The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-01
He Says He Never Told the CoInmO-
dOre that the spanish Fleet 80.
Was Not santiago
OTHER EVIDENCE OF THE DAY
COMMANDER or THE NERRIMAO
TEsTIFIEs AB0IT COALING.
Ships Gould Have Taken Fuel at Sea-
Much Interest shown in the
Days Proceedings.

" 4AoA'i NJ A'f-Nf NfFA- ANNoA ~
Evans wso. as captain commanded the
battleship Iowa during the Santiago cam
paign. was a witness before the Schley
naval court OF inquiry to-day. His testi-
mony covered the entire period from the
time the Iowa left the port OF Key West
on the 10Th May. 1895. until the 5th Of July.
when Admiral Evans testified that he had
a conversation with Admiral Schley con-
cerning the battle Of the Sd. lie described
in detail the principal battle OF Santiago.
and also gave particulars concerning the
bombardment of the Colon on the 3lst OF
May.
other witnesses Of the day were Cap
tain Theodore +. jewell who was COM
mander of the cruiser Minneapolis during
the Spanish war. and Commander lanes
NJ. Miller. who was in command OF the
collier Merrimac until that vessel was
turned over TO Lieutenaft Hobson TO be
sunk in the mouth OF THE harbor az Saa-
tiago. Admiral Evans had not concluded
his testimony when the court adjourned
for the day.
The first new witness was Commander
James NJ Miller. who copmanded the col
lier Merrimac while that vessel was part
of Admiral Schley's flying squadron. Com
mander Miller said he had assumed COM
mand of the Merrmac on. April II. at Nor
folk He had taken on board a Lamberts
Point, soon afterward. about son tons OF
coal His vessel had. he said, been capa-
BILE at first of making between nine and
ten knots. but afterward he had trouble
with his pressure machinery. so that by
May q and a he would have hesitated in
trying To secure "A speed OF more than
seven or eight knots. He read from the
Golfers log 10 show that the Iowa. the
Massachusetts and the Castine had been
coaled on the sd and 2ith. No record was
found of the coaling OF any vessel on the
25th or the 26th. the time consumed in
proceeding from Cienfuegos to Santiago
SEA AND WEATHER
Much OF Commander sfiler's testimony
related TO the state Of the sea and the
weather the burden being that except on
one or two days ships could have been
coaled from the supply ship. Considerable
time was allotted TO the condition OF the
Merrimac's machinery and her speed ca
pacty.
On cross-examination Mr. Raynor ques-
toned Commander Miller concerning coal
ing from the Merrimac on the oath. lie
said the Massachusetts had been coaled
al 1880 i'm the morning OF that day. lie was
then examined concerning signals as to
coaling the Texas. While these questions
We're being put Captain Miller said. laugh
ingly, Go ahead You've got me there"
Il signaicd over 4 object 40 having two
battleships alongside OF nae. and Captain
Philip. OF the Texas slenaled. think 10
Captain higginSon, but i DO not know
whether it was 10 the admiral or Captain
Higginson x and NJ will crush G."
Mr.. Raynor-Nou were not &C. you were
ttX'. the MaSSa rnfISoffe
Il was C.. / think. What I objected to
was having two battleships beside ne.
They have peculiar motion. and when
two battleships are rolling they would have
"A tendency TO crush a collier between
them. II was not SO much on account Of
the weather as IL was the presence of one
battleshp on each side.
How was the sea at that time2"
Il did not feel the sea very much be-
cause my ship was peculiarly a steady
ship"
How was it as far as the other ships are
cOncernedI
"Battleships nearly always have motion;
that Is my experience. As far as I am per-
sonally concerned, ] could have coaled."
well how about the other vessels?'
THAT is not for me 20 Judge
Mr.. Paynor questioned Captain Miller
closely concerning the state Of the weather
and Of the on May ~ quoting from
Admiral ccryera' = statement on that sub
iect. but the witness would only SAY thar
his log was silent as 60 the condition Of
the sea al that time. In this connection
Captain Miller referred 20 his removal
from the command of the Merrimac in
order 60 turn the vessel over 10 Lieutenant
Hobs0n. IIc said on that point.
when Z taken out Eummariy from
the Merrimac nearly cVeryf hing | had was
lost md the only thing J can remember
now with the few notes have here. Is In
this log
The court asked: WAS there any point
near Cienfuegos where vessels could have
found protection from the sea ou May 24?''
The witness replied: 81 DO not think
that unless We had gone up. probably 10
the Isle of Pines there any place. 50
far as / can remember now. where We
could have found smoother weather than
We found of CienfueEos. unless going very
far o. the eastward.
He COULD HAVE COALED.
The court also asked. could YOU have
ooaled any of the vessels on May = had
you been ordered 10 DO sos''
20 this the reply was. 4 should Judge
81 10 fhc hest OF my knowledge and be-
Hs ay Z could coal yes, could coal
at ans time. bat then 1 could not have
g .let' comfortably. For the other shiDs n
ua ,ehst We call nasty sea. ana rainy
weather. and II 4 bad had my choics I