The Savannah morning news., 1901-10-17
SCHLEYS OFFICERS
MEN OF BROOKLYN BEFORE COURT
OF INQUIRY.
UPHOLD THEIR COMMANDER.
COMMODORE WAS ALL RIGHT IN
BATTLE.

AcS ntaSship All sustain the
Statement Made by Capt. Cook.
Much Talk About Signals and the
Full List of These Made on July
Is Given-oficiaI Record Shows
That Brooklyn Did Much wigwag-
ging on Day of Fight.
Washington, Oct. 16.-The officers of
Admiral Schley's flagship, the Brook
lyn, occupied the attention of the
Schley court of inquiry for the entire
day. The proceedings began with the
recall of Capt. Cook and Lieut.. Com
mander Sears, both of whom made
material additions to their former tes-
timony, and they were followed in sue
cession by Commander N. E. Mason,
who was the executive officer of the
Brooklyn; Lieut.. Edward McCauley,
Jr., who was signal officer, and Lieut.
Charles Webster, who had charge of
the forward gun deck battery of the
Brooklyn during the battle off San
tiago and was a watch officer on board
that ship.
Capt. Cooks new testimony related
to the uncoupling of the Brooklyn's s
engines and to the voyage of the fly
ing squadron from Cienfuegos to San
tiago, explaining in some details the
cause of the slow progress made on
that occasion.
Commander Sears spoke again of the
convention reported as having taken
D1aNa e
the Massachusetts, in the ward room
of that vessel on May 81, in which he
was alleged to have said that it had
been difficult to get Commodore Schley
up to the point of undertaking the
bombardment of the Colon and he
again denied that he had said any,
thing rejecting upon his superior Off
Ger.
"Give 'Em He'll, BuIlies."
Commander Mason and Lieuts. Nc
Cauley and Webster all gave accounts
Of the engagement of July 8. Mr.. Nc
Cauley recited in detail the signals
made in connection with that histor-
ical event at the instance of Commo-
dore Schley. When asked if Conmo-
dore Schley had said anything DURING
the battle for the encouragement oi
the men Mr.. McCauley replied that he
several times had said Give 'em he'll
bullies! :" All these witnesses testified
that the conduct of the commodore
when under fire was cool and coura-
geous.
The Order to UncoupIe.
While Capt. Cook occupied the wit
ness stand for the purpose of correct
ing his testimony, Mr. Hanna asked
him:
Referring to your statement in re-
gard to the steam required to be kept
up in connection with the uncoupling
of the Brooklyn's engines, that 1t was
the order of the commander-in-c chief
while lying off Santiago on the block
ade. Was that written order?"
My recollection is that it was a bull
letin. The exact words l do not re-
member"
"The particular point was with re-
spect to the uncoupling of the engines.
Was there anything in that order on
this subject and in pursuance of which
that was done?"
They all, as / understand it, had their
engines 'uncoupled."
Capt. Cook also was questioned again
concerning the voyage of the Flying
Squadron from Cienfuegos to Santiago
as follows:
The Trip to Santiago.
did the Flying Equadron from Cien-
fuegos to Santiago proceed with all
dispatch?"
Throwing out of consideration the
surrounding circumstances and condi-
tions that have already been testified
to. should say no."
Mr.. Rayner: "But putting In the
surrounding circumstances and condi-
tions. you would say yes, would you
not?"
"Yes.''
What do you mean by the sur
rounding circumstances and condi-
tions?'"
Il mean that as I understand the
question, we could have gone from
Cienfuegos to Santiago and arrived
there the next day after we left Glen
fuegos, with. some, If not all, Of the
larger vessels"
What were the circumstances and
conditions you speak Of"
"The coaling conditions that existed
at the time"
Lieutenant Commander Sears also
made a correction in his testimony for
the purpose of explaining the disposi-
ton of the colliers at night while Com
modore Schley was in charge OF the
blockade of Santiago. He said these
vessels had been sent a distance out
each night and every night in differ
emf directions on account of the fear
of torpedo attacks.
Sears Was Just Irritated.
10 fnI v,er
question:
I'm regard to the conversation in the
ward room of the Massachusetts, as al
legged on May 81. in order to refresh
vour memory in regard to that matter,
YOU are informed that Lieut.. Potts,
Lieut.. Grant, Lieut.. Glennon and Maj.
Wood are supposed to have been pres
ent and participated in that conversa-
ton"
IT do not recollect 1t at all. 1t could
not be possible I said such thing.
They have misunderstood wnat l sara.
was irritated at the delay. In the
ward room talk something might have
been construed in that way as state
ments often are but It Is entirely i'm
nossible that | could have said that.
I was impat tient, excited. perhaps, II
being my first engagement, and /
might have made some remark. IL is
something someone might have misun-
derstood, but that remark l never
made"
what do you mean by frritated at
the delay2'"
Delay Of not going Immediately into
this work"
Explain what you mean by fmme-
diately.'"
The witness; "As recall ! was ir-