The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-10-24
were fourteen or fifteen of us standing


throw it overheard The Commodore
said: No, don't throw that body over
board He died like brave man. and
1 am going to bury him like one. He
directed me to lookout for the body. /
had it wrapped in blankets, laid in the
shade and that evening it was gotten
ready for burial. The Viscaya was put
ting up the best fight of any ship there.
She fought well and the big shells were
going over us and great many of us
ducked. hTese shells sounded like half
a dozen railroad trains underway. AS
they were heard going through the air
donw would go a hear, but Commodore
Schley's head never bent"
A BURST OF APPLAUSE.
There was a great outburst of ap-
plause in the court room as in a dra-
matte way the witnes recited this Incl
dent Admiral Dewey for the first time
during the sessions of the court found
it necessary to pound his gavel on the
table and admonish the audience against
such demonstrations. Continuing his
tsory the witness said:
He was as calm, cool and collected
as he is at this moment His only
thought was for his men, He called
constantly as the different events oc-
Cured, saying: DO the bullies below
know this; do they know that, that this
ship has gone ashore and that ship has
gone ashore?' His Whole idea seemed
to be that he wanted the people below
to know as much of it as those of us on
deck"
During the chase of the Colon, wit
ness said that Capt Cook had put his
head out of the coming tower and said
to the Commodore: Don't you think
we'd better close in little?"
And" said the witness parenthetical-
ly, Il thought so myself, but the Com
modore replied: No, don't you see that
point ahead? Just as son as that fellow
starts TO come out I'm going to head
him off. I'll get him yet. Damn him,
I'll follow him to Spain if l have to-. "
A SECOND DEMONSTRATION.
This testimony was given in clear and
distinct tones and was heard distinctly
throughout the large court room 1t was
received with burst of applause, but
the demonstration was quickly sup
pressed by Admiral Dewey. whose
words of reprobation to the audience
were followed by a word of admonition
from Mr. Rayner to the witness. The
Admiral rose and raised his hands in de-
precaticn of the demonstration, his face
was flushed. and he said: Stop Stop.
Lets have none of that
Give lis the facts, simply" said Mr..
Rayner
These are the facts" replied the wit
ness
Taking the witness, Captain Lemly
cross examined him about all the points
covered by his testimony In response
to one of his questions, Mr.. Hill said
that he had not heard any conversation
between Commodore Schley and Lieut.
Commander Hodgson about the Brook
lyn's helm or the Texas during the en-
gagen1ent of July 3.
THE TEXAS DIDN'T STOP AND
BACK
The court asked: Did the Texas
stop and back during the Brooklyn's S
turn?'
mo, sir. I saw the Texas distinctly
when the turn began, and during the
turn, and she did not make any back
water ana Sne ala not STOP.
Did you hear any conversation between
Commodore Schley and any other officer
during the early part of the engagement
of July So
Il heard one before or during the turn.
There was no officer with the Commodore
on my side of the Ship
AS SEEN FROM THE OREGON.
Lieut.. Ackerman, who was in command
of the after thirteen inch turreL and the
after eight inch turrets of rhe Oregon.
gave running account of that engage
ment. Describing the beginning of the
action hesaid: I'VE closed up the
matches and laid out fire hose and immedi-
ately turned the guns on the entrance to
the harbor." He said that as the ships
came out signal was made through the
telephone in the coming tower 10 fire at
will. THE range indicatore,' the wiz
ness went on. gradually fell until think
my first shot was fred at range of
200 or $500 yards He had he said
at that time fired fye shots from the
thirteen inch guns. but soon afterward
the Spanish ships drew SO far ahead he
could no longer train 1s guns upon them.
The witness described the Oregon s
passage between the Texas ard the
iowa. 'As we passed between the Iowa
and the Texas" said the witness ''those
ships seemed to be practically at anchor.
We were going very fast then and forced
draught was covering our quarter deck
an inch or more deep with cinders many
of them red hot Water was running
fro mevery hydrant we had to keep the
decks from burning. AT that time the
fire of the enemy and of our own ships
was very heavy. Th water was whipped
up in all directions; shots flew over
head. | think it was the most exciting
time of the whole engagement"
Witness described firing on the Colon,
and after luncheon continued his nara
tive, saying that when the Colon's flag
went down the men on the Oregon ceased
gfring. The Brooklyn bore at the time
two points on the Oregons port bow and
was about mile, said the witness. He
described sending of boats to the Colon
from the Brooklyn which he said seemed
TO take a Ion gtime. At this time the
Texas and the Vixen arrived. The New
York also arrived and when she came up
went in very near to the Colon After
eastward on false alarm
I'VE had already he said. prepared