The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-10-29
Len1ly's Prodding Brings Out
a Full Explanation
WHY HE TURNED WEST
Sampson Had Thought That Ger
vera Was Not at Santiago.
LEMLY TRIES TO TRIP sCHLEY
That Causes a Great Stir
In Court.

| Washington, Oct. 29. = Judge Advocate
Lemly lost no time in beginning his inter
rogations of Admiral Schley after the
court of inquiry convened to-day. When
the court adjourned yesterday he was
still questioning the witness with refer
ence to the cruise from Cienfuegos to
| Santiago, and he resumed to-day where
he had left off yesterday, asking number
| of questions relating to the condition of
| the weather on May 25 and 26 the dates
OF the voyage. He also reverted to the
detaching Of the Eagle from the flying
squadron and brought the witness to the
consideration of several other minor de-
tails of that movement before coming to
the meeting with the scout boats twenty
five miles south of Santiago on the even
Ing of May 26, when the retrograde move
ment toward Key West in search of coal
was begun. The intention was to go into
this retrograde movement later in the
day and also to consider in detail the con-
ference Of May 21, the coaling question.
and the famous loop of the Brooklyn on
July 8. Captain Lemly was hopeful Of
completing his questioning to-day, but
admitted that the outlook in that direction
was not altogether promising.
AS on yesterday, Admiral Schley was
calm in his demeanor and deliberate in II
his answers apparently weighing all Ques-
tions carefully before replying. On cross
examination he does not raise his voice
as high as he did in his original state
ment, and a consequence what he says
is not heard throughout the courtroom v
Tries to Trip SchIey.
Referring to the Adula's appearance at
Cienfuegos, Captain Lemly asked about the
war bulletin brought by that vessel and
! asked If 1t had not stated that the Spanish
| fleet had left there on May 20. de ad-
mitted 1t was true as he did also that he
had said the distance from Cienfuegos TO
Santiago was from thirty-six to forty
eight hours Then Captain Lemly asked:
! Would not the fact that some thirty six to
/ forty-eight hours was necessary to covering
| this distance have brought the Spaniards to
Cienfuegos after your arrival there?
| Witness-I did not wish to be understood
that that time would have been necessary for
the Spaniards to make the voyage. l meant
simply to give the time consumed by the
| flying squadron In making the voyage
The admiral said he had plotted the dis
! tance of the blockading feet on a chart
for his own information. He did not know
| this would ever become q matter of such
|
| kept the memorandum as he would nave
| kept great many other things.
| Admiral Schley said he kept close
! watch at day and at night while awake,
while off Cienfuegos. He said he had
| seen no auxiliary cruiser or gunboat near
| the entrance to the harbor, as testified
| to by Lieutenant Griffin. Witness had an
| indistinct recollection of having seen the
mast or perhaps the top Of pipe over
! the hills. He saw nothing larger com
| ing near the mouth Of the harbor than
! an ordinary steam launch. Ia response to
a request from Captain Lemly Admiral
| Schley read extracts from the Brooklyn's
log with the view OF showing that the
| admiral's memory had been at fault when
he stated that the feet was closer in at
night than during the day.
"Knocked Them Out, of Course.
| CAPTAIN Lemly-Had Cerveras feet ap-
peared during the nights you were at Glen
| fuegos, either coming out or coming in from
seaward, what under your instructions,
would your feet have done?
| Witness-Knocked them out CA stir In
court.)
| Captain Lemly-What were your instruc-
| tions?
Witness-To follow the fag-instructions
given at Hampton Roads.
! Captain Lemly. What were the written in
structions?
| Witness-There were none. 1 do not con-
| slider that the regulations customs re-
quired written instructions.
| Captain Lemly-Isn't it the unwritten law
at sea in the navy that the vessels in squad
ron shall follow the flag!
Witness-Yes except under certain circum-
stances A vessel might of the
enemy's ship, drop out and follow to attack
her. That might be one of the circumstances.
| Referring to the blockade of Santiago,
fha uyifp xxfhxr
he had sent a dispatch to Admiral Samp-
son that ION account Of short coal supply
cannot blockade them (the Spaniards) in
Santiago"
II meant that if we could not have
coaled off Santiago We could not have
stayed there"
Captain Lemly-At what time did you learn
definitely that the Spanish feet not in
Cienfuegos?
Witness-Upon Captain McCalla's return.
about p. m, May "a
Captain Lemy-At what time did you 8Su
for Santiago?
Witness-My impression is that we formed
column between and p. m. and stood
off on a south by east and then
stopped leaving the Castne in front Of the
harbor. BY o'clock or o'clock we got
under way, laying course southwest by
south.
Cropping for the Spaniards.
Captain Lemly-When you left Cienfuegos,
where did you think the Spanish squadron
was?
Witness-I did not, of course. know ex-
actly where it was. If had l would have
gone straight for 1t. According to the infor-
nation which came to me, supposed that
If it was not at Santiago. it was somewhere
in the neighborhood; but my impression
that it had out, information from
the admiral had indicated, but just where
it was, of course, could not decide.
Captain Lemly-In your report you say you
did not disobey orders when you steamed
westward because you returned to your sta
ton without further directions. Am / rightly
Witness-Yes.
Captin Lemly-Upon receipts Of the instruc-
tions, did you not, nevertheless. leave your
station?
Witness-Yes. l did. for these reasons:
First. because Captain Sigsbee, scout
placed in front of Santiago harbor, informed
me that he did not believe the Spanish heet
was there. Second because Nunez the pi-
lot told me he did not believe the enemy's
feet could enter the harbor Third, the or
der No. q with the accompanying memoran-
dunn, In which Admiral Sampson minimized
the Importance of the statement of this
squadron being there, and the fact that the