Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-10-21


that Commodore Schley had written let
ter on the I'D of May and sent 1t by the
Scorpion in reply to the Dear Schley" let
ter was shown when the witness was ask
ed whether that did not satisfy him that
the letter was received by Commodore
Schley on the I'D.
The witness said that it seemed to indi-
cate that, but that that was all he could
say.
After considerable time spent on this mat
ter Mr.. Rayner arose and said that he
thought that there was no difficulty about
that matter and that 1t was unnecessary to
go on with it, as Admiral Schley himself
admitted receiving the letter on the I'D.
Turning to Admiral Schiey. he inquired II
that was not so, and the latter replied that
he admitted the receipt of that letter.
The witness could not recollect that he
had heard any conversation between Capt.
Chester and Commodore Schley or any con-
versatfon with Commodore Schley In re-
gard to the McCalla signals.
The Practice Regarding Correspond
ence.
The witness was quite closely questioned
in regard to the trip of the flying squadron
from Key West to Cienfuegos, and said
that there was no delay on that trip that
he remembered beyond the stopping of the
fleet when they met the Cincinnati, but he
regarded that as a necessary delay. They
had been upward of three days IN. making
the run from Key West to Cienfuegos. The
witness said that they kept copy while
on the Brooklyn of all letters sent from
the commodore and a copy of all papers
passing through the office of the flagship,
showing from whom they came and for
whom they were intended, but that no book
record of messages received was kept Mes
Sages received We're filed away, and wit
ness said that he never had any difficulty
in promptly putting his hand on any letter
when it was called for. He could not I'M
dertake to remember all the letters that ne
had prepared under the direction of Com
modore Schley Sometimes the witness
would note the time of receipt on a letter
and sometimes that would be done by Com
modore Schley. but the date of receipt was
always intended to indicate the day 1t was
actually received by the commodore.
Absence of the Stamp.
At 2 o'clock Lieut. Wells continued his
testimony. The two copies Of the Dear
Schley' letter had not been stamped, but
the date of the receipt was in pencil marks.
put there by the witness. One of them was
the 23d and the other the 9th.
Q. By Mr. Hanna)-How do you account
for the absence of the receiving stamp on
these duplicate copies Of the Dear Schley''
letter? A. 1t Is possible jotted that down
when they were handed to me. OF course.
1t was the custom to put the receiving
stamp on the letters and kilograms.
Q. Is It possible that the commodore re-
tanned this letter in his possession before
turning it over to you for some timer A.
because he generally turned over papers to
me. He kept nothing in the cabin after he
got through with them.
The witness said 1t was his practice to
make a note of the date OF receipt at the
time letters were received.
Letters received by Commodore Schley
were handed to the witness and he was ask
ed to say when the receipt Of them was
noted and in two cases he said 1t was three
days after their receipt.
This was shown by the form of the note
indicating their receipt. He could not tes-
tify to the Gate On which various letters
We're received independent of the marks
on them by the receiving stamp or in his
own handwriting. He was asked if his own
Endorsement on these letters might not be
inaccurate, in view of the fact that In two
cases. the dates of sd and 24th, were
marked over to change them, either from
the 23d to the oath, or from the Oath to the
23d.
He replied that, Of course, it was possible.
for he thought the receiving dates could
be regarded as generally correct. He did
not pretend to be infallible in their receipt.
He could recoIlect the receipt of only one
copy of the McCalla memorandum.
The witness said he had had general
charge of Commodore Schley's papers. and
had put them all in a box and turned them
over to the commodore. August 20, 1898.
He had since seen them spread about at
the Navy Department, and had there made
copies of some Of them by permission of
those having charge of them.
Asked where Commodore Schley was go
ing when he left Cfenfuegos, the witness
said he could not remember whether he had
told him, but he remembered that the I'M
preston on his mind from the orders Issued
at the time was that they were going to
Santiago. He could not remember having
prepared the letter of May "a sent by Com
modore Schley to Admiral Sampson, saying
he would leave Cienfuegos on the next day.
but he probably prepared the dispatch in the
customary way.
Commodore Schley did not wait until the
next morning to go, but left that same
evening. and the witness did not know
what caused the commodore to change his
mind and go that same evening
The "war Bulletin on the Adula.
The witness was questioned by Mr..
Hanna in regard to the war bulletin to
which he testified having seen at Cienfue-
gos saying that the Spanish fleet had en-
tered Santiago on the 10Th Of May and had
left that port on the 21st. He said this
bulletin was in the form Of handful, such
as might have been issued by a newspaper.
as he knew was the case in that part of
the world. This bulletin he saw when the
Adula arrived at Cienfuegos.
Meeting the Scouts.
The position Of the Brooklyn at 8 pm.
on the 26th when the flying squadron met
the scouts south of Santiago was gained
after the Brooklyn steamed to the north
for half an hour. The feet sighted the
scouts and then steamed off until they met
them. He did not recollect having heard
Commodore Schley say II the bad weather
continued he would go to Gonaives, Hayti
for coal.
THE VIRGINIA CONVENTION.
Section IL of the Bill of Rights