Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1901-09-29

Captain McCalla, Who Commanded
the Marblehead During the Spanish
War, Continues His Testimony--Tells
of Colon Bombardment.
WASHINGTON, Sept 28.-Today's sss-
sion of the Schley court of inquiry be-
gan as usual at II o'clock with the re-
call of yesterdays witnesses for the pur-
pose of correcting mistakes in their tes-
timony and allowing other questions to
be asked them when necessary to mark
any point which had not hitherto been
sufficiently elucidated by them. Captain
McCalla of the Marblehead, during the
Spanish war, continued his testimony
which had begun yesterday.
The attendance of the spectators at
the opening of the session was in excess
of the average and an exceptionally
large number of people had arrived be-
fore the usual time with a view of Sc
curing the best available seatss evident.
ly under the impression that the pro-
ceedings are of growing interest. In
deed, the public interest is manifesUIy
increasing III the proceedings and not
diminishing, as had been expected it
would.
None of the chairs set apart for the
public were any longer left vacant and
many persons stand through the ses-
sions.
The counsel for Admiral Schley have
reached an agreement with the counsel
for the navy department as to the parts
of the logs of the various vessels en-.
gagged IN the Santiago campaign which
are TO be put in evidence and printed in
the record of the courts proceedings.
1t was found i'm practicable to print the
entire logs, not only because to do so
would have been confusing, but because
of the delay it would have occasioned in
getting out such volume of material
they would have made. The counsel
have eliminated all parts of the logs
which do not bear upon the inquiry, and
such as will be printed is expected to be
very useful to the court as well as to
counsel.
Mr.. Hanna Explains.
Mr.. Hanna made brief explanation
of his use Of the term accused" i'll yes
terday's proceedings as applied to Ad.
miral Schley. He said:
81 should like to say word in expla.
nation of one word which understand
appears in the records. | learn, to my
surprise, that on examination of the
records that l used the word accused
IN reference to the distinguished officer
who has asked for the court of inquiry
I wish to state, with respect to that,
that / was not aware that [ had used
that expression until this morning. 1t
was used III the rapidity of debate and
simply for the reason that in the course
of long years of experience it is the word
generally employed in such cases.
"Before this court of inquiry began
the judge advocate and myself consid-
cred what we should call the gentleman
who had requested it, and desiring to
extend to him the utmost courtesy in
the matter, we selected a term which is
not often employed, the term of 'appli.
can't and I believe I had used that
term many times IN the course of these
proceedings. l wish to add only my
sincere and earnest and most cordial ex.
pressiOns Of regret that by an inadverG-
eney or accident / have employed the
word which would imply any such re-.
fection."
When Captain McCalla took the wit
ness stand Mr.. Hanna asked him:
''Were any. ships assigned to the duty
Of engaging the batteries on the morn.
ing of May 81, 1898, or during that day
to the duty Of enflading the batter
ies?"
The reply was: "None that I know
Of"
Mr.. Hanna: "Were there any shoals
or other obstacles of any kind to prevent
the battleships from approaching the
mouth of the harbor of Santiago sufi.
ciently close to have been within easy
range of the Colon?"
Captain Parker Objects.
Captain Parker objected to the ques.
ton, but the court refused to sustain
the objection and the question was re d.
peaUed.
Captain McCalIa replied:
None that [ know of. The only
shoal I know of was the shoal on the
west side of the channel opposite the
Moro"
"Did the battleships go within range
of the Colon?'
''Not from my observation.
"Were you so situated as to observe
the fall of shots from the fleet?"
81 was"
"Where did they fall?''
81 think saw every shot fred. They
all fell short that I saw. One very
nearly reached the Colon"
The witness said that the American
ships engaged In the Colon lombard
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