Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1901-10-09
Third Week of the SchIey Court
OF Inquiry at WASH
ington.
HODGsoN AGAIN ON THE STAND.
Tells of Distance of Blockadlng Fleet
OF Santiago-Brookiyn' Part
- in the Battle.


as large as at any previous time in
dicatlng that the interest in the case
is unabated. The days proceedings
began with the recall of Lieutenant
Doyle and Commander Rodgers for
the purpose of correcting their previ-
GUS testimony, and when they had
been excused Lieutenant Commander
Hodgson, navigator of the Brooklyn
during the Santiago campaign, resum-
ed the stand. This was his third sit
ting and when he began the days
testimony the judge advocate had not
entirely completed his questions. There
We're still a few of the letters con-
stituting the correspondence between
the witness and Admiral Schley to be
read and when they were concluded
Captain Lemly and Mr.. Hanna pro-
ceeded with their questions.
Last Paragraph Not Printed.
When the reading of the Schley-
Hodgson correspondence had been con-
cluded Captain Lemly asked Mr.. Hodg-
son whether his denial of the col
loquy between himself and Commodore
Schley had ever been published en-
tire. Mr.. Hodgson replied in the
negative, saying that the last para
graph of his letter of denial had not
been printed. This paragraph referred
to the enclosure of a newspaper clip
ping.
Mr.. Rayner began his cross-examina-
ton by asking Mr.. Hodgson whether
the Marblehead had hailed the Brook
Ign when the two vessels passed each
other as the Brooklyn was on her way
to Cienfuegos. The witness replied
In the negative. The examination then
turned upon events about Cienfuegos
and in reply to Mr.. Rayner's inquiry
Mr.. Hodgson detailed these at length.
Commander Hodgson said in reply to
these questions that he had seen the
lights on the shore at CienfuegOs
which were afterward determined to
be signals, but he had supposed they
were signals between different branches
of the Spanish forces on shore. He
added that when Captain McCalla ar
rived with information as to the mean
ing of the signals he was Immediately
dispatched to the shore to communicate
with the insurgents.
Progress Impeded by Weather.
He said that progress of the squad
ron was impeded between Cienfuegos
and Santiago by the heavy weather,
the smaller vessels, the Vixen and
Eagle, were making, especially the
Eagle.
Mr.. Rayner asked: "How far were
you off, during this blockade of Santi-
ago, from the Moro, during the day
and night of May %, 20, 80 and 31?"
In response the witness said:
"Early in the day time our habitual
position was about six miles. In the
night l think we steamed up and down
In front of the harbor, a distance of
about six miles"
He stated that the picket boats, the
Marblehead and the Vixen were In
side the line of the fleet about midway
between that line and the shore line.
The witness then III response to a
request from Mr.. Rayner continued his
description of the naval battle of July
B, from the point where he had dropped
that description at Captain Lemly's re-
quest while he was on the stand Fri
day.
Brookiyn's Part in the Battle.
In this connection he said "The
Brooklyn did all she could. She got
into action just as quick as steam
could carry her there. We COM
menced firing as soon as the first gun
on the port bow would bear, and we
kept the port battery firing until she
turned with port helm through the
arc, using the aft guns until we got
all the starboard guns to bear. We
got around as quickly as we could
with port helm until we almost paral-
leled the course of the leading Span
ish vessel, when the helm was eased
and the ship steered a course parallel
with the Viscaya, which was then the
leading vessel. We continued in that
direction, when / remarked to Captain
Cook that it seemed rather lonely for
us out there. He was in the coming
tower. He asked why? / said that
we were all alone with the three Span
ish vessels and it seemed that it de-
pended upon us to knock them out.
At that time the smoke was so dense
couldnot see anything and Isupposed
the New York, being away, the Brook
iyn was steaming ahead of the slower
vessels.
"God Bless the Oregon"
''He stepped out of the coming tow
er and exclaimed to me: What's that
of our starbOard quarterp / looked
in that direction and saw the heavy
bow of a ship and said: That must be
the Massachusetts, He said: No, Il
could not be the Massachusetts; she
has gone to Guantanamo / said: 1T
must be the Oregon and he remarked:
God bless the Oregon i said: We'll,
j am very glad to see her. 1t was
about 11:15 when the Viscaya stood
I'm for Acerreaderas. The chase was
continued then after the Colon.
knew it must be six or seven miles
AWAY, until we gradually began TO
gain. / remember keeping the stadi-
meter at work on her. although the
1900 yards would not register on the
stadimeter. / remember at one time
telling Commodore Schley that it was
within about $4,000 yards and my rec
objection Is he told some one to signal
the Oregon to try one of her railroad
trains At any rate shortly after
ward the Oregon fired one of her 49,
inch shells, which fell short. Then
we tried with S-inch shells and they
fell short The Oregon was signalling
TO us the fall Of our shot and we
signalled to her the fall Of her shot
Big Fire at Alton, Ills.