Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1901-10-31
SCHLEY'S STORY
ADMIRAL TELLS OF THE BATTLE
, OF SANTIAGO.
Plain in Words. Unaffected In Style, Straight to
the Point-Never Considered the BROOKLYN
in Danger and Never Damned the Texas.
A Popular Ovation At the Close Of the
Day

washington, IL. u, Oct. GOV hen the
Schley court of inquiry adjourned today,
Admiral Schley had not completed his
testimony. He took the stand about
II 80 o'clock, after former witnesses had
been recalled for the purpose Of making
corrections in and additions to their
testimony, and continued his statement
until the court adjourned at 3 $50 p. III.
This adjournment twenty minutes in
advance of the usual time was due to the
fact that the admiral's throat had be.
come somewhat sensitive as a result of
his continuous talking yesterday and to-
day. He had made complaint to the
court of the condition of his throat inn
mediately after concluding his recital of
the story of the battle of Santiago, and
Admiral Dewey, who evidently himself
had noticed the difficulty, responded by
showing willingness to adjourn the
court.
Mr.. Raynor, however, expressed a
desire to proceed, saying that he had
number OF questions which he wished to
ask, and Admiral Schley himself assented
to his counsel's suggestion. A quarter
of an hour later Admiral Dewey himself
renewed the suggestion for an adjourn
ment, and all concerned agreeing to the
proposition, the court adjourned until
Monday at II o'clock.
Notable Day in Court.
The day was notable one in the court.
By large odds the largest crowd that has
yet attended any OF the sessions was
present and deep interest was manifested
throughout the proceedings. Long be-
fore the beginning of the morning ses-
sion, all the seats reserved for visitors in
the court room were occupied and the
greater portion of the space in the rear
of these seats was covered by men and
women standing. They not only stood
on the floor, but upon window stills and
tables, and even the rude elevator ma
chinery in that portion Of the hall was
covered by men. On only one occasion
was there any effort at applause, and this
was suppressed before it had reached any
The chief event OF the day was the adj
miral's relation OF the events of July 3,
when the American fleet sent Cervera's
squadron to the bottom of the sea or to
the beach. He told the story Of this his
torical occurrence in plain words and in
unaffected style, but the narrative was
and to the point. indi-
eating close familiarity with all the
phases of that event. He said that the
Brooklyn had for time sustained the
fire OF all four Spanish ships and also the
fire of the Spanish land batteries. Ex-
planning the historical turn of his own
flagship, the Brooklyn, he said that she
had not approached to within less than
600 yards OF the Texas and that he never
had considered his vessel in the least
danger. He also stated. in response to
an interrogation from Mr.. Raynor, that
he had never, during the battle, engaged
in any colloquy with Lieut.. Hodgson and
that he had not used the expression at
tributed to him by Hodgson: This refers
to the alleged colloquy in which the ad.
miral is charged with having said, Damn
the Texas
Admiral Schley also gave the details
Of the reconnaissance OF May 81, when
the Spanish ship Cristobal Colon was
bombarded. In this connection he de-
MED the statements attributed to him
by Commander Potts, of the battleship
As Admiral Schley left the courtroom
today he was given an ovation. A large
of persons had halted outside
the courtroom and many insisted on
shaking hands with him. The assem-.
blage escorted him up the hill from the
gunner's workshop in which the court
sits, to the outer gates OF the navy yard.