Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1901-10-06
INQUIRY COURT HAS
ONLY ONE SITTING
Interest Genters In Sampson
as a Witness.
DEAR sCHLEY" DISPATCH

Controversy as to Admiral's Meaning
In Letter Has Been In No Wise
Abated by the Tentative Agreement
as to His Being Summoned.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 5. - Lieutenant
Commander Hodgson, formerly navi-
gator of Commodore Sch1ey's flagship,
the Brooklyn, continued his testimony
before the Schley court of inquiry today
| after some of the other witnesses of yes.
| terday had been given an opportunity
to correct their testimony.
When the court adjourned last night
Commander Hodgson was in the hands
| Of Judge Advocate Lemley, whose ex-
animation of him parrook very largely
Of the nature of a cross examination.
This was due to the fact that Mr. Hodg-
son had been called by both sides of the
| controversy and was considered even
| more Schley witness than a govern
ment witness.
Captain Lemley and Mr.. Hanna con-
tlnued the inquiry for the government
at the beginning of the sitting today,
after which Mr.. Raynor began a series
OF questions intended to present the
Schley side of the conduct of the Brook
Iyn during, not only the battle of July
3, but of the entire Santiago campaign.
Mr.. Hanna's inquiries were devoted
partly to developing more OF the details
concerning the ombardment of the
Spanish ship Cristobol Colon, May 81.
The entire correspondence between
Commander Hodgson and Commodore
Schley was also put in evidence.
The court began it's session today with
the understanding that there would be
only one sitting. This agreement was
reached and was brought about by the
fact that the mem bers of the court and
counsel found themselves greatly ia.
tlgued by the exacting nature of their
work and the continuous sessions of the
court.
AS to Calling Sampson.
There is much interest in yesterdays
developments concerning Sampson and
there is still doubt as to whether he will
be a witness. It will remain with Ad.
miral Schley and his counsel to say for
what day, if for any, he shall be called.
The controversy as to the admiral'5
meaning in his Dear Schley" dispatch
on May 30 has been in no wise abated
by the tentative agreement as to his be.
ing summoned. Counsel on both sides
this morning had before them copies of
the dispatch and each was trying siren
uously to bring the other to their view
of the case.
Captain Lemley brought up the ques.
tion of the difference of construction of
the last paragraph of the "Dear
Schley" letter He produced the origi.
nal copy Of the letter as follows:
Therefore / am Of the opinion that
our best chance of success in capturing
the warships will be TO hold the two
points, CleEfuegos and Havana, with all
the force we can muster. If later it
should develop that these vessels are at
Santiago we could then assemble off
that port the ships best suited for the
purpose and completely blockade it,
Until we receive positive information
we shall continue TO hold Havana and
Santiago"
Captain Lemley then said:
Name Appears as "Santiago."
eff the court please. was yesterday
requested by counsel for the applicant
to produce the original of the letter
from Admiral Sampson to Commodore
Schley, dated May 30, 1898, the ques.
tion being as to the final name at cne
ouN Ol OAO uESb paragraph WuSGu0r 1t
SHOULD be 'Cienfugos' or Santiago /
have the original and the name appears
Santiago and appears over an erasure
invite attention co the fact that in the
press copybook it is Santiago which
shows that the change was made before
the letter was press copied and sent /
will add that the punctuation is, as !
stated yesterday, i'll the press copy"
He also, at the requSt of Admiral
Schley's counsel, introduced another
copy. 'in which," he said, "you will
see there was no correction. It appeared
originally as Santiago.
The court examined the original pa.
pers and the press copies with care and
it was agreed that the papers had again
been printed in the record.
Captain Lemley then requested that
all the papers in Admiral Schley's pos
session, bearing upon the case, be- sup
piled, and Mr.. Raynor replied for the
admiral that he (Admiral Schley) had
no more DaOers