The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-10-03


1yn's officers TO he called 10 the stand since the
inquiry began. lie was called by the department,
but when Captain Lenly had concluded his cx.
animation Mr. Raynor announced that IL had
been Admiral schleys intention TO have Jicuton.
ant Doyle summoned as a witness in his behalf.
lie, therefore, with the consent of the court,
questioned the witness as IL his examination had
been in chief and did not confinc himself TO
cross. examination
In response to questions by Captain Icmy.
Lieutenant Doyle said that during the battle off
Santiago he had had charge Of the two waist
turrcts. lie had he said written the log giving
the account Of the battle "a there recorded hut
afterwards an addcnda had been made by the
navigator.
When the Brooklyn steamed westward witness
was Arst in the port turrct and then in the star.
board turrct.
"Did you have an opportunity Of observing
which way the vessel turncd2' Captain Lcmly
asked.
Witness responded in the Affirmative. He
said, however. that hc did not hear orders given
to the man at the wheel
"What did you observer"
81 observed, while In tho port turrct, that
We had an opportunity of firing at the Spanish
ships and the turret was trained nearly ahead.
The Spanish ships were little by then on Our
port bow and we lost sight OF them by our
ship turning with a starboard helm. Then It
was that the order gas given 10 man the star.
board battery. and as I crossed from one turrct
to the other observed the Spanish ships little
bit on starboard bow As soon as got in
that turrct seung the gun sharp on the star.
board bow In the meantime some Of our own
guns had fred. probably in the forward eight.
inch turret, so I could see nothing at all from
the dense smoke. While in that position and
while the turret was being trained. Mr.. Mason.
the executive officer. passed down the starboard
gangway calling sharp the starboard quar-.
tor and turned the tnrrct around and picked
the Spanish up on our starboard quarter. and
from then on 1t was constant train Of the tir.
ret until we had the Spanish ships about q
beam"
'llow did you come to enter in the ships log
that the vessel turned with a starhoard hcltnP
DO you recognize that log (handing him the log
OF the Brooklyn?
The witness then. in response to request. read
to the court that part in the log book which re-
latcs to the turning Of the port helm, in which
the following sentence appeared:
1--WE engaged with port battery at first, stand.
ing in for the Maria Theresa. the Colon and the
Viscaya, all three Of which we engaged. but just
as soon as the enemy stood to the westward, put
helm to port, swinging"
The witness then stated that the original entry
in the log had made it appear that the helm was
Put to starboard. instead Of to port as it appears
in the permanent log. The change, he said, had
been made on the fifth Of July, two days after
t"' "'tioh. Hohcu WHY Hc CHdISCu IL, Doyle
said:
81 changed it after had had discussion with
sharp. l had been under the impression, as
have stated. that we turned with Starboard
helm. Sharp was aboard the Brooklyn on July
to luncheon with us, and had discussion with
him that day on that subject. think that is the
time changed it,
"Do you know whether the navigator had then
signed the log as correct?''
81 do not, SIR"
"Why were the nterlincd words put in?''
''Thcy were put in at the suggestion Of some
person. probably the navigator. They were put
in evidently after the log was written up, because
they are interned."
Changes Due to Error.
Mr.. Rayncr then took the witness and asked
him il it was not true that the change in the log
was due to an error OH the part of the witness
and to no desire upon the part of anyobdy to
fasify the facts.
absolutely" was the response.
"And the error,' continued Mr.. Rayncr, "oc.
cured, as understand you to say, in this way:
That during the action you could not see on ac.
count of the smoke. and thought the ship did
turn with starboard helm and entered it so in the
log?"
"Ycs," was the reply.
eve lost track of the enemy in the first in.
stance with the port battery by our own bow
time we must have had our helm little star.
board, that the enemy was going with star
board helm.'
"And then when you learned you had been
mistaken you made the changc!''
81 changed the entry, and think ii you had
the rough copy here you would find it was
changed in my own handwriting"
Mr. Rayner then stated to the court that it
his desire to treat Lieutenant Doyle as a
witness for Admiral Schlcy. To this the court
assented, and Mr.. Rayner asked the witness a
series of questions calculated to bring out brief
history OF tho Brooklyn's part in the Santiago
campaign and full statement Of his observations
while an officer on board that vessel.
Mr.. Doyle said in response to the questions that
while at Key West, which port the Brooklyn had
lett at the head of the Flying Squadron on May
10, 1898, lie had heard nothing Of the Spanish
fleet, nor had he then been informed OF secret
code OF signals arranged by Captain McCalla for
communicating with the Cuban insurgents.
Particulars of the Blockade.
Relating the particulars of the blockade OF
Cienfuegos by the Flying Squadron from the 2lst
to the cath OF May, Lieutenant Doyle said lie
recalled the arrival of the Iowa and the Dupont
off Cienfuegos on May %, OF the Hawk on the
oSrd, and of the Marblchcad on the GATH lie
said that he had observed three lights which
looked like bonRrcs on the shore each night that
the squadron lay off Cienfucgos, but that neither
he nor any else on board so far as he knew,
understood their purpose lie also told OF re-
cognizance Of the harbor at Cicnfuegos on the
evening of the 22nd OF May; Of the conversation
with the officers OF the British ship Adua, and
OF the arrival OF the Marblchead and the depart
ure of the entire squadron for Santiago after the
last named vessel had made communication with
the Cubans ashore.
Then he said on the night OF the cath, ships
formed in squadron and steamed eastward the
speed at first being nine knots an hour, but af-
terwards being reduced to accommodate the small
vessels, the Vixen and the Eagle When they
made their start there was quite surf, "a
long swell OF tho sea-" and on the 2jth the
weather was still WORSE making it very difficult
for the yachts to keep up.
Lieutenant Doyle placed tho distance Of the
American fleet of Santiago from the mouth Of
the harbor at from three to four miles and said
there were picket boats the inside OF the
line. Speaking OF the bombaldmcnt Of the Colon
on the 3lst of May, Mr. Rayncr designating it as
reconnaissance, Lieutenant Doyle said that its
effect had been to develop the fact that the
spaniards had new guns in their land batteries.
A Shot at Sampson.
Here Mr.. Rayncr asked "What WAS the cir |
cular form of blockade commenced"
While no mention was made OF the name of |