Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-10-03
Commander of Vixen Says
Ships Could Not Be
Seen at Night.
SC. LEY COURT CoNyENEs
Bears Out schley's Allegations That
the Sea Was Very Rough May &C.
Would Not Have Relished Idea of
CoaIing That Day. ia..-.


Washington, Oct. Judge Advo-
cate Lemley, whose sister died yester-
day, was present when the Schley
court of inquiry convened today, but
Immediately withdrew.
"Fishtlns Bob" Continues.
Admiral Evans continued his testi-
many begun yesterday. He reiterated
the statement made yesterday when
Chadwick communicated the secret
code to him that he did not instruct
Evans to give the information to
Schley. Evans denied he ever said in
conversation with Schley, after the
battle of Santiago. anything to the eff
feet that Captain Phillips of the Texas
had run away or attempted to do SO.
He also denied saying to Schley 81
shot the bow off of the Pluton, the
stern off the Furor, put my helm to
starboard, raked the Teresa and
knocked out the Viscaya."
In detailing a conversation vii
Schley on the morning after the Co
was discovered, in which Evans
expressed the opinion that it was
worth while to risk the ships fight, 5
shore batteries alone, as there W
nothing to be gained by it. Schle
had remarked the country held him
responsible, and the ships should not
be- I'd under the fire of the shore
batter1e. Ill the Spanish fleet was
destroyed. -:
Differene Time.
- Rayner read repor.. Evans and
of the mmander-in-ehiel4 the en-
gagement of the Span squadron in
which Evans said the ,aya went
ashore at 1926 o'clock, the
chiefs report says 1:15sJ and asked
which was correct, Evans replied the
time given in his report was furnished
by the navigator and executive officer
of the Iowa. He didn't take the time
Sticks to 1t.
Evans was also questioned as to his
statements concerning the distance OF
the blockading vessels out at night.
He said yesterday the vessels of the
blockadipr ,uadron We're farther out
at night than during the dayand Rayne:
read previous statement from him tic
the effect "That at daylight we clos
ed" That, the witness said, was the
exact fact, that after being out farther
at night the vessels came closer in at
daylight.
Had no Order.
while before Cienfuegos or on the
way to Santiago did you have any OF
ders for battle?" asked Hanna.
No" We steamed in column
with fankers on each side
Had you any instructions as tt
what to do in case the enemy should
appear?"
I'VE had not
Newspaper Man on Stand.
Evans was then excused and Thorn
as Dieuaide, a newspaper correspond
emit, who was on board the Texas, dur
ing the Santiago campaign, was call
ed. The witness was on the bridge
with Philip, and said the Brooklyn
passed the Texas very close at RICH
angle to latter.
Heard Order to Stop Engines.
He heard Philip give the order tt
stop both engines and put the helm
.'hard starboard" but did not heal
Philip give orders to back the en-
gines.n Dieuaide said he had on the
day of the battle written a report O.
the battle, but these facts had not beer
given because Philip asked him tt
make it nice for everybody"
Siasbee Called.
He was then excused for the day
and asked to bring his newspaper re
port of the engagement into court to
morrow. Captain Charles D. Sigsbee
who commanded the scout ship st
Paul during the war, was next called.
Washington, Oct. 2.-The schle.
court of inquiry today began with tn
usual recall of former witnesses TO
the correction of their testimony il
the official record.
4 Sea Was Rough.
! Lieutenant Commander Alexande
M. Sharp, who commanded the Vixel
during the Spanish war, was the frs
new witness. He testified he had frs
fallen in with the flying squadron o.
the morning of May "a of Cienfuegos
He said the weather on the cruis
from Cienfuegos to Santiago had bee,
"squally'' but not sufficiently bad t
interfere with the speed of the Vixer
The vessels had not been in urgen
need of coal on May 26. IF had been,
he SAID, "and received orders to Goa
I should have done so or tried it, a
though it would have been an uncon
Portable job, because the Vixen was
very small Ship"
Spanish Might Have Escaped.
Sharp said Notwithstanding he ha
been on board the Brooklyn severe
times, Schley had never discusse
with him the retrograde movement tt
ward Key West begun May 26. D
ing the siege of Santiago, Sharp Sal