Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-11-06

1 una more exalted in the character OF
the persons who compose II has ever
sat in judgment upon brother oiicer
| doubt II an officer with the lifetime
character and standing and conduct
that Admiral Schley has always dis
played was ever called upon before TO
ask an investigation Of his conduct as
a victorious commander OF fleet"
Continuing, Capt. Parker compared
this case with the charges made at the
battle OF Lake Erie. In that ca -e
there might have been some foundation
but In this there was no foundation
whatever He said that the court had
In its wisdom presented comparisons
with other officers engaged In the San
tiago campaign. There Is no accused
here" he said. Nobody is on trial,
and yet the case has been conducted
as though Commodore Schley were on
trial. We get it, he went on. 'in
the order Of the argument now being
made here SO that we are compelled
TO consider the inquiry as a trial"
THE CAMPAIGN DISCUSSED.
Taking up the events of the campaign
in their sequence. Capt. Parker spoke
Of the interviews between Admiral
Sampson and Commodore Schley at
Key West, saying that he would net
give Admiral Schley's testimony on this
point He pointed out. however. that
Schley was not then Informed that the
Spanish fleet had left Curacao. not
withstanding Sampson had been in
possession of this information for three
or four days. He then quoted Samp-
sons orders to Schey TO proceed TO
Cienfuegos and there establish a block
ade, and quoted Schley's testimony TO
the effect that Sampson told him he
had at that time no advlces as 10 the
whereabouts Of the Spaniards.
CRUISE TO CIENFUEGos.
Speaking OF the cruise to Cienfuegos.
Capt. Parker said IL was inconsistent TO
criticise Admiral Schley for stopping to
take Capt. Chester on board while at
the same time critlcising him for not
calling Capt. McCalla aboard. I'VE
can't he said, blow out hot and cold
In the same breath. The truth Is there
was no real delay In the voyage"
Reverting TO the claim that Commo-
dore Schey had not made proper eff
forts TO locate the enemy az Cienfue.
gos, Capt. Parker said that the task OF
landing a boat on the coast was an
exceedingly dangerous one. There Is
no evidence" he said, 'to show that
Capt McCalla made any attempt 10
send his men on shore except during his
cable cutting expedition, when the re-
suits were disastrous. He assumed and
rghtfully assumed that the people
there were enemies aud he acted ac-
cordingly.'
BLOCKADE OF CIENFUEGOs.
As for the Cenfuegos blockade. he
held that II was sufficient that no YES
sci had gone In OF come out without
permission. Moreover, the admiral had
taken all the steps possible TO take 10
ascertain whether the enemy was there.
The question Of the signal lights on
the shore at Cienfuegos was also re-
verted 20, and the speaker said II was
certain that Commodore Schley had not
known anything OF their significance
until Capt. McCa.la arrived What
earthly reason Capt Chadwick had for
not communicating the signals TO
Sehley Capt. Parker said, was beyond
his comprehension. SO far as seen
Chadwick was the only person 10 whom
McCalla had communicated his code
Hence, " Chadwick bad prepared the
McCalla memorandum IL could very
well be- inferred, as he had Information
that no one else had. that he would have
regarded the memorandum IN a differ
ent light from what others would who
knew less. Il contend that up TO this
time so far as the blockade il con-
cerned. so far as his conduct is con-
cerned, there is absolutely nothing
shown by the testimony In this case
from which the slightest suspicion OF
fault can be placed upon Commodore
schley."
DEAR scHLEY LETTER.
The speaker then read the Dear
Schey'' letter OF May 20, In which Ad- |
mifal Sampson said he had decided not |
10 change his plans 10 hold clenfuegos, |