The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-10-05
Correspondence Between H0dg-
SON and Admiral SchIey
AS Well as Newspaper Articles
Offered in Evidence.
DEWEY CALLS A HALT.
Says Court Has No Use For
Press Comment.
Declares That Facts and Moth
ing Else Are Wanted.

Washington. Oct. 5.-Lieutenant Com
mander Hodgson, formerly navigator of
Commodore Schleys flagship, the
Brooklyn, continued his testimony be-
fore the Schley court of inquiry today
after some of the other witnesses of
yesterday had been given an opportuni-
ty to correct their testimony. When the
court adjourned last night Commander
Hodgson was in the hands of Judge
Advocate Lenly whose examination of
him partook very largely of the nature
of a cross examination. This was due
to the fact that Mr. Hodgson had been
called by both sides of the controversy
and was considered even N ore Schley
witness, than a government witness.
Capt Lemly and Mr.. Hanna continued
the inquiry for the government at the
beginning of the sitting today after
which Mr. Rayner began a series of
questions intended to present the
Schley side of the conduct of the Brook
1yn during not on only the battle of
July 3, but for the entire Santiago cam
paign.
Mr.. Hanna's inquiries were devoted
partly to developing more of the details
concerning the bombardment of the
Spanish ship Cristobal Colon on May 81
The entire correspondence between
Commander Hodgson and Commodore
The court began its session today
with the understanding that there
would be only one sitting. This agree
ment was reached yesterday and was
brought about by the fact that the
members of the court and the counsel,
find themselves greatly fatigued by the
exacting nature of their work and the
continuous sessions of the court.
There is much interest in yesterdays
episode concerning Admiral Sampson
fe
will be witness 1t will remain with
Admiral Schley and his counsel to say
for what day, if any day he shall be
called. The controversy as to the ad-
miral's meaning in his Dear SchIey"
dispatch of May 20, has in nowise been
abated by the tentative agreement as
to his being summoned. Counsel on
both sides this morning had before
them copies of the dispatch and each
was trying strenuously to bring the
other to their view of the case.
The first of the witnesses of the pre-
vfous day who were recalled to correct
testimony, was Lieut.. Doyle who was
on the Brooklyn during the battle off
Santiago He made number of
changes in phraseolUgy. His attention
was called to an error in his former
testimony in stating the distance the
Brooklyn stood out from the Moro at
Santiago in reply to a question from
the court He had formerly placed this
had enormously based his statement on
the log for June %, instead of May 28.
Looking at the log for May 28 he found
only one estimate of the distance out,
placing it at seven miles.
When Lieut.. Doyle was excused, Capt.
Lemly again brought up the question
of the difference of construction of the
last paragraph of the Dear Schley''
letter He produced the original copy,
reading a part of the paragraph as fol-
lows:
tI therefore am of the opinion that the
best success of capturing their ships
would be to hold the two points, Glen
fuegos and Havana, with all the force
velop that these vessels are at Santiago,
we could then assemble off that port
the ships best suited for the purpose
and completely blockade it. Until We
then receive more positive information,
we shall continue to hold Havana and
| Santiago
| Captain Lemly then said: fIf the court
pleases, I was yesterday requested by
counsel for the applicant, to produce the
| original of the letter from Admiral
| Sampson to Commodore Schley, dated
May 20, 1898, the question being as to
! the final name at the end of the first
| paragraph, whether it should be Glen
| fuegos' or Santiago I have the orig
| inal and the name appears Santiago,
and appears over an eraSure- / invite
attention to the fact that the change
| was made before the letter was press
| copied and sent. I will add that the
punctuation is as I stated yesterday in
| the press copy
! He also, at the request of Admiral
| Schley's counsel, introduced another
| copy, lin which," he said. you will see
| there was no correction" 1t appeared
| originally at Santiago"
| The court examined the original pa
| pers and the press copies with care and
| it was agreed that the papers should
again be printed in the record.
| Captain Lemly then requested that all
| the papers in Admiral Schley's posses
| sion, bearing upon the case, be supplied
| and Mr. Rayner replied for the admiral
| that he (Admiral Schley) had no more
papers
| Lieutenant Commander Albion c.
| Hodgson was then called to continue his
| testimony of yesterday. He was asked
/ by Captain Lemly about his correspon-
| dence with Admiral Schley concerning
what the judge advocate deneminated a
| newspaper colloquy." The witness
took exception to the use of the word
| stco11oquy', and Captain Lemly replied
| that this was the witness own charac-
| terization. The letters were then read
| by the judge advocate, Commander
Hodgson Identifying the various docu-
| ments as they We're separately presented
| Mr.. Rayner said that if desired the let
| ters would be accepted as evidence and
| that they could be printed without be-
| ing read Captain Lemly replied, how
| ever. that he considered that the letters
| have an important bearing upon the pre-
| cept and that therefore he preferred to
read them
| while the reading of the letters be-
! tween Admiral Schley and Lieutenant
| Commander Hodgson and newspaper ar
| ticles bearing upon the correspondence
| was in progress, Mr.. Rayner objected to
| the reading of one of the newspaper
/ had required considerable time
| Admiral Dewey said: Those things