Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-09-27
SCHLH INQUISIT|ON
Place Where Captain Wise Seems
to Have Missed Cog, but II
Says He Didn't.
FAILED TO GIVE soHLEY THE NEWS
Move to Introduce Counsel fol-
Sampson is Over.
ruled.

Advocate Lemley read a letter from
Sampson dated Sept. %, asking that
Clayton and Campbell be allowed to
represent him. The court decided
that they couldn't appear. Capt.
Wise was recalled TO make some
changes in his testimony of yester
day. Lieut.. Wood, who commanded
the dispatch boat Dupont during the
war, contr adicted Capt. Harber's tes-
timony that there had been no picket
vessels within the line of the bloch q lie
off Cienfuegos May % Commander
Hood of the Hawk, testified that he
delivered May % a dispatch from
Sampson to Schley telling the latter
the Spanish squadron was probably
at Santiago.
In conversation Schley told Hood
he couldn't 60 to Santiago because he
believed the Spanish Il ct was in Glen
fuegus haroor and his ps needed
coal badly When Hood said Samp-
son considered the information defi
mite, Schley said: sampson doesn't
understand; he's not on the spot and
cannot Judge"
Washington, Sept 27.-The Schley
court of inquiry was in session for
only an hour and three-quarters yes
tprday adjourning at l2:45 p. IN. in
order to permit its members and 9th
crs engaged there to attend the funeral
or Judge Wilson. late chief counsel for
Admiral Schley. Captain Wise con-
cluded his testimony, Admiral Cotton
made brief statement on recall, and
Lieutenant Spencer :. Wood, who
commanded the dispatch boat Dupont
during the Spanish war. began his tes-
timony. Machinist Gray, who was in
charge of the starboard engines on the
day of the battle off Santiago, also
testified briefly He said that on the
day of the battle the starbOard engines
were stopped and the machinery re-
versed for Il very short time. Captain
Wise was questioned at considerable
length ais to what he had done before
the arrival of the flying squadron OF
Santiago toward locating Cervera's
fleet III the harbor.
Told What He Knew to Sigsbee.
He said that while he had satisfied
himself of the presence of the Spanish
fleet he had been content to communi-
cate his knowledge to Admiral Schley
ing il necessary to make direct conf
munication with the COMMANDMENT
chief Lieutenant Wood gave the par
ticulars of his delivery of dispatches
from Admiral Sampson to Admiral
Schley on the 22d of May. while the
admiral lay off Cienfuegos. He said
that Schley seemed very nervous ana
especially anxious to know what Samp-
sons intentions were. He had not con-
cluded his testimony when the court
adjourned for the day.
ContradIets ScbIsy's Report.
A notable feature Of Captain Wise's
testimony was his contradiction of
report of Admiral Schley. Hanna read
the following extract from Admiral
Schley's report of Feb. Is to the COM
mittee on naval affairs in reference to
the letter from the secretary of the
navy of Feb. e. 1899, beginning: After
having been Informed by the scouts
commanded by such officers as Sigsbee,
Jewell and Wise that. although they
had all been off Santiago de Cuba for
n week. they had seen nothing of it
the Spanish fieet) and knew nothing or
IFS movements or its whereabouts.
etc" He then asked Captain Wise II
he had made such a communication
tc the admiral. Il did not" was the
response.
Capt. Cotton Again Testifes.
After Wise had been excused Ad-
riraI Cotton was recalled and asked
to relate a conversation on the morning
of May 81 when he went on board
Schley's flagship to deliver dispatches.
He said: He informed me that it had
been ascertained that some, at least. OF
the ships of Admiral Cervera's squad
ron were within the harbor of Santi-
ago: that they had been seen and were
IN sight and, as n matter of fact. one
Of them WIS then in sight at the en-
trance to the harbor In language as
nearly as I can remember he said;
After dinner I am going to hoist my
flag on board the ssachusetts. ana
take her and the Iowa and go In ana
have a pot shot at those fellows.
LIEUT.. WOODS EXPERIENCE