Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-10-23


sons FIRST request on Sept. 27, thar Rear
| Admiral Sampson was not party to the
present hearing, and was not, therefore,
entitled to be represented by counsel.
Twentieth Day.
Captain French E. Chadwick, com
mander of the New York in 1898, created
somewhat OF sensation when he tesii-
fed that lie protested to Sampson against
sending to Schley message congratulate
ing the latter upon the character of the
blockade he had maintained, because, un-
! der the circumstances, such action was
/ improper.
/ Admiral Dewey himself then created
1 quite stir in the court room by exhibit
ing considerable temper in declining to
permit Mr.. Rayner TO question Captain
| Chadwick relating to conversation that
officer had with Remey and Watson, in
which Captain Chadwick is alleged to
| have approved the blockade
we don't want any cony ersations
here. We want the facts, and you know
that we want nothing else but the facts,
said Admiral Dewey impatiently to Mr..
| Rayner. who was directed TO withdraw
the question.
| Mr.. Rayner contended that il was per
| fectly proper to admit the conversation in
| question. as it tended to show that Cap
tain Chadwick had Endorsed the blockade
at one time and had at another protested
/ against Schley being congratulated for
the character of it.
! Speaking of his knowledge of the code
of signals arranged with the insurgents,
| Captain Chadwick said this code he'd
! been communicated to him by Command
er McCalla, who did not care to have any
thing 81 id about it, as he (AIcCalla) ex
4 pected to go back to Cienfuegos the next
! day, May 20. Owing 10 the difficulty in
getting supplies at Key West McCalla
with the Marblehead did not leave for
4 Cienfuegos until the following day.
McCalla said be would communicate
the code of signals to all the officers OF
the flying squadron. but he did not do so.
laccording TO his own testimony.
Captain Chadwick said he had no in
formation that the Spanish squadron in
tended to leave Santiago harbor IN July
3. the day on which the New York sail
ed for Siboney.
Just before the New York sailed from
| Key West Sampson received informa-
ton from Captain Allen of the signal ser.
vice which convinced the commandment
chief that the Spaniards were in Santi-
ago. After coming into possession OF
this ii.for-,ation. Chadwick said, Samp
son sent the news, with a supplementary
dispatch and verbal orders, by the Iowa
to Schley, directing him to go to Santiago
This dispatch was not sent by the Iowa
according TO the testimony of Lieut.
Marsh, who appeared upon the stand i'm
mediately before Captain Chadwick
| While it appeared from the testimony OF
Chadwick that Schley was ordered by the
dispatch to go to Santiago, that message
as matter of absolute fact directed
Schley to satisfy himself the Spaniard'
| we're not in Cienfuegos before leavin;
that port.
| CAPTAIN Chadwick and Lieut.. Marsh
| Sampson flag lieutenant. were the TIVE
chief witnesses before the court of in
ouiry this day. Their testimony related
exclusively to sending dispatches t.
Schley, including the McCalia memoran
| dunn relating to the code OF signals ar
ranged with the insurgents.
Lieut.. Marsh, after referring to tho
hooks Of the New York, swore that dis
matches advising Schley of the presence
NJ the Spanish fleet in Santiago had beer
cont at various times by the Iowa, Du
Mont and Marblehead. These papers
sbou-ad that the dispatches in question
hod been transmitted by these vessels
! but it developed that there was nothing
10 show exactly BY which vessel they
wsra sent aud the day on which they
we're sent. although Lieut. Marsh said HI
was satisfied they had gone in the ordel
| shown by the New York papers, which
wauld indicate that the dispatches hat
reached Schley at Cienfuegos in time tC
enable him to arrive at Santiago before
the fyiug squadron really reached tina
port.
The testimony on this point is so inyolv
oil II is almost impossible to follow il
with any degree of accuracy, and ever
the attorneys themselves and the wit
nesses we're pretty badly jumbled.
Tweuty-frst bay.
1t was proven beyond question at thu
court of inquiry that Schley did not re
ceiye positive orders from Sampson to q
to Santiago until June 10, and that h.
had no definite information from Samp
| son as to the presence OF the spanish
fleet in that harbor until that date.
Schley himself had secured this infor
nation on May 20, and had been at San
tiago two weeks before he received Samp
sons positive order.
This was the most important develop
ment at the short session of the court OF
! inquiry, which was marked by wrangiinl
and bad feeling from beginning to end
| There was a tilt between the attorneys
Captain Lemly charging Mr.. Rayner with
making inaccurate statements. Later Mr.
Rayner called the matter to the atten'
/ ton of the court. The judge advocate
made a lame apology. but it was salts
| factory to the court, as the presidents
| said it covered he case.
| Another important fact brought oul
! was that there was : delay of thirty-six