The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-10-28
Schley Continues His Testimony
Begun Last Week.
Rayner Asks Few Questions
as a Starter.
TALK WITH BOB EVANS
Witness Recollection of COnver-
satiOn Shows Difference.
Attendance at the Investigation
Continues Large.

Washington, Oct. 2S-When the
Schley court of inquiry resumed it's sit
ting at IL O'Clock today Admiral Schley
took the stand and after being remind
ed by Admiral Dewey that he was still
under oath. continued his testimony.
When he left the stand on Friday his
examination in chief had been almost
concluded and when he resun ed today
it was with the understanding that af-
ter comparative few questions had been
asked by Mr.. Rayner he would be
placed in the hands of Judge Advocate
Lemly and Mr.. Hanna for roSs-exami-
nation. Mr. Rayners questions were
again directed toward throwing light
upon disputed points in the controversy
and most of them concerned conversa-
tiOns which various witnesses for the
navy department had with the admiral.
Before the adjournment Friday he
had asked him about the majority of
these converSat tiOnS and the principal
ones left today were those which were
reported to have taken place between
Admiral Schley and Admiral (then cap
tain) Evans of the Iowa and Comman-
der Sharp of the Vixen. The admirals
version of these interviews differed con,
siderably from that of the other part1es
to them. The attendance was large to-
day as it had been every day since Ad-
m iral Schley went on the stand.
HARLOW RECALLED.
Previous to Admiral Schley's taking
the stand, Lieut.. Commander Harlow
was recalled to correct his testimony.
This occupied but a few minutes, and
Admiral Schley took the stand about
11:10 o'clock. Mr.. Rayner's first ques-
tion related to an incident testified to
by Lieut.. Grant of a melee the fleet
got into on the way from CienfuegOs to
Santiago when it met sailing vessel.
The admiral replied that he had an
indistinct recollection of the incident.
He said that whenever the squadron
stopped it was always in conformity
with signals previously made. If there
was any niXup, as testified to-, he
said, 'it must have been as the result
of the carelessness of the officer of the
deck is not carrying out the signals
from the ffagShip.''
Reverting to May 81, the day of the
reconnaissance, Mr.. Rayner asked the
witness if he recognized any signal
from the Massachusetts to the squad
ron not to go in any closer
81 cannot recall that signal at ALL"
replied Admiral Schley. "It would have
been of course unnecessary, in view of
the fact that no vessel could have left
the line without the permission of the
flag officer Ommander-in-c chief
Mr. Rayner asked Admiral Schley re-
garding alleged conversations with Ad-
mira1. Ghen Captain) Evans on July A
or 5.
replied the witness, .'but I do not re-
member whether it was the 4th or
5th. I would say of Capt. Evans, as L
have said of all the others, 1 do not be-
lieve he would willingly misstate. L
think his recollection is at fault. He
did have a conversation with me in re-
lation to shooting the bow off of one
of the torpedo boats and the stern off
another and putting his helm starboard
and raking one ship and then aport and
raking another. My recollection now is
that preliminarily he said to me: Did
you see Jack Philip start to run away?
md t sol mo- ha mi
That it was the Brooklyn that made
the turn, and I asked him if he did
not see the tactical necessity for it,
Mr. Rayner then called Admiral
Sch1ey's attention to the testimony of
Admiral Taylor, who as captain COM
manded the battleship Indiana during
the battle off Santiago, and Capt Daw-
son, who commanded the marines on
that vessel, to the effect that the
Brooklyn when she made the loop went
southwark mile or mile and half
BROOKLYN DID NOT RUN SOUTH
ssI think they are entirely and abSo-
lutely mistaken replied the witness.
1.-The Brooklyn did not pass to the
southwark of the line except the dis
tance perhaps of her tactical diameter,
which surely was not greater than 600
yards and from that time she steered
a course parallel to the Spaniards, and
I do not think we were over $500 or
2,400 yards at any time from the Span
iSh line I say emphatica1ly that the
Brooklyn did not run south, and any
statement to the contrary is mis-
take
The witness stated in reply to ques-
ton from Mr.. Rayner that when he
started to the westward from Santiago
he left the ST. Paul at the latter place
Admiral Schley then told of how his
papers were boxed up by his secretary
for transmission to the department as
the regulations require About this time
he went to Porto Rico as a member of
the Porto Rican commission and this
box was put on the steamer together
with his baggage. The box finally
reached Washington and was then open
ed for the first time the witness desiring
turned the box over to the department
about February 6.
He estimated that this box contained |
all his papers except the document he |
had turned over to the court, namely a
COPY of the No. dispatch.
The admiral then by permission of the |
court reverted to his narrative of Fri |
day and spoke of the hits on the Span |
ish squadron. The Brooklyn, he testified |
was the only ship carrying 5-incn guns !
record of the hits received by the en- |
envy showed that &c per cent of the hits |
scored by the American fleet came from |
those gums on the Brooklyn. The Brook |
lyn received 80 of the AZ hits from the |
Spanish fleet about 20 per cent. With |
this statement Admiral Schley conclud- |
ed his direct testimony and the judge |
advocate then began the croSS-examina- |
tion.
CROSS EXAMINATION.
He was asked first about the consul |
tation with the commanders at Hamp |
ton Roads before the flying squadron |
sailed to the southwark. In reply Ad- |
miral Schley said that Captains Higgins, |
Jewell Sands, Cook and Mark were /
present He explained that they had dis
cussed the order of battle in case the