Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-09-24
THE SCHLEY TRIAL
MOST INTERESTING DAY
YESTERDAY.
ONE OF THE CHARGET ALREADY
EFFECTABLY DISPOSED OF

1LS1EhDAI q
ONE OF THE CHARGET ALREADY
EFFECTABLY DISPOSED OF
ny the Prosecutions Own Wifnessss-
They Show That Blockade Was Twice
A. Close a. sampson Alegsd-And Gov.
ment Objects 10 Comparison With
sampson's Own BIockade-Ths Loon.
! the Goa I:0usstion and Other Points.in
I, Evidsace.
, The court OF inquiry in the Schley
case resumed its sittings at Washing
, ton Friday after an eight days inter
: misslon. The most important incident
OF the day was the decision OF the
, court withdrawing q question put by
the court itself, asking a Witness to
give his opinion conce rninR a point
in controversy. The witness was Rear
Admiral Higginson, who participated
IN the Santiago campaign as captain
OF the battleship Massachusetts and
be gave it as his opinion that al
possible was not done against the
Colon when Schley first found it in
the need Of Santiago's harbor. Coup-
sci for Schely objected to the question
on the ground that q reply would
involve an opinion and not a state.
ment OF facts. Judge Advocate Lem.
ley admitted that the precedent we're
against questions of this character and |
the court withdrew this interrogatory.
1t IS generally adm tilted that this |
decision will have the effect of
shortening the term Of the court, as
Will also the courts manifest inten-
tion to cut out irrelevant questions
and ali hearsay testimony.
Higginson also said that SO far as
he knew nothing was done to con-
municate with the insurgents to
Cienfuegos
Capt Christi's testified that his
ship might have coaled off Santiago
at the time Schley sailed away from
there because of coal shortage.
Saturday the testimony was a good
deal in the same line. Higginson SAID
Schley kept the ships 30 far of at night ,
that the Spaniards might have escaped
unseen, though when asked TO state the
distance as compared with SIMPSONS
blockade he was not allowed to do SO. !
he also expressed the opinion. as did
Commander Herber, that it was not too
rough to coal at sea st the time Schley
started for Key West for that purpose.
Higginson said the Massachusetts had ]
coal enough to last u days. s
esterday was the most interesting q
day thus far. Three OF the officers Of $
the Texas were on the stand, Com. o
mauuer George tieliner, who was u
navigator and Commander Bates, the a
chief sngireer, Commander Harder, l
executive officer and the ch ief surviv- e
ing officer of the ship since the q
1eath OF Capt Pliit. They o
told Of the famous loop of the n
Brooklyn in the battle of Santiago, n
md expressed the opinion that it
ost the Texas three miles in the
'hase Heliner, said the Brooklyn as
'nly 100 to $50 yards away as it W
passed in front ana collision was only ca
'verted by the Texas reversing her ht
ngine; but on cross examination be ct
'dmitted having taken part in the v
preparation of the official navy co
department. chart showing the posi-. by
ions at ell times Of the ships partic.
pating in the battle which showed WI
hHt the snips were never nearer mi
han 600 yards. But he con tended thu
hat the chart was Inaccurate and he Ge G.Iee
aid he bad only consented to it as 1h ni'
compromise. Commander Bates Ali
Omitted that the official steam log cuI
'iio ACAnS uU lcCutu VI tut
,e signal to reverse the engines. lar
Commander Schroeder testified pei
lncerning the coal supply of the nas uat
Massachusetts, which he said would fhe fhna
ave been sufficient for blockade mil
from l6 to 20 days where Higginson
bo WIS in command said II days.
The day closed with an animated roo
ntroversy between counsel as to the On ,
'licy of bringing Admiral Sampson's ber
'me into the trial. IN,
Mr. Raynor asked some questions acb
gardiDg signals from the Brooklyn Pri
the moruiDg of July 3 before the Ph.
tile. Capt Lemly here interposed
ask the puprose of the inquiries
d Mr. Raynor stated that it was to t,v
able to make comparisons between Sto
hley's blockade and Sampson's be- ass,
use if it could be showu that S5 y
hely's blockade was esuai to Samp. pba
], g could not be considered censura-
}. But Lemley objected to this being =
,Sn. Mr. Raynor referred to the n
'ort OF Capt Philip to show that N .
} Texas had been only four miles XII
when the commsnier Haber had
d that the distance was seven or
ht miles.
'urther points IN the defense we're n,