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

Washington, October 18.-Just before
the Schley court of inquiry adjourned
today Attorney Rayner, counsel for Ad-
miral SchIey. informed the court that
hsbhoped to be able to conclude the
Ixsentation of testimony for the ap-
Picant by the close of next week. He
added hat he thus far had not had,
opportunity to consult witnesses who
are still to be heard. He, therefore,
asked that an adjournment be taken
from today until Monday. Speaking
for the court Admiral Dewey said he
was most happy to grant the request.
Accordingly the court adjourned until
IL o'clock Monday.
The list of witnesses examined today
included eight names, but the interro-
CATION OF the last of the witnesses call
ed had not been concluded when the
day came to a close. h last witness
was Lieutenant B. w. Wells, Jr.. who
served during the war with Spain as
Admiral Schley's flag lieutenant or pri-
vate secretary.
Lieutenant Commander Nicholson,
told the story of the battle of JULY 3rd
a saw it from the deck of the Ore
gon. He said the movements of the
oregon had not been controlled by sig
mails from the Brooklyn, and he ex-
pressed the opinion that the Oregon
was nearer the Colon than the Brook
Ign was.
From the inc of the examination re-
Iatlng to the fight of July 3rd already
pursued it is evident that it is the in
tent1on OF Mr.. Rayner to have Lieuten-
ant Wells give a complete history of
Admiral Schley's actions during the
Spanish war. When the court adjourn
ed he had cached the period of the
battle of July 3rd, having gone quite
into other incidents of the
campaign up to that time, including
the receipt of dispatches from Admiral
Sampson.
COMMANDER NICHOLSON
Lieutenant Commander RiginaId p
NICHOLSON, of the Oregon, was the first
As@hess called and began his recital of
the story of the battle of JULY 3rd
which he had observed as navigator Of
the oregon Describing the pursuit of
the Spanish ships he said:
we turned the Oregon. going slowly
at nrst, the speed increasing all the
time and started in toward the enemy.
They came out at full speed, apparently
much faster than we we're at the time.
BY the time we were Strengthened out
we'll to the westward they were all
ahead of us. The Iowa started in. She,
being to the westward of us, apparently
got in closer to the enemy thar we did
because we passed under ner stern.
A few minutes after that, on our course
to the westward, we PASSED under the
stern of the Texas, apparently lying
still in the water. I called Captain
Clark's attention to this. OF course, fir
inc Rnmmanood on both ciSoc OF The
time the first ship cleared the mouth
OF harbor. We returned the fire al
longyrange, probably three and a halt
to four miles off at that point.
%When We crossed under the Texas
stern we saw the Iowa coming out or
a course nearly parallel to a ~converging
course with ours. l noticed her a little
abaft our starboard beam. Captain
Clark at the same time noticed her anG
called my attention to her and told me
to look out n avoid a collision. NJ
collision was very imminent, but we die
change our helm and passed on. Aftel
the action commenced we passed tn,
Texas and the Iowa The only shil
then ahead of US was the Brooklyn
The Viscaya headed toward the Brook
lyn. She ran that course for some tim,
and then Strengthened out again; thel
turned in shore and d few minutes at
ter that ran ashore"
Commander Nicholson said that h
recalled some signals from the Brook
lyn on the day Of the battle, amonl
others one at the beginning of the bat
tie to "close up" n another at tn
clos2x6f the engagement saying: I'VE
do.aNOregon."
"As for the first signal" he said, CIV
were already closing in and it did no
Influence u.s."
The witness said he had never see
the Brooklyn and the Texas when the
were closer together than a mile or
mile n a half. He also said that h
did not remember any signal from tn
Brooklyn to the Oregon to use her Is
inch gunS on the Colon.
Did the Oregon use her I3-lnch gun
early in the action?" Captain Leml
asked as his first question on cross eS
animation.
ooh, yesi" was the response; "br
she stopped using them during tn
chase of the Colon, as that vessel wa
4 so far away hat to use them woul
s. have been a waste of ammunition"
In response to another question 3
ACaptain Lemly, Commander Nicholso
AssaiIA 81 thought the Oregon was neal
n &r - enemy during the chase than II
ii BROOKLYN. but the varie
i 4)mewhat."
In reply to Mr.. Hanna, the witne:
lid during the earlv part Of the e1
gement he had seen none Of II
ianish vessels turning toward any
American ships n he was SUI
re was no we'll developed movemel
That direction; yet the smoke Wa
lie and he could not be certain
"details.
QUESTIONS BY THE COURT
court asked what was the rel
tosition of the American shll
the Spanish vessels came out?
Iowa was due south, the Tex;
port hand, and the Brookl1
off to the westward. The Or
IS to the right of the Iowa. al
llama in shore to the eastwar
p New York in the distance.
r Immediately looking for q
md saw her off or Gig
- ard Siboney."
III 3'e Oregon at any time pa
Il Ny -le Brooklyn and the Spanl
Yen they were offering a.
~sestance; she did as the spa
N1s turned to go ashore
The Oregon changed her dire
Lid the BROOKLYN had [