The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-09-26
Commodore Was Notified of Pres
ence of Spanish Fleet in the Har-
Dor of Santiago.
Witness Testifies That Ships Could
Have Coaled Day Schley Started
for Key West.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25.-Two new
witnesses were introduced in the Schley
court today. They were Admiral Cot
ton, who as captain commanded the aux
iliary cruiser Harvard, and Capt. Wise,
who commanded the auxiliary cruiser
Yale during the Spanish war.
Both these vessels were used as scouts
ana both came up with the flying
squadron off Santiago on the 18th of
May, before the retrograde movement to
Key West was begun.
Admiral Cotton testified that he had
gone aboard Admiral Schley's flagship.
the Brooklyn, on that date to take dis
patches to him, and he said at first that
he gave him four or five dispatches ad-
dressed to the commander of the
squadron. He afterwards modified this
statement, saying that probably all but
two Of these dispatches We're addressed
to himself Capt. Cottonl but that they
contained information which he thought
should be in Admirals Schleys pos
session. One Of these was a copy of a.
dispatch from Admiral Sampson, which
had not been printed in the official
records, stating that the Spanish fleet
was at Santiago. He also said that coal
could have been taken from the Merri-
mac on the 9th of May, the day on which
the retrograde movement to Key West
was begun for the purpose of coaling
Capt Wise testified that on the 9th Of
May he had signalled Capt Philip of the
Texas, his opinion that Cervera was in
side the harbor at Santiago, but the tes-
timony was ruled out
During the day Admiral Schley an
nounced that he had selected Mr.. Rayner
as his chief counsel to succeed Judge
Wilson.
WILSON'S CHAIR VACANT.
When the court of inquiry convened at
the navy yard at IL o'clock today there
was general comment on the fact that
the seat which had been occupied from
the beginning of the sittings by Judge
Jere Wilson was vacant He had en-
deared himself, not only to the members
of the court but to all persons about the
court, and sorrow was shown on every
countenance Comment upon his sudden
taking off was very general throughout
the court room. The business of the
court however, was promptly resumed
at the usual hour.
In answer to a question from the AS
sociated Press, Admiral Schley today
stated that since the death of Judge
Wilson, Attorney General Isador Rayner
would be the leading counsel in his case
and that he would be assisted by Capt.
James Parker of New Jersey, and Mr..
M. A. league, of Baltimore, as an expert
assistant. Mr.. Rayner will continue to
conduct the ross-eXamination of wit
neSses as he has been doing and the
other gentlemen will continue in the
same capacity they occupied up to the
time of Judge Wilson's death. Mr. Ray
ner stated that If it became necessary in
the preparation or abstracting of the
voluminous documents in the case to en-
poly assistant counsel, or if he should be
unavoidably absent at any time, that
proper arrangements will be made for
that purpose.
The wall back of the court was adorned
today with chart on large scale,
showing the ground site of the pattle
off Santiago on July 8. The southern
coast of Cuba in the vicinity of Santiago
was plainly marked, and the points at
which the Spanish ships went to the bot
tom or to the shore were all indicated in
plain lettering. There also were a num-
Der Of transparent charts which had been
prepared over night, sitting about in the
rear of the room and which were intend
ed to illustrate various phases of the
Santiago campaign All these had been
with view to eXpediting the
work of the court and all were on a large
scale.
MACHINIST OF TEXAS.
The first witness called today was Mr..
A. B. Claxton, the machnist on board
the Texas, who had begun his testimony
when the sittings of the court were so
abruptly terminated yesterday morning
by the death of Judge Wilson.
Before Mr.. ClaXton took the stand.
Commander Heilner was recalled to make
verbal corrections in the official COPY of
his testimony. He said he had several
that he desired to make. In
one case he was recorded as giving 1.-The
bearing and the distance of the Brook
lyn." He said he had given the bearing
and not the distance. He made various
other changes, but they were not ma
terial.
Mr. Claxton said on July 8, 1898, he
had been on duty in the engine room of
the Texas. The engine indicator had call
ed for full speed ahead early in the
morning, which had, within an hour after
the beginning of the action, been changed
to full speed astern.'
To his knowledge there had been no
signal for the reversal of the engines He
said that he had been excused from serv-
ice in the engine room, but still he knew
that the engines were reversed for about
two minutes.
The witness had said that the engine
was stopped.
What was the next change made in
the indicator of the port engine of the
Texas?" he was asked. q
Full speed ahead
What was further signal received by
the Indicator, and what was the signal?"
'Within the first hour of engagement
the direction WIS changed to full speed
Was there any other signal given dur
ing that watch within your knowledge for
the. port engines to reserve?''
There was none to my knowledge
AS matter of fact, were the engines
reversed7"
''They were, for about two minutes"
Mr.. Claxton was not questioned by Mr.
Rayner.
COMMANDER OF THE HARVARD.
Rear Admiral Cotton. now commandant
Of the Norfolk navy yard, who command
ed the auxiliary cruiser Harvard during