Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-09-26

promptness 10 calling the Schley Court
OF Inquiry TO order at IL O'Clock today.
All the members Of the court we're
present on the minute, Admiral Sohley
Hat with his counsel at the table set
apart for them on the left of the Wit
moss seat. The attendance OF the public
was somewhat larger than yesterday.
The first witness called was Cant.
Harder. executive officer of the Texas
during the SPANISH War, who was on
the stand when the court adjourned
yesterday.
Tie judge advocats asked no question
of him, and he was Immediately turned
over to Mr.. Rayner OF counsel for Ad-
miral Suhley, who questioned him con.
corning his statement, made yesterday,
to the effect that be did not recall that
there was any picket line established
inside the line OF blockade at Glen.
fuegua. A report by Admiral Schley
was read, to the effect that pioket
limo bad been maintained, but the wit.
ness declined to change bis statement.
Asked ii the b ooglyn had not on
May oath signalled the Texas to go
alongside the collier and coal, he said
he did not recall any thing Of the kind.
Mr. Rayner read the signal message,
as follows $50 alongside the collier
and coal as rapidly as possible. " But
no amount OF pressing could bring the
witneas to say that he reInem nered tine
incident. He had, he said, had very
little to do with tine signaling. The
same replies practically were made In
response to questions regarding other
signals. Mr.. Rayner quoted several OF
these. One, transmitted from the
Texas TO the Brooklyn, read ION an
aiterthonght the captain .thinka 1T
unsafe to put collier between battle--
ships. Another from the Texas read !;
~ do not think ii safe to collier. The
two shi will surely crush her ~
CAPT ilHrber replied that be remem
bered there was come talk of the col
iier, but he could not recall what 1t
was. Speaking OF the 81 nails obsei we'd
off Cienfuegos he said his suppo,itien,
an also that Of other officers, was that
they were between the Spanish forces
Capt barber was alAo questioned
closely concerning the rate OF speed of
the feet on the sail from Oienfuegos 10
Santiago on May s5th. He said the
weather was fresh and tine sea moderate;
that it was hard for small vessais, but
1t was nothing murh. He thought
the Texas could have made from 10 to
l. knots Mr.. Rayner had the witness
read from the logs OF the Massach usetts,
the Iowa, the Brooklyn and other YES.
sells concerning the weather at that
time. Mr.. kayner read report from
CAPT. Higginson, saying that the
weather bad besn trough and squallyn
on May 25th. Cant. Harder stated that
the report of Capt Hi1eInson was not
byrne out by the loebook OF his ship.
ut does not correspond with the log"
he sad. and he added that, having
given his best recollection concerning
the weather, he thought Mr.. Rayner
had an Interior motive In his questions.
MIR. Rayner declared that he had no
suoh end in view.
Tnen, isaid the Witness, 'tI have
given you my best recollections con-
corning the weather. d"
THAT lie what / want, I" responded
the attorney. ~ $50
THAT is what have given you, !"
repeated the witness.
Cart. Lemly objected to the examina-
ton of Capt. Harher on the record OF o
shin which he had mad no part 10 pre-.
paiing. The court retired to consider
the point. After an absenoe OF 10
minutes, the court returned, announcing
its decision. sustaining the objection
that the witness could not be examined
upon the log OF the Massachusetts.
Continuing his testimony, Cant.
HARDER insisted that the weather on
May 25th was not rough"
Washington, Sept. 20. The members
OF the Scnley Naval Court of Inquiry
fund the accommodations in the tool
shop at the navy yard somewhat i'm
proved when it met there at II O'Clock
today. The long, bare room, which
hitherto had been open from floor to
roof, had been, in appearance al least,
conn letely transformed over Sunday by
the addition OF ceiling of plain white
cloth. This had the etfecE also of i'm
proving the acoustics OF the hall, SO
that the court and others had less diff
Guilty than formerly 10 hearing the wit
nesses.
The members OF the court we're prompt
in reaching the navy yard tut when
they arrived. they found Capt. LemIy
and his assistant. Mr. Hanna, already
there, busily engaged In getting ready
for the days work.
Among the witnesses who reported
this morning were: Admiral q. S.
Cotton, Commanders James Madison
Miller, A. Il. Bates ard S. o. Heilner,
Capts b. H. MeCalla and William O.
Wise and Lieuts. John Hood and
Spencer S. Wood.
Admiral Schley and his counsel
arrived ut 10. 45 O'Clock. soy a
1t was authoritatively stated today
that the Navy Depar tment has no in
tention at present of bringing Admiral
Sampson to Washington as witness
or TO participate 10 any other manner
at the inquiry.
The hands OF the old. fash Toned hall
clock standing hack Of the seats occu-
pied by the court pointed directly TO
the hour of IL O'clock when Admiral
Dewey with sharp rap of his gavel,
called the court to order. There was
at that time somewhat larger attend
ance on the part of the general public
than there had heretofore been at the
beginning of the sittings, but there
were fewer distinguished personsges
occupying the reserved seats.
Capt. Lemly presented the deck log
hooks OF the Brooklyn, Texas, Iowa,
Castine, Merblehead, Massachusetts,,
Minnesota, New Orleans. Oregon, st.
Paul, Scorpion, Yale, Vixen, Eagle,
Dupont, Hawk and Merrimac.
How about the New York;" asked
Judge Wilson. 81 want to expedite
the proceedings. - t&
II have no objection, responded
Capt. Lemly. 81 too want to hasten
the proceedings as much as possible. -
Proceeding, Capt. Lemly said he had
suggested such logs as hs considered
essential, and that he would have
printed the points considered pertinent.
He then indicated che time that he de-
sired covered by the matter to be
nrinted, bnf Admiral Snhlay'a nnnnsal