The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-11-07
RAYNER KNOCKS OVER
THEIR HOUSE OF CARDS.
fc-r.'-ncd from First Page.)

parture from off Santiago, and the pro-
rriety thereof" Mr. Rayner referred at
length to the meeting of Commodore
Schley with Captain sigsbee then in
command of the ST. Paul. upon the arri-
val of the Flying Squadron off Santiago.
Speaking OF the Captain he said" more
honest witness than he never took the
witness stand, nor is there a more gall
liant and efficient officer in the Navy than
he is. Unfortunately he has gotten him.
self into predicament because against
him is an overwhelming array of testi-
mony in reference to the communica-
lions he held with Commodore. Schley
off Santiago and which absolutely justify
the Admiral in taking the course he
did
Mr.. Rayner said the scouts were there
for the purpose of finding out if the Span
ish fleet was in Santiago the same pur-
pose that Commodore Schley was there
for. They did not find out. Commodore
Schley did. They go scot free and Com
modore Schley is to be condemned.
/ Mr.. Rayner then referred to the de-
partment dispatch of May 10, which Ad-
miral (then Captain) Cotton testified to
delivering on board the Brooklyn and in
which the positive statement was made
that the Spanish fleet was in the habor
at Santiago and said that it was GER
tain it never had been received by the
Commodore.
IF Captain Sigsbee bad not said to
Commodore Schley the Spanish feet was
not there, Commodore Schley never would
have gone to the westward on what is
called his retrogradc movement. More
than that, Captain Sigsbee put Cuban
pilot on board Commodore Schley's ship
and that pilot impressed the Commodore
with the idea that the Spanish ships
could not get in there. All things created
in the mind of Commodore Schley the
indelible impression that the Spanish
fleet was not in the harbor of Santiago
This absolutely justified his movement to
the west, every incident around there
Captain JEWELS failure to communicate,
Captain Wise's absolute failure to COM
municate, Captain Cotton's failure to
communicate because the dispatches he
received could never have been delivered
to Commodore Schloy at that time, as
they dated afterward, Captain Sigsbees
positive assurances, the putting of the
Cuban pilot on board. everything. may it
please the court, conveyed doubt to the
mind Of Commodore SchleyS
II want COAL was his cry Il have
got to get coal cannot coal here. /
have browen down collier Ny brother
here was interlaced that dispatch and
torn it word for word. uBt there is not
falsehooi on the face of it. Commo-
dore Schlev was perfectly right in say
ing that he had worthless collier, be-
cause for tWenly-four hours. according
to the testimony of Captain Miller she
,l~,
down collier with the Marblehead
which ould not coal: with the Texas be-
cause of her projecting sponsors could
not coal; with both of these ships with
only a sufficient amount of coal on hand
TO get half way to Martinique; with the
positive assurance Of Captain Siggsbee,
sustained and Corroborated by the Gu
ban pilot that the fleet was not in San
tago. he did the only thing he could do
and that was to turn to the west for
coal. But he never went in that direc-
tion a mile further than was necessary,
for when Lie weather cleared and the
sea became smooth he coaled Then he
returned TO his position off Santiago,
discovered the Cristobal Colon, gave
battle on JLly Sd and struck down the
Spanish fleet, at the time taking from
spain HeF HnclGnl pOSSCSSlOu UPON the
face Of the American continent
Mr.. Rayn,r then closed as follows:
Il have now briefly presented this case
as it appears to me in it's general out
line Such trial as this has never to
any knowledge taken place in the his
tory of the world. 1t seemed to my
mind that This case had hardly opened
with the testimony OF Captain Higginson
before it commenced to totter, and from
day to day its visionary fabric dissolved
from view. When Captain Cook their
last witness, was put upon the stand the
entire structure collapsed and now when
the witnesses from our own ships and
the gallant captlin and crew OF the Ore
gon and Admiral Schley have narrated
heir untarnish&d tale, the whole tene-
.ncnr, with all its compartments, from
Is foundation TO its turret as disinte-
grated and lies here like a mass OF
blackened ruins.
1T has taken three years to reveal the
ruth. There is not single witness,
riend or f,,e, that casts the shadow of
reflection upon the honored named Of
he hero Of Santiago. He has never
laimed the glory Of that day. No word
o this effect has ever gone forth from
nm 10 the american people. Inc val
liant Cook, the heroic Clark the lament
ID Philip, TIE intrepid and undaunted
wainwright and all the other captains,
md every man at every gun and every
oul on board of every ship are equal
participant with Admiral Schley in the
honor wrought upon that immortal day
We cannot strike down his figure stand
ng upon the bridge Of the Brooklyn.
sThere he stands upon the bridge of
the Brooklyn, his ship almost alone re-
,eiving the entire fire of the Spanish
'oc. until the, Oregon. as if upon the
Winds of lightning, sped into the thicl
ness of this mortal of carnage. God
Bless the Oregon was the cheer that
rang from deck to deck. And on they
lent twin brothers in the chase until the
ice gun was fired from the Cristobal
Colon and the despotic cOlors OF Spain
were swept from the face of her ancient
possessions. Well done. congratulate
YOU on the victory was the streamer that
was bent from the halyard of the Brook
'yn and from that day TO this no man
has over heard from Admiral Schley the
lightest whisper or intimation that he
las usurped the glory of that imperish-
ablp hour Tho fbt,pdnpe of ha praoE-