The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-10-22

(Schley) that unless unsafe for his squad
ron the Department wished him to re-
main off Santiago, and asking if he could
not take possession of Guantanamo as
a coaling station. Also a dispatch from
Secretary Long to Capt. Cotton, of the
Harvard, dated Washington. May %, en-
closing a dispatch to Commodore Schley
telling him to hold on at all hazards
that the New York, Oregon and New
Orleans were on the way; also two dis
patches from Secretary Long to the dis
patch boat Harvard. dated Washington,
May 80, one informing him that the COM
mander- chief had started to join him,
and the other telling him that Sagua, 25
miles east of Santiago, had been reported
as good place to land, from which it
would be easy to reach the heights in
the rear of Santiago, the witness said
it had been received on May 81. The ca
blegram from Secretary Long, dated
Washington, May 27, to the cable office
at Mole st. Nicholas, Hayti, directing that
it be delivered to the next American war
vessel to arrive and informing Commo
dore Schley '9hat the most absolutely
urgent thing now is to know positively
whether the Spanish division is at San
tiago, etc, was shown the witness. He
stated that it had been received by Com
modore Sehleyson May 80. The Colon had
been discovered in the harbor of Santiago
by Commodore Schley on the morning of
May 90.
Mr. Rayner at this point ex-
hibited a chart upon which there were
notations regarding the strength of the
batteries at Santiago, this information
being given as Of date of April s. 1898
TOLD NOT no EXPOSE THE SHIPS.
Now give me the date the Navy De-
partment issued the order which has been
referred TO In this case about not Grip
pling ships by the shore batteries" asked
Mr.. Rayner.
April s, 1898 was the response.
Mr. Rayner. "Am l right in saying
that you perhaps, saw more or as much
of Commodore Schley during the whole of
this Spanish war as any one else and
came in contact with him as much as
anybody?'
81 saw him daily and all through each
day, generally speaking
"Did you see him during the time of
the reconnaissance of May 31?'
Yes, sir"
"Did you see him frequently during the
! day of the battle of July 3rd?'
"No sir. II only saw him during the
chese of the Colon.
"Did you see him during any, of the
bombardments? ?"ha.
Il saw him during one of them. Ex-
actly which, one cannot distinctly recol-
lect.''
what was his general bearing, con-
duct and manner on any day in which
there was a battle. or any other time!
$50 far as my observation went he was
thoroughly fearless and self possessed on
all occasions.
WAS he at any time within your
knowledge laboring under any mental
excitement?'
mo, sir
Mr. Hanna cross examined the witness
Regarding the progress of the Flying
Squadron from Key West to Cienfuegos,
the witnessed stated that he knew of no
delay in it's progress.
Mr.. Hanna exhibited to the witness
letter dated May 80. 1898, and written by
Commodore TSchIey, which contained
reference to the dispatches that had been
brought by the Dupont and giving gen.
eral account of the operations of the Fly
ing SQUADRON He sought by this letter,
as stated by him, to show that the num-
Der seven dispatch, known as the Dear
Schley" letter was received on the 22nd
and not the 23rd The witness said:
"The conjunction of this letter and the
changed Endorsement in lead pencil on the
back of one of the dispatches would seem.
to indicate that the dispatch might have
been received on the 22nd."
After the examination had proceeded
along this line for some time Mr.. Rayner
addressed the court as follows May it
please the court, we admit that we got
number Z by the Dupont (Which joined the
Flying Squadron off Cienfuegos on May
%, 1899 and we admit that we got num-
Der s by the Hawk and the Marblenead.
Now the trouble is about the other num-
Der T. Where did the duplicate of num-
ber z go? We cannot admit we got it by
the Iowa, but we agree upon three propo-
sitions: The Dupont carried number I.
the Hawk number and the Marblehead
number 8. We admit gthe receipt of this
memorandum from Captain McCalla by
the Hawk. but that we have not been able
TO find out and cannot admit is that the
Iowa carried number Z"
Mr. Rayner turned to Admiral Schley
and asked: "You admit that don't you,
Admiral?'
To which the Admiral replied: Ger
tainly we admit that
When the court met at o'clock Mr..
Hanna continued his examination of
Lieut. Wells.
How do you account specifically for
the absence of the receiving stamp i'm
print on the duplicate Dear Schley dis
patches, he asked.
1T is possible that | jotted down that
note on them when they were handed me.
OF course it was the custom to put the
receiving stamp on letters generally. :"
"Can it be possible that the Commo
dore retained them for some time?''
"It is possible, but not probable. He
sometimes held dispatches in the cabin
for the time, but he generally sent them
down as soon as received
In reply to questions the witness said
that he remembered nothing about the
receipt of dispatch No. from Admiral
Sampson to Commodore Schley. saying
that the Spanish feet was probably at
Santiago, except what was revealed by
the receiving stamp endorsements.