The Butte inter mountain., 1901-09-26
NAVAL Department ATTOR.
NEYS TRYING HARD TO PROVE
GROSS NEGLIGENCE.
INTERESTING TESTIMONY IS
TAKEN BEFORE GOVERN
MENT TRIAL BOARD.
WITNESSES SAY THE ADMIRAL
KNEW SPANlARDS were IN
SANTIAGO.
(By Associated Press.)

NV Schley court Of inquiry began
its session today with the in
tention Of holding one sitting. having
decided to foregO the afternoon session
In order to permit the members of the
counsel and court to attend the funeral
6f Judge Wilson.
The counsel for the navy department
today continued its efforts to show that
Admiral Schley had information of
Admiral Cervera and his fleet in the
harbor of Santiago and introduced for
this purpose additional officers of the
auxiliary cruisers which were at the
Indian waters.
Captain Wise, who commanded the
scout ship Yale during the Spanish war.
continued his narration of the retro
grade movement of the flying squadron
toward Key West, on May q.
He first told of how the Yale had
taken the Merrimac. under direction of
Admiral Schley. He said that the ad-
miral had signalled upon starting to
ask If there was coal enough to carry
him to Key West, to which he had re-
piled in the affirmative.
Coal for Two Days.
Next day he reported, in response to
an inquiry, that he had coal sufficient
for two days of full steaming and for
four days of moderate steaming. He
was then dispatched to Newport News,
reporting to Admiral Sampson on the
way.
He had told Admiral Sampson, he said,
that the flying squadron was about 80
miles west of Santiago. In response to
a question of the admiral, he had said
he did not know what 1t was doing
there.
In detailing the trip westward toward
Key West, the witness told of the break
ing of the Yale's hawser on the Merri-
mac. He said this had caused delay.
What was the difficulty?" asked
Capt. Lemly.
Improper securing Of hawser on the
Merrimac"
WAS it due to tempestuous weather
or not?"
mot at ALL"
Mr. Hanna read the following extract
Of Admiral Schley's report of Feb. IS, to
the committee ON naval affairs, in ref
erence to the letter from the secretary
of the navy, Of Feb. 8, 1899, beginning:
After having been informed by the
scouts commanded by sigsbee. Jewel
and Wise that although they had all
been off Santiago de Cuba for a week
they had seen nothing of it Cthe Spanish
feet), and knew nothing of it's move-
lnents or its whereabouts" etc.
He then asked Capt. Wise if he had
made such a communication to the ad-
miral.
Wise Makes Denial.
II did not" was the response.
Did you give Admiral Sclley any in
formation respecting the Spanish Squad
ron?"
'Only through Capt. sigsbee. I did
not go aboard the Brooklyn at all.I gave
Capt. Sigsbee all the information had -
Mr.. Raynor read from a report made
May 30 by Admiral Sampson, in which
he stated that Capt. Wise had told him he
believed Santiago harbor to be strongly
fortified.
. us that true?" Mr. Raynor asked.
1T is" was the reply.
Admiral Cotton was questioned con-
cerning points of the Santiago campaign
He said that on the morning of May g.
after arriving from Kingston. he had
gone aboard the Brooklyn with dis
patches for Admiral Schley.
Asked by Capt. Lemay to relate his
conversation with Admiral Schley on the
occasion of that VISIT he said:
"He informed me that it had been as
certained that some, at least, of the ships
of Admiral Cervera's squadron were
within the harbor of Santiago; that they
had been seen and were in sight. and as
a matter of fact one of them was in sight
At the entrance to the harbOr.
To Take Pot Shot.
I'm language, as nearly as I can re-
member, he said: After dinner I am go.
ing to hoist my flag on board the Massa-
chusetts and take her and the Iowa and
go in and have a pot shot at those
fellows.
Lieut.. Spencer S. Wood. who COM