The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-10-22

We attempted first to drop
his body overheard on account of the
blood On the deck, but the commodore
said to carry him at not to throw him
overheard n that he should be buried
on and"
Were you hurt? I mean from Ellis?"
Yes. L was scratched in the face and
in the neck and a small portion of a
bone from his head lodged in my
breast. 1t was taken out about three
weeks afterward."
did you see Commodore SchIey
about hat timer"
All the time"
What was his and bearing
as they impressed your"
Admirable, 1 thought"
Was his position one of danger?"
His position was on a little bridge
built around the coming tower and he
was on the fighting side OF the ship all
the time as far as 1 could see"
WAS that an exposed position"
"All the time"
SCHLEY'S FLAG LIEUTENANT.
Lieutenant B. W. Wells, who was
Commodore Schley's flag lieutenant
during the Cuban campaign, was call
ed He gave a detailed account of the
entire campaign, beginning with the de-
parture from Hampton Roads, the stay
at Cienfuegos, the cruise to Santiago,
the r~etrograde movement, he blockade
of Santiago, the bombardment Of the
Colon and the battle of Santiago. The
witness undertook to quote from mem
DRY a publication by the navy depart
ment which had, he said given him the
impression that the LAND batteries at
Santiago were manned by large guns.
LEMLY GETS MAD.
Captain Lemly objected, saying the
publication itself should be produced.
Some controversy between counse
ensued and Mr.. Rayner spoke of the
objection as "a mere frivol.' To this
Captain Lemly responded: II object to
this criticism" Counsel has been re.
peatedly criticising and throwing slurs
on the officers of the court. 1 beg that
it be stopped. 1t is unbecoming in a
court of this character. 1t is extremely
unusual. May it please the court. we
are making history here. How will
these things rea in history, even if
they do come from the attorney gener-
al of the great state of Maryland?
They are unworthy of a court of the
dignity which this court possesses. It
has not been done once, but repeated
ly."
MI. Rayner made no response, merely
asking the witness to omit the refer
ence to the publication and proceed.
upon Captain Lemly's assurance hat
the original would be produced.
referring to the engagement of May
3lst, Lieutenant Wells said he had gone
ABOARD the Massachusetts with Com
modore Schley.
lie gave a brief description of that
engagement. He said he had heard
orders given to the New Orleans to
fre on the shore batteries. Continuing
he said:
Il saw during the action a number
or discharges Of smokeless powder from
the slope to the westward of the en-
trance. Several shells passed over US
and dropped near us. The commodore
at that time made a number of joking
remarks about some of us lodging. I
do not think he lodged. He seemed to
me at that time thoroughly self-pos-
sessed, without any perturbation that
L saw at any time during that action"
Was he laboring under any mental
excitement at thai timer"
None at all hat 7 could see. He
was in a very natural frame of mind"
Mr.. Rayner questioned the witness
at considerable length concerning the
receipt of dispatches while the flying
squadron lay off Cienfuegos and also
after it had arrived off Santiago. Wit
ness said two copies of the Dear
Schley'' letter had been received. one
on the 23rd. the other on the oath. But
one copy Of the McCalla memorandum
had been received on May 18th. Ad-
miral SIMPSONS dispatch directing
Schley to proceed to Santiago was re-
ceived at SIS p. m, May 23rd, and an
other copy the following day.
Mr.. Rayner read this message from
Sampson to Captain Cotton of the Har-
ward:
1.-The Spanish squadron at Santiago.
If previous to May 18th, scout off San
tiago. Communicate with Schley If he
(they) moved west,' etc.
The witness said he did not remem-
Der the receipt of this last dispatch on
board the Brooklyn.
Mr.. Rayner questioned the witness
with the view of eliciting exact infor-
nation as to the time Of the Eagles
definite report to Admiral Schley that
the Spanish fleet was not in Cienfue-
COS.
In reply. Lieutenant Wells said: eft
was during the afternoon some time,
should say about $3.50 or 4 O'clock"
What was the time between the re-
ceipt of this message and the time yor
set sail for Santiago?"
1--WE prepared several letters or dis
patches to Admiral Sampson, I believe
and to the department. if I am not mis-
taken, n when they were finished tn
Dupont left some time along about
o'clock. 1t "a shortly after the squad
ron SUOOO out TO the
when did you first distinctly fine
out where the Spanish squadron was?'
when we saw the Colon at the en-
rance to the harbor Of Santiago OF
the morning Of the 18th of May"
did you hear Commodore Schley sa.
at any time anything in reference t.
the conspicuousness of his uniform a
the time Of his reconnaissance Ma.
S1st?"
mo sir. I do not recall any such re
mark"
What have you to say in referenc
to a statement that he too refuge be
hind or on the lee side of the connin
tower during the time Of the ~reconnois
ance. Did you see him sufficiently t
enable you to speak of that2"
"I was in this immediate vicinity dur
ing that entire reconnaissance n
recollect that he certainly did not TAX
refuge, as you express it, behind tn
coming tower. He was at differen
points about the coming tower, on tn
turret. n side OIL the other. quite in
differently, apparently"
Have you a personal recollection {
any signal: Don't go any closer wit
out consulting signal record book"
Il do not see how such a signal cOul