The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-29
THE DAYS TESTIMONY.
McCaIIa Again the Stand-The
Cannot obey" Message.

WASHINGTON. Sept. 2S.-To-day's ses-
sion OF the Schley court of inquiry began.
as usual, at IL o'clock, with the recall of
yesterdays witnesses for the purpose of
correcting mistakes in their testimony, and
GLOWING other questions to be asked them
when necessary TO make clear any point
which had not hitherto been sufficiently
eIucidated by them. Captain McCalla, COM
mandant OF the Marblehead during the
Spanish war. then continued his testimony,
which had begun yesterday The at
tendance of the spectators at the opening
of the session was in excess of the average
and an exceptionally large number of peo-
pie had arrived before the usual time with
view of securing the best available seats,
evidently under the impression that the
proceedings OF growing interest.
The opposing counsel have reached an
agreement as to the parts of the logs of
the various vessels engaged in the Santiago
campaign which are to be put in as evil
dence and printed in the record of the
courts proceedings. 1t was found imprac-
ticable to print the entire logs. not only be-
cause to do so would have been confusing.
but because Of the delay it would have oc-
casioned in getting out such a volume of
material as they would have made
Mr.. Hanna made a brief explanation of
his use OF the term accused in yester-
days proceedings applied To Admiral
Schley. He said:
''I should like TO say a word in explanation
of one word which l understand appears
in the records. l learn TO my surprise
from examination OF the records that
used the word accused in referring to the
distinguished officer who has asked for the
court OF inquiry. 1 wish TO state with
respect 10 that, that / was not. aware that
j had used that expression until this morn
ing. IL was used in the rapidity of debate
and simply for the reason that in the
course OF long years of experience IL is
the word generally employed in such
eases"
He concluded by stating the agreement
between opposing counsel on the use of
the term applicant in alluding 10 Ad-
miral Schley, and with an apology for his
inadvertant use OF the harsher word
SAW THE FIRING.
When Captain McCalla took the witness
stand Mr. Hanna asked him:
Were any ships assigned 10 the duty of
engaging the batteries on the morning of
May 81 lSsS, or during that day or TO the
duty cf enfilading the batteries?"
lhe reply was: None that / know Of
Mr.. Hanna then asked. Were there any
Shoals or other obstacles OF any kind 10
prevent the battleships from approaching
The mouth OF the harbor OF Santiago suf.
range OF the COlon2'
Captain McCalla replied: None that
know OF. The only shoal / know Of was the
shoal on the west side Of the channel op-
posite the MORO.
Did the battleships go within range Of
the COlOn?
Not from my observation"
Were YOU 50 situated as TO observe the
fall OF shots from the heet2''
II was.
where did they fan?'
II think / saw every shot fired They all
feu short that i saw. one very nearly
reached the Colon. -
The Wines said the American ships en-
-~al.ed in the Colon bombardmen steamed
IN a distance OF about two miles
Captain McCalla testified al some length
concern ing the weather and the sea on Nav
- and -. he said there was no dificultv
IN coaiiug on the 9th as the sea was
smooth.
Witness said he had b, on present during
a conference Of commanding officers on the
Brooklyn while the fleet was or Santiago
on Nay -. Describing what took place, he
said.
''The commanding officers were ordered
TO board the Brooklyn on May %. II was
with regard 10 the work Of blockade
can only remember one specific thing which
took place at the close, and that was that