Connecticut western news., 1901-09-26
TIE SCn..hl INQUIRY A BRIEF suMEsRY OF THE TesTl-
 MoNY eEfCnS THE COURT.

The attendance was very much small. CT than that on ihe first day of the court Only three or four rows of the chairs provided for the public were nll. ed with listeners.
 Captain Cook of tEe Brooklyn, who was present fin the witness room and who had expected to be tie first wit. ness, was displaced by RSar Admiral Higginson at the instance of the judge advocate. who was Invited by Rear Ad. mlral Schley's counsel to begin ln any way he preferred.
 The testimony was interesting less for the direct statement made than for the contradictions of two witnesses on the same points and the decision of the court not 10 hear opinions. Rear Adml. ral Hlgginson. who commanded the Massachusetts of the flying squadron. gave hts testimony hrusquely. He re. lated the particulars of the run from Key West to Cienfuegos and beyond. said that he had not been advised by Commodore Schley of any plan of at. tack upon the Spanish vessels If met, that the blockade off Santiago was maintained at from three to one and onr-half miles and that the line was closer to shore at night than during the day.
 Objection was made to the inquiry by Judge Advocate Lemly us to what impression was made upon the witness by Rear Admiral Schley's conduct dur ing the brief firing upon the Cristobal Colon In the mouth of Santiago harbor Iox 1 several questions proposed by the court were submitted by Judge Advocate Lemly, one of which. understood to have been framed by Rear Admiral Benham. sought to ascertain whether the witness thought Commodore Schley had done everything in his power to capture or destroy the Colon. and was answered by Rear Admiral Hlgginson with. No. l don't think 1t was" before the objection of Rear Admiral Schley's counsel could be made. After argument bs Mir. Rayner the question was with. drawn.
 On Saturday Captain Giles II. liar. Der. who was executive officer of the Texas. differed from Rear Admiral Higglnson in that he stated that the blocknding distances maintained by Commodore Schley were from seven to ten miles instead of from one to three and also in asserting that the distance observed at night wns greater than that held by day. With regard to tho difficulties of coaling at Santiago he made less of them than Rear Admiral H'gglnson. saying that they were not greater than at Tortugas when he had coaled the Texas there
 Major Thomas N. Wood. marine ccrps. who was captain of the marine guard on the Massachusetts. repeated an overheard remark said to have been made by Commodore Schley during the firing at Santiago on May 31. when Wood was eight feet away from the conversation. Schley was reported tl have snid, 'Starbonrd your helm and let's get out of this" Rear Admiral Higglnson did not refer to thls dlrec ton by Commodore Schley. When ques tioned hy the judge advocate about this remark, the witness asserted that he had heard 1t fairly distinctly"
 Commander Heilper of the Texas in his testimony on Monday said that the
  half a mile out to sea in making its famous loop.
 He said the chart was not accurate on that point.
 The witness said that he had not in his examination in chief meant to say that the ship had lost three miles in as many minutes. but that in all that much time had been lost
 Mir. Rayner asked concerning the stoppage of the Texas when the Brook lyn appeared in front of her. ''rhe sig nals," witness answered, "were to slow stop and back, one right on word in between"
 Docs anything appear In your log about thatl" asked Mir. Rayner.
 Nothing" answered the witness. Tt was not on the log. I can tell you why it was not-becausc Captain Philip said he did not like to have anything In 1t. I swore to the judge advocate of this court that would not bring up a dead man to substuntiate anything l said and that I would not bring up this that point.~
 Do you rccollcct Captain Philip ever saying that the collision which seemed to be imminent, even If 1t was not. was avertedr" Mir. Rayner asked.
 "No. do not recollect It." replied the witness
 Mir. Rayner questioned the witness at length concerning signal lights at Glen. fuegos, and the latter said that he had not known until after the arrival of Captain McCalla on the Marblehead on May 24 that there was to be a system of signals for communicating with Gu ban allies on the shore, nor had he known until then that Cerverns fleet was not inside the harhor at Cicnfue. gos.
 He said he had heard no guns fired when the squadron approached Clcnfu- egos. To his knowledge no effort was made to ascertain whether the Spanish fleet was in the harbor at that point or to destroy Spanish works there nor had there been any effort to communl. cate with Cubans on shore until Cap tain McCalla arrived on the Marble head.
 The witness said that when the Brooklyn made its loop at the begin hing of the battle 1t had passed across the Texas bow at distance not to OK. cecd 100 or 100 va. ds qua that nt ths command of Cnp,a.n faiip tac TcNaS had been brought Ia q dead stop.
 On cross examination Commander lIellner admitted having taken part in the preparation of the official navy de. partmcnt chart showing .lc positions at different times of the ships which participated in the batlic. He said thnt according to this chart. tl.c two ships never were nearer thun GG0 yards of each other. Hut he c1ntcnded the chart was ina,yrrate, and he said he had only consented to it as q compromise.
 Commander ueilner expressed tue