The Washington times., 1901-10-12

SHIP
by the commanding officer, At the con-
versation In The pilot house nothing was
said about the batteries. The idea was
| to go in and sink the Colon.
Admiral Schiey's counsel said they hau
no questions TO ask Lieutenant Dewey.
From the MnrbIehend.
Lieut. Francis Boughter told the
| Court what he saw from the MarblchC ad
| in the Spanish American war. In main
| tanning the Santiago blockade by Sch-ey,
| the Marhlehead. which was one Of the
| inner pickets, was about three miles from
| shore. and about six miles west of the
| Morro. Lieutenant Boughter was quos-
| toned by the Court as follows
O.-WaS the Marblehedd in such a po-
| sition off Santiago that the enemy's yes
| sels could be seen If they had attempted
TO leave the harbor?
A-That would depend upon Circurn-
stances-upon the state of the weather
upon how close to the shore line they
kept, ard upon their being able to conceal
their fires. If they kept close to the
shore and we were three miles off we
could not see them provided they con-
cealed their fires.
Mr.. Rayner cross-cxamined the witness
to get at his understanding as to the
chance for the Spanish ships to escape
from Santiago Harbor, and Lieutenant
BouShtor explained that those on the
Marbiehcad could not have seen them if
they had come out at night in the manner
which he had stated to the Court.
Junior Lieut.. Ernest l.. Bennett, who
was flag lieutenant to Admiral Sampson
in the war with Spain and who is now at
the Boston Navy Yard, where he served
as aide to Admiral Sampson up to the
| latter's recent detachment from that sta
J ton followed Lieutenant Boughter. He
| was the first witness from the New York
| who has been called by the judge ad-
| yocate.
To Captain Lemly,s questions, he said
he could not remember what dispatches
were sent by Admiral Sampson to Com
modore Schley' on May 20. 1898. by The Du-
pout, Iowa, and Hawk. as 1t was not his
business to keep track of them. The New
York arrived at Santiago on the morn
ing of June l. and found the flying
as soon as the New York arrived. the
Colon, which was lying near the entrance
to the harbor. steamed back farther.
Captain Lemly then turned over the
witness TO Mr. Rayner. with the explana-
ton that he could not object to having
Mr.. Rayner examine Lieutenant Bennett
as fully as he pleased. without being re
stricted TO the testimony given in the ex-
animation in chief. Mr.. Rayner said he
had nothing to ask the witness.
The "Dear Schley'' Letter.
Exceedingly important testimony was
given by Lieut.. Charles f. Marsh (now of
the flagship Kearsarge) who was flag
lieutenant to Admiral Sampson in the
Spanish war. By him the Judge advocate
showed that according to an entry in the
official journal kept by Admiral Sampson
the Dupont carried the Dear Schley"
letter for Sampson and delivered it to
Schley at Cienfuegos.
The Judge Advocate-It appears In
evidence before the Court that the tor
pedo boat Dupont left Key West on the
mandeT OF the Flying Squadron at San
tiago. Were YOU iC the performance Of
your duty at Key West at that time?
Q.-Can you from memory state what
dispatches We're so sent by the Dupont
to be delivered TO Commodore Schley?
A--To the best OF my knowledge and
belief the documents sent by the Dupont
TO Commodore Schley consisted of a letter
| from Admiral Sampson and a memoran-
dunn which had been received from Com
nandcr McCalla.
Q.-Describe these two documents.
Any reason for remembering the in
cident is that we received a telegram from
the Navy Department requesting Admiral
Sampson to ask Captain McCalla for GER
tain Information concerning the neighbor-
hood of Cienfuegos and the possibility of
landing troops there. The arrival OF that
telegram was nearly cOincident with the
arrival of Captain McCalla, and he
brought reply to it in the form of a
memorandum. That was written in ci-
pher and was sent to the commander of
| the Flying Squadron.
Lieutenant Marsh said he would be able
to tell from the official record Of the New
York when these communications had
| nal which Admiral Sampson was required
! to keep by the naval regulations. the
press copy book, and index books. BY ref
erenCe TO the index he found entries show
ing that two letters to Schley had been
written by Sampson on May 49, numbered
> and S, and that the second letter en-
closed the McCaila memorandum, and one
letter on Nay 20 beginning Dear Schley'
and designated as number I. With the
Dear Schley'' letter was enclosed ci-
pher despatch from the Navy Department
HHHr nal HaHHH lau
send Schey 10 Santiago on account of
report that the Spanish feet was at that
Mr.. Rayner cross-examined Lieutenant
Marsh. After some preliminary questions
he devoted his efforts to an attempt to
show that the Dear Schley' letter was
carried by other vessels than the Dupont;
Q.-What vessel carried No. despatch?
THE Dear Schley' letter.
A.-The Dupont carried it.
Odd the Iowa also carry the No. Z?
CFhe Iowa also reached Cienfuegos on
A-A A-No. sir.
Q.-Was the Dupont the only vessel
that carried No. I?
Al think So
Q.-IIave there not been duplicate
copies OF No. I introduced here?
The Judge AdVocate-There have been
two copies Of No. 7 Introduced.
Mr.. Rayner Ito the witnessl-How do
you account for the other copy?
Al know nothing about the other copy
Q.-Then your testimony is that the
Dupont carried No. Z. and that you have
no recollection of any other vessel carry
ing it2
A-That Is right
Q.-Now. as 10 No. s (the despatch of
May. q, 1888. from Admiral Sampson to
Commodore Schley. beginning Spanish
squadron probably at Santiago; what
vessels-one or more-carried that?
A.-No. was carried by the Hawk
Odd not the Marblehead carry a
duplicate copy of No S?
Al think that the Hawk and the
Q.-The only opeE question is whether
ths Iowa did not carry No. Z.
A.-She did not carry 1t.
Bitter Against SehIey.
There was stir of interest among the
spectators when Capt. French L. Chad
wick was called. Captain Chadwick was
commander of the flagship New York,
and Admiral Sampson's chief Of staff in
the war with Spain. He was admonished
by the Navy Department last year for
saying that he would not take Admiral
Schley by the hand II they should meet.
Yesterday ne sat five or six feet from
Captain Chadwick has been regarded as
the most ardent partisan of Admiral
Sampson.
10 uuc stions by Mr.. Hanna the Judge
! advocates assistant, Captain Chadwick
/ told Of seeing Captain McCalla Of the
! Marblehcad, on board the New York at
| Key West on May -. and that Captain
! Met ALA had told him Of making arrange
I ments with Cubans near Cienfue gos by
which the American vessels could com
muniCate with them. Captain McCalla
| told the witness OF the secret code Of sig
/ mails which he had arranged with the Gu
bans, but he did not want anything said
| about it. as the Marblehead was going
/ back to Cicmuegos the next day.