Captain Harber's
testimony. and he was excused
81 Admiral Higsinson then was ~
called and questioned especially con
corning his statement Of yesterday
that the feet vas only two or three
miles ont from Santiago harhoF. III
modified his statement by saving tbs
during the first portion Of the block
/ ade the fleet stood OFT further. prob
Ably five mites bv day and four miles
BIZ nIght. He confessed however. that
after three years his memcry WIS n
distinct