The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-03

W<OI114NI 1O1N, OcI. Z.-An interesting
| turn was given to the Schley court of in
! quiry today by the introduction of the
| first witness in Admiral Schley's behalf
| This was Lieut.. James J. Doyle, who was
| watch officer on board the flagship
! Brooklyn during the war with Spain.
! The fact that Lieut.. Doyle was pat on
| the stand does not mean that the navy
! department has concluded the presenta-
| tion of it's side of the case. Mr. Doyle
was called by the department, but as it
| also had been the purpose of AdmiraI
| Schley to summon him, advantage was
taken OF his presence on the stand, to
| question him as an original witness for
| "the applicant" He was under examina.
ton by Mr.. Rayner in the interest of the
admiral when the court adjourned for the
day
Before undergoing examination at Mr..
Rayner's hands, Lieut.. Doyle at Capt.
Lemlys request, explained his part in
the battle of July and his original en-
try in the ships log concerning the
famous loop and his alteration of that
entry because he subsequently discovered
that his first entry had been erroneous.
Lieutenant Commander Sharp, who
commanded the Vixen during the Spanish
war, also gave his testimony during the
day, giving especial attention to notes of
the battle Of July 8, made by Lieut. Har-
low, of his ship.
Admiral Evans Capt Sigsbee and Cor
respondent Dienaide were all recalled for
the purpose of correcting their testimony
as given yesterday and all made addi-
ttonal statements '.-ee
Just before the adjournment for the day
the court announced its decision not to
allow any questions concerning the
blockade Of Santiago after July 1, when
Commander-in-C Chief Admiral Sampson
arrived there.
FIRST WITNESS FOR SCHLEY.
When Capt. sigsbee left the witness
stand he was succeeded by Lieut.. James
]. Doyle, who was watch officer on board
Commodore Schley's flagship, the Brook
lyn, during the Spanish war There was
much interest in his appearance, as he is
the first of the Brooklyns officers to be
called to the stand since the inquiry be-
gan. He was called by the department,
but when Capt. Lemly had concluded his
examination Mr.. Rayner announced that
it had been Admiral SchIey's intention to
have Lieut. Doyle summoned as a wit
ness in his behalf. He therefore, with
the consent of the court, questioned the
witness as if his examination had been
in chief and did not contine himself to
cross examination.
In response to questions by Capt. Lem
ly, Lieut. Doyle said that during the bat
the two waist turrets. He had, he said,
written the log giving the account of the
battle as there recorded, but afterwards
addenda had been made by the navi-
gator
When the Brooklyn steamed westward
witness was first in the port turret and
then in the starboard turret.
did you have an opportunity of OBJ
serving which way the vessel turned?'
Capt Lemly asked. Witness responded
in the affirmative. He said, however,
that he did not hear orders given to the
man at the wheel
What did you observer"
BROOKLYN SWUNG TO PORT.
ST observed while in the port turret
that we had an opportunity of firing at
the Spanish ships and the turret was
trained nearly ahead. The Spanish ships
were little bit then on our port bow
and we lost sight of them by our ship
turning with starboard helm. Then it
was that the order was given to man the
starboard battery, and as 1 crossed from
one turret to the other, 1 observed the
Spanish ships a little bit on our star
board bow. AS soon as / got in that
turret I swung the gun sharp on the
Starboard bow. In the meantime some
of our own guns had fired, probably in
the forward eight-inch turret so L could
see nothing at all from the dense smoke.
While in that position, and while the
turret was being trained, Mr. Mason, the
executive officer, passed down the star
board gangway calling Sharp on the
starboard quarter, and I accordingly
turned the turret around and picked the
Spanish up on our starboard quarter and
from then on it was a constant train of
the turret until we had the Spanish ships
about abeam.''
say the vessel turned with starboard
helm?"
''She was then turning with a starboard
helm, because that is the reason we lost
sight of the Spanish Ships.
but you do not mean, as 1 under
stood you, she made the full turn with
starboard helm?'
"Oh, no; at that time 1 was under the
impression that it had, yes
How did you come to enter in the
ships log that the vessel turned with
a starboard helm? Do you recognize that
log (handing him the log of the Brook
lynn"
at do"
The witness then, in response to a re-
quest, read to the court that part of the
ics book. which relates to the turning of
the port helm as follows:
THE SHIPS LOG.
AT 9:SO went to quarters for muster
and inspection, and Immediately after
ward the Spanish squadron was noticed
coming out of the narbor The leading
ship, the Maria Teresa, flagship, opened
fire at once. This ship (the Brooklyn)
and the other vessels namely Texas,
Oregon, Indiana. Iowa, Vixen and Glou-
cester. engaged the enemy at once. The
enemy stood towards US at first, then put
helm a-port and stood along shore close
in. to the westward. We engaged with
port battery at first. standing in for the
Maria Teresa, the Colon and the Vizcaya,
all three of which we engaged, but just
as soon as the enemy stood to the west
ward, put helm to port, swinging Ca lit
tie interlineation here) clear of the fire
of the Texas, so as to bring the star
board battery to bear and stood parallel
to the enemy
The witness then stated the original en-