The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1901-10-04
DID NOT TELL SCHLEY
Admiral Did Not Know the Location of
the Spanish Fleet.

G.. Wise, who commanded the scout
Yale during the war with Spain, was
OH the witness stand in the Schley in
quiry during most of the time and testi-
fled that he did not inform Comman-
Ger Schley that the Spanish feet was
III Santiago harbor, Notwithstanding
the fact that he had positive orders
from the secretary Of the navy to
so notify every vessel Of the flying
squadron. Captain Wise notified Cap
tain Philip Of the Texas just as the
flying squadron was starting for Key
West to coal, and so far as was devel-
oped this important fact was not com
mUnicated to Schley.
After Wise had been excused Adj
miral Cotton was recalled and asked
to relate conversation on the morning
Of May 81 when he went on board
Schley's flagship to deliver dispatches.
He said: HE informed me that it had
been ascertained that some, at least. of
the ships of Admiral Cervera's SQUAD
ron were within the harbor of Santi-
ago; that tsey had been seen and were
in sight, and, as a matter of fact, one
Of them was then in sight at the en-
trance to the harbor. In language as
L Cdn IcIIIclUUCI lit SdIt
After dinner l am going to hoist my
flag on board the Massachusetts, and
take her and the Iowa and go in and
have a pot shot at those fellows"
Washington, Sept. 2S.-During the
examination of Lieutenant John Hood,
who commanded the Hawk during the
Spanish war. the navy department in
the Schley case desired to prove that
Hood delivered verbal instructions
from Sampson to Schley in addition to
written instructions, and the court de-
cided to admiA the testimony to prove
the same Schley was then at Glen
fuegOS and Sampson had sent him a
dispatch which read: spanish squad
ron probably at SantiagO ships
and three torpedo boat destrOyers. If
you are satisfied that they are not at
Cienfuegos proceed with all dispatch,
but cautiously, to Santiago, and if the
enemy is there blockade him in port,
etc.
The Schley counsel objected vigor
ously to the introduction of evidence
of a verbal instruction which would
convict the applicant of disregarding
the orders Of his superior officer, the
commander-in-chie while the depart
ment desired also to get in the CONVEX
sation Hood had with Sampson at the
time he was given the orders. This
conversation was ruled out
Washington, Oct. 1.-Captain James
M. Miller, who commanded the collier
Merrimac off Santiago in May, 1898,
gave testimony before the Schley court
Of inquiry yesterday calculated to
throw light on the contention of Ad-
miral Schley that he could not coal
his ships in those waters the week
before the sea fight. Briefly he said
he could have coaled them, but it
W Ould not have been an easy task.
|"He especially did not like to coal bat
tleShipS because of their rOll-in all
weather; not only in a rough sea. He
produced his log, which showed that
he had cOaled ships both before and
after the date when Schley said it was
necessary to go to Key West to coal.
But Captain RObley D. Evans, who
was next called, was the star witness
of the day-and this without reference
to who was hit by his testimony; it
was the straight, sharp way he gave
it, as We'll as it's pertinence to the is
sues. He said he was captain of the
Iowa in May, 1898, and joined Schley
at Cienfuegos the 22d of that month.
He carried sealed dispatches to Schley
but denied all knowledge of their con-
tents.
what was done by Admiral Schley's
flying squadron to ascertain if the
Spanish fleet was at Santiago" asked
Captain Lemly.
Nothing that I know Of" said
Evans brislkly, and went on to say that
the shore batteries were in range Of
the Iowa's guns, but that no order was
received to open fire.
Evans described the attack ON the
Spanish vessel Colon. He saw the
Massachusetts shells fall short, and
elevated the Iowa's guns until they
fired at range of 1900 yards. One
shot fell near the stem of the Colon,
but no damage was done.
''Why did you not take the Iowa
nearer the Colon" asked Captain Lem
ly.
Because my Instructions were to
follow the flagship" answered Evans.
On the question as to coaling the
admiral agreed with the other testi-
mony given-that it could have been
done off Santiago.