Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-10-23
NEARING NE CLOSE
Indications That Schley Court
Of Inquiry Will Soon Have
in All Evidence.
Rayner Announces He Has Only
a Few More Witnesses to Be
Examined.
Spectators Break Into Cheers
Today at Recital Of Schley's
Conduct in Battle.

| Washington, Oct. 2s.-The schle,
court of inquiry is rapidly approaching
| the closing days, as was made evident
by many circumstances today. AT the
beginning of the days proceedings Ray
rer. chief counsel for Schley, said he
would not have more than twelve or fif-
teen witnesses to examine, and the ex-
amination of some Of these would re-
Quire comparatively little time. The
principal witnesses yet to come are
Schley and Capt Clarke. After yester-
days witnesses had corrected their tes-
timony James S. Hare, photographer fo,
an illustrated newspaper, who made
photographs Of the battle of Santiago,
was called.
While Lieut.. Simpson was on the
stand for the purpose of correcting tes-
timony he stated that he had first seen
the Oregon coming up during the chase
CT the Spanish ships on July 3, when the
Oquendo was discovered to be on fire.
Hanna stated that his object in bring
ing out this information was to fix the
time when the Oregon came up. G. p.
Graham made additions to his testimony
of yesterday concerning the interview
between Schley and Sigsbee on May 26.
Beyond what he had already reported
sigsbee as saying he further said: He
had two pilots aboard ard the pilots
said fleet Of vessels the size of the
Spanish squadron could not enter the
harbor of Santiago" Graham also
changed his reply to a question Of the
court as to. whether he had heard the
conversation between Schley and Hodg-
son during thesbattle of July 8. Refer
ring to this Graham said: I'm answer to
the question sof the court, I said, No,
that relation there was a great deal of
conversation going on between three or
four officers forward, and I answered
no. because could not pick out from
that conversation between Hodgson and
Schley."
James IA. Hare stated that Ne was on
the press boat Somers N. Smith May.26
or 81 srnd they had met the ST. Pnul
Did you have any megaphone COM
munication bewteen the Smith and st.
Paul?"
"Megaphone and by mouth also.''
State what 1t was"
I'VE asked the st. Paul IL there was
tidings OF Cervera's fleet. Sigsbee told
there was none, that Cervera's fleet was
not inside Santiago and Schley had gone
west. On Sigsbee's assurance that the
Spaniards were not in the harbor we
went back to Key West to coal instead
of Jamaica, and the first news we got
there was that Cervera's fleet was bot-
tied up in the harbor."
He told the court, in response to a
question, that Sigsbee had himself used
the megaphone.
Chief Boatswain William L. Hill on
the Brooklyn testified to hearing guns
on approaching Cienfuegos and said
while there the blockading line was
maintained three or four miles out. He
said he had written letters to his wife
during the campaign and had from
these made journal covering the per-
iod. He said the weather on the cruise
rough. ut was worse than that. /
should say it was blowing a reef top-
sail breeze, and at one time the seas
were breaking completely over the Mas
sachusetts. made an entry to that eff
feet"
Hill stated he had direct charge, un-
der the executive officer of the Brook
lyn, of the coaling of that vessel. The
Brooklyn" he said, was the bes. ship
in the fleet to coal, but only with con-:
stant watchfulness in the calmest
weather could we coal without having
an accident"
He also said he had personal knowl-
edge of the Texas and knew the pro-
iecting Sponsors of that ship made 1T.
a hard vessel to coal, and on more than
one occasion permission had been
asked and received for the ship to go
to Guantamo for coal. In the course
of his description of the battle of July
8 witness said: Probably fifteen min
utes after we started the Spanish ships
had nearly all gotten out. There Were
three of them. I stood near enough
to touch Schley at that time and saw
we We're going into pocket. The
Spanish ships had gotten out and Wis.
caya, the second ship, had turned to-
ward us and we were about to cross
the line of fire of our own ships. At
that time the order was given to port
helm. I heard Schley say! port, and
the ship started to swing to starboard.
The helm was put over hard aport,
and she swung around on her heel,
The fire from our battery never ceased
from the time we started to turn un-
til the end of the battle, when the Colon
went ashore. The guns were constant
ly being fired. The Texas was on our
star board hand and she was fully a
third of mile from u.s. There never
was any question in my mind about
striking her. We did not cross her
bow. We We're slightly ahead of her
and turned in that way entirely clear
lined up parallel with the Spanish fleet
and in few minutes the Teresa went
ashore. on fire. Soon after Oquendo
followed, and then we sided up with
the Viscaya and kept with her for ten
or twelve miles. At this time there
was not ship to be seen astern ex-
cept the Oregon. which was about
half mile from US. On this run with
Viscaya Ellis was killed. There were
fourteen or fifteen of us standing to-
gether.
Witness, relating the death of Ellis,
said:
"As he fell to the deck young Me-
lCauley said: Let's throw it overheard.
The commodore said: NO. don't throw