The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1901-10-04
Admitted That the Brooklyn Was
Ahead in the Battle When
He First Saw Her.
Testified as TO the Report Of Capt.
McCalla, of the Marblehead,
and plan of Battle"
Capt. Sigsbee, Thomas NJ. Dienaide
and Chief YOeman Gustave E.
Becker Examined BY SchIey
Court of Inquiry.

campaign, was a witness before the
Schley court of inquiry Monday. His
testimony covered the entire period
from the time the Iowa left the port
of Key West May 20, 1898, until July
S, when Adm. Evans testified he had
a conversation with Adm. Schley con-
corning the battle of the Sd. He de-
scribed in detail the principal battle
off Santiago, and also gave particulars
concerning the bombardment of the
Colon on May 81.
Commander James NJ. Miller was
sworn as witness. He said he took
on 5000 tons of coal at Lambert's
Point, sailed to Key West, and left
there for Cienfuegos about May 20.
His average speed during the trips
was nine to ten knots.
On cross-examination by Mr.. Ray
ner, he recalled the signals from the
Brooklyn on the morning of the oath
in regard to coaling both the Massa-
chusetts and the Texas at the same
time. He said that owing to the
peculiar motion of the battleships,
even in fair weather, he objected to
placing the collier between them,
as it would surely have crushed her.
"NOw, let lis understand this" said
Rayner. Between the afternoon of
May "a and p. m. May % you coaled
no vessels. Is this right?"
eyes"
This was to support Schley's con-
tention that coaling was impossible
when he began the retrograde move
ment on May &c.
Question by the court: Gould you
have coaled any of the vessels on May
IS, had you been ordered to do SOP"
81 could, but not comfortably to
myself or to the other ships. 1t was
nasty, squally weather, and had 1
my own wish 1 would not have at
tempted it."
Washington, Oct. 2.-The Schley
court of inquiry made good Roadway
again Tuesday, concluding with Adm.
Evans and hearing three new wit,
nesses, although the testimony of
one of them was not concluded when
the court adjourned for the day. Adm.
Evans testimony was along the same
general lines as was his statement of
Monday, but some points were pre-
scented in greater detail in response
to questions by Mr.. Rayner.
In cross. examining Adm. Evans Mr..
Rayner said:
II want to call your attention to
the report of Capt. McCalla, of the
Marblehead, on page 426 of the APP
pendiX, which says: Commodore
Schley explained to the commanding
officers that in case Spanish ships came
out he wished to concentrate the bat
teries of all our ships on a portion
of those of the enemy. This was not
explained as a tactical concentration
of our whole force on a part of the
enemy. but as a division of our whole
fire on several of the enemy's ships.
During the time the commanding Off
GERS were on board the flagship Capt.
Evans asked Commodore Schley If
it were his intention to steam at the
enemy's ships in case they should
start to come out. Commodore Schley
answered Certainly and added words
indicative of his intention to attack
them as they came out of the mar
row detile."
II recollect it perfectly"
rs that a correct statement?"
THAT is correct"
SO there was plan of battle ar
ranged by Commodore Schley, was
there not?"
"Ihere is nothing there to indicate
it from what you have read"
''Was not that the same order that
was afterward given by the comman-
der-in-chief, substantially: Close in
toward harbor entrance and attack
them?'"
You have not read anything about
Indicating any plan of battle"
4 discussion of the inaccuracies of
the departments charts of the Cuban
coast line arose over an endeavOr by
Rayner to ascertain the distance be-
tween the points where the Oquendo
and Maria Teresa went ashore and
that of the Viscaya.
when ] first saw the Brooklyn,
the Texas was off the port quarter
of the Colon; the Oregon off the port
quarter of the Texas, and the Brook
Ign to the south off the Texas port
bow" said the witness in answer to
a question by Rayner. THE Brooklyn
was ahead"
The new witnesses were Capt. Sigs-
bee, who commanded the scout St
Paul during the Santiago campaign;
Mr.. Thomas NJ. Dienaide, a news
paper correspondent. who was on the
Texas during the battle of July 3
and Chief Woman Gustave Z. Becker
who was q clerk to Adm. Sampson
during the war.
Capt. Sigsbee's testimony covered
his communications to Commodore
Schley upon the latter's arrival of
Santiago May &c, 1898, and at sub
sequent dates, and dealt with the
state of the weather at that period
He was asked a great number Of
questions by the court.
Mr.. Dienaide described the loop Of
the Brooklyn as seen from the Texas
Mr.. Becker testified as to dispatche:
sent BY Adm. Sampson to Commodore
Schley.