Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1901-09-28

| the court they intend also to show that
! if Sampson's blockade was good, then so
| was Schley's, for the reason that they
, were Of the same character and general
! arran cement, ana, more important than
, that, they promised to bring out that if
! Schcy was ccnSurable for failing to de-
stroy the Colon Sampson was equally
| guilty, because for four hours after the
arrival Of Sampson at Santiago the Colon
| lay in the same position at the mouth of
the harbor that she was in during the
! three days that Schley saw her, and
| Sampson made no effort to attack h&.
Admiral ;chleys counsel said that they
| proposed to show, also, that what Schley
| did was done under Simpsons orders,
| that Schlcy's withdrawal from the re-
| connoisSunCc, as it was termed by him,
against the Colon ana to develop the
| shore batteries, was performed under gem
eral naval regulations, and was the same
policy that had been pursued by Samp-
son, and that if the Brooklyn was not in
Il proper position when Cervera'S squad
ron ran out on July 3 she was at the
station assigned TO her by Sampson.
! The part played by the battleship Tex
as in the naval battle off Santiago was
| the basis of Il great part of to-day's pro-
! ceedingS.
Lieutenant Commander Heilner, who
! was navigating officer of the Texas
| throughout the Santiago campaign, testi-
| fed that the Texas was in its greatest
| danger at the moment those on board
| her saw the Brooklyn looming up uneX-
pcctedly at Il distance of only 100 or $50
| yards on the port side. CONSERVATION
| reigned for a moment on board the Tex
as in the presence of this danger of be-
ing rammed by vessel of her own fleet.
Commander Heilner gave graphic ac-
count OF this critical moment in the his
! tory of the battle, and produced a decided
sensation in the court room by declaring
| that as soon as the danger from the
| Brooklyn was recognized by Captain
Philip he gave the order to have the ell
gnes of the Texas stopped and to turn
back ward. The witness said that about
| three minutes of time was lots by this
| effort to escape collision with the Brook
| lyn With this loss of time and fur
| Their loss on account of the difficulty en-
countered in getting up full steam imme-
diately he estimated that the Texas was
put back about three miles in her chase
| of the Colon and other Spanish ships.
Commander Heilner swore that while
it was true the stopping and backing of
the engines of the Texas was not record
ed in the log of that ship, the omission
was due to the definite orders of Captain
Philip, now dead, because Captain Pmlp
did not wish to bring any scandal upon a
| brother officer.
cath Interrupts Trial.
For the second time death interrupted
| the progress of the naval court Of IN
ouiry into Rear Admiral Schleys con-
duct at the battle of Santiago. Tuesdays
| morning session had just begun when
word came to the navy yard that Judge
| Jeremiah Wilson, chief of the Schley
counsel, died suddenly at the Shoreham
| Hotel Judge Advocate General Lemly
had lust called Alfred Il. ClaXton, a ma
/ chinist on the Texas, to the stand when
the news was brought in by an orderly.
so sudden and unexpected was the sad
| intelligence that it was not believed at
first. The proceedings were suspended
until a telephone message confirmed the
rumor, and then Admiral Dewey an
nounccd that the court would adjourn
| until Wednesday out of respect to the
deccdent.
The death of Judge Wilson was entire
w unexpected Isidor Rayner, his asso-
ciate in the famous naval inquiry, eft
| him at 10 O'Clock Judge Wilson was
complaining of a slight attack of indi-
gestion, but nothing serious was appre-
hended The physicians who attended
him saw affection of the kidneys rapidly
developed. He told Mr.. Rayner to go out
to the navy yard and proceed with the
case and that he would come rs soon as
possible.
The court convened at the regular hour
and. with the exception of Judge Will
sons absence, everything proceeded in
the regular manner. Commander Bates
and Captain Schroeder verified the print
ed COPIES of the evidence that had been
| given Monday and Admiral Dewey had
administered the oath to Arthur B. ClaX-
ton, who was il machinist on the Texas
during the Spanish American war, when
an orderly handed written message to
/ Mr. Rayner The attorney said a few
words to Admiral Dewey and the pro-
ceedings ceased.
Judge Wilson was considered the lead
er of the legal array guarding Admiral
! Schley's interests before the court of in
curry. While Mr.. Rayner has done most
of the talking, Judge Wilson planned the
line of cross-eXamination and prepared
the defense to be laid before the court
later in the investigation. His death will
handicap the Schley forces materially.