Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1901-10-17
INFORMATION WITHHELD
Schley Kept In Ignorance of Facts
Known To Sampson.
MESSAGE HELD BACK TWO DAYS


ner Is Tricky, and Maryland Lawyer
Answers With a Threat.
Washin gton, Oct. 12.-In the Schley
! tourt of inquiry today Mr.. Rayner,
chief counsel for Schley, outlined
sons dispatch of May 27. 1898, was
the first positive notice that Schley
had from Sampson of the presence of
the Spanish feet at Santiago. Mr..
Rayner made witness for the prose
cution. Lieutenant Commander Staun-
ton. admit that there was no commun.
ication between Sampson and Schley
from May Il to May 27, and that
when Sampson received information
from Havana on the morning of May
20 that Cervera was at Santiago, the
information was kept secret and was
not transmitted to Schley until at
dusk the next day.
Near the close of the halliday ses-
sion Judge Advocate Lemly and Mr..
Rayner became engaged in heated
quarrel over the admissibility at that
time of chart showing the speed of
the vessels OF the flying squadron. and
when Rayner made statement con-
cerning the matter to be introduced
the Judge advocate took exception to
its reception, saying Mr.. Rayner's
summary was inaccurate, as other
statements made by him, referring
especially to the contents of docu.
ments presented, had been.
Rayner resented the expression and
replied to the effect that if uttered
outside of the court room he would
say that 1t was false. Before the
court adjourned both Rayner and
Lemly made statements concerning
the incident to the court. and Admiral
Dewey expressed the opinion that
Lemly's explanation should be salts
factory to Rayner.
Captain Chadwick, in command Of
Admiral Simpsons flagship. the New
York, and who also was chief Of the
admiraps staff during the war with
Spain, testified briefly Friday after
nonn. He was the last witness called
and when the court adjourned was still
under cross examination by Mr.. Ray
ner, who stated that he had only a
few more questions to ask him. There
was considerable interest in Captain
Chadwick's appearance because of his
close relationship to the commander
in-chief of the North Atlantic squad
ron.
Tan n<a{, no Il IWto q o1of-
ed very largely to dispatches sent by
Admiral Sampson to Commodore
Schley while the latter lay off Glen
fueges in May, 1898. and to the code
OF signals agreed upon between Cap
tain McCalla, of the Marblehead, and
the Cuban forces operating near Glen
fuegos He said this code had not
been sent to Commodore Schley by dis
patch because Captain McCalla had ex-
pected to join the commodore imme-
diately and communicate the code to
him.
WAS Commodore Schley then in
Key Vest" asked the Judge advocate.
He had left on the morning of the
10th for Cienfuegos"
Some hours before McCalla arrived
with the system of signals?'
About three hours before"
You have referred to a visit by
Commodore Schley to the flagship at
Key West Can you state anything
that occurred there in Commodore
Schley's presence bearing upon the sub
ject Of this INQUIRY"
MY only distinct recollection in re-
gard to conversation was Commodore
Schley's statement to the admiral that
he desired to be perfectly loyal. He
said that he was very pleased to be
under his command and that he could
be assured that he should be entirely
loyal In all his conduct"
Did you have any information
whatever from any source that Ger
vera's fleet was going to make sortie
from the harbor of Santiago on July
81"
None whatever within my recollec-
tion"
Taking the witness for cross-exami-
nation Mr.. Rayner asked:
do you recoIlect the dispatch which
will be found in the officials report Of
Admiral Sampson, dated May 20. in
which he congratulates Commodore
SchIey upon his success? | will read
the dispatch. The following telegram
was sent to Commodore Schley to both
Port, Antonio. Jamaica. and the Mole
St. Nicholas: Congratulate you on
success. Maintain close blockade at
all hazards, especially at night. very
little to fear from torpedo boat de-
stroyers. Coal tn open sea whenever
conditions permit. Send a ship to ex
anime Guantanamo with view to oc-
cupying it as base. coaling one heavy
ship at . time. Appraise captured coal,