The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-11-01
OF ADMIRAL SCHIEY BY JUDGE ADV0-
CATE IEMIY BEGUN.
SEARCHING QUESTIONS ASKED
Chief Points Touched Upon, h Inter-
view With sampson, Instructions to
His Fleet Commanders, Coalfng at
Sea-, Voyage From Key West and
Steps Taken TO Locate Spanish Fleet
Court Restricts Examination to Time
Prior to SIMPSONS Arrival

examination of Admiral Schley began
today before the court OF inquiry and
hardly more than a third Of the ground
was covered when the court adjourned
at 4 o'clock.
After Admiral Schley concludes two
other witnesses will be called in his be-
half, Admiral Baker and Captain
Thomas Borden. The latter was an Of
ficer of the marine corps aboard the
Brooklyn. The judge advocate will
then call his witnesses in rebuttal, of
whom there are understood to be more
than fifteen. and it is probable hat Ad-
miral Schley's counsel will call wit
nesses in su~rrebuttal.
The row present today, while hard
ly as large as on Friday last when Ad-
miral Schley told the story of the battle
of Santiago, showed unabatted interest
in the proceedings. Nothing sensation
al developed and the only outburSt in
the court occurred when Mr.. Rayner,
Admiral Schley's counsel, objected to a
line of inquiry OF the judge advocate
designed to ~critcise Admiral Schley's al
legged failure to formulate a plan of bat
tie, with the declaration that as Admir-
ca 'Oo IL iA1o JhAl1OA
had no right to plan ar order of battle.
Admiral Schley concluded his direct
examination, which continued for only
about ten minutes after the court con-
vened this morning, with a statement
of the effect of the fire of the respective
fleets at Santiago, showing that sc per
cent. of the hits suffered by the enemy
We're scored by the Brooklyn's 5 inch
guns, while his ship received 20 per
e Of the hits from the Spanish ships.
Captain Lemly's cross examination
was very searching. Admiral Schley,
however, appeared to be unruffied
throughout the examination, rankiy
admitting on several occasions that he
could not remember little details after
the lapse of three years.
One line of inquiry which the judge
advocate tried to press to show that
Admiral Schley did not proceed with
dispatch from Key West to Cienfuegos
by attempting to contrast the speed
made between Charleston and Key
West with the time etWeen Key West
and CienfuegoS "a curtailed by a de-
cisiOn of the court which confined the
questions to the time subsequent to May
18th, the day on which the flying squad
ron left Key West.
The judge advocate in his cross exam
ination dwelt upon the interview be-
lHSeH AuIliIdl anu COlIli1O-
dore Schley at Key West before the de-
parture of the flying squadron at which
the latter testified that Admiral Samp-
son instructed him no. to expose his
ships to shore batteries until the Span
iSh fleet had been destroyed; on the fact
that Admiral Schley issue no written
order of battle; on the question of coal
ing Off Cienfuegos, n the steps taken
there to ascertain the presence of the
Cnnnich 4nnf III uync 0r,nCc M n Or
the witness upon matters connected
with the cruise of the squadron from
Cienfuegos to Santiago when the court
adjourned. The retrOgrade movement
the firing upon the Colon and the battle
of Santiago, which constitute h main
features of the precept, were not touch
ed upon today.
When Admiral Schley took the stand
at the morning session he testified that
he did not recall the signal on May 31st:
DO not go in any closer"
He was then asked about his talk
with Captain Evans. He said: Il would
say of Captain Evans, as / nave said Of
all the others, I do not believe he would
willingly miSState. | think his recOllec-
ton is at fault. He did have a CONVEX
sation with me in relation to shooting
the bow off of n of the torpedo boats
and the stern off another and putting
llS III dSl&I d1I1 4GhILS JIM
ship and then raking another. My re-
collection now is that preliminarily he
aid to me: Did you see Jack Philip
start to run away and l said: No that
he was mistaken. 1t was the Brooklyn
tina made the turn n l asked him II
he did not see the tactical necessity
for it."
Mr.. Rayner then called Admiral
Schley's attention to the testimony Of
AInoiro1 To yInr- and anfal Dawson
that the Brooklyn, when h made the
loop, went southwark a mile or a mile
and q half.
IT think they are entirely and abso-
lutely mistaken" replied the fitness
The Brooklyn did not pass to the
southwark of the line except the dis
lance perhaps of her tactical diameter,
which surely was not greater than 500
yards, and from that time she steered a
course parallel to the Spaniards and L
do not think we were over $500 or 2,400
yards at any time from the Spanish
line. 1 say emphatically that the
Brooklyn did not run south and any
statement to the contrary is a mistake.
The witness stated in reply to q ques-
tion from Mr.. Rayner that when he
started TO the westward from santiago
he left the ST. Paul at the latter place
RROOKLYN'S ACCURATE FIRE.
Inc dOInlTdI IICI1 SPONS
on the Spanish squadron. The Brook-
lyn, he testified, was the only snip car
rying 5-inch guns. A record of the
hits received by the enemy showed
that SO per cent. of the hits scored by
the American fleet came from those
guns on the Brooklyn. The Brook!yn
received thirty of the forty-two hlts
from the Spanish fleet, or about 30 per
cent.
SCHLEY'S CROSS EXAMINATION.
With this statement Admiral Schley
concluded his direct testimony and the
Judge advocate then began he cross
examination. He was asked first about
the consultation with the commanders
at Hampton Roads before the flying
squadron sailed to the In
reply Admiral Schley said that Cap
tains Higginson, Jewell, Sands, Cook
and Mark were present. He explained
that they had discussed h order OF
battle in case the Spanish fleet was
met and also the question Of place be-
low the warheads of the over-water
torpedoes.
wa there any other consultation
with the c~aptains?"