The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-10-22
Something of Real Interest
in the Schley Inquiry.
INTERVIEWS RECALLED
A Number of Disputed Poin is Are
Thus Cleared Up.
TALKS OF sCHLEY AND SIGSBEE
War Departments Consent That
Ships Expose Themselves to
the Fire of Shore Batteries.

Washington, Oct. 22.-Lieutenant Wells
resumed the witness stand in the Schley
court of inquiry this morning and con-
tinued his narrative of the events Of the
Cuban campaign of 1898. He was under
cross examination of Judge Advocate
Lemly and his assistant, Mr.. Hanna, when
the court adjourned yesterday, and they
continued their questions to-day. Lieu
tenant Wells was followed by A. v. Mason,
the log writer of the Brooklyn, who wrote
the logs on that vessel during the Cuban
campaign. G. E. Graham, the correspond
ent Of the Associated Press, who was on
board the Brooklyn with Admiral Schley
during the entire campaign, was also on
the list Of to-day's witnesses.
Lieutenant Wells was questioned oon-
corning the department orders in regard
to the risking of the American ships to
bombardment from the Spanish shore bat
teries, the orders under consideration
being those of April s, April 26 and two
of May D.
Exposed to Shore Batteries.
The first of the orders of this charac-
ter staeWd that 1.-The department does not
wish the vessels of your squadron to be
exposed to the fire of the batteries at
Havana, Santiago or other strongly for
titled points in Cuba" and the others
were regarded as notifications of this.
In the order Of May 6; the department
said:
The department is perfectly willing you
should expose your ships to the heaviest
hoff in ririn
there are Spanish vessels of sufficient mill
tary Importance protected by these guns to
make an attack advisable, your chief aim
for the present being the destruction of the
enemy's present resources.
Concerning the dispatches witness was
asked by Captain Lemly:
Can you separate your knowledge relative
to conversations with Commodore Schley so
as to distinguish between the other two
orders, or both of these orders, or whether or
not anything was said with regard to the re-
ceipt of information in relation to these let
ters here which you have before you at the
interview Of May IS, at Key West?
Witness-No, sir. ! do not distinguish be-
tween any Of them. l have given by general
remembrance. which is that the order was
not to risk the ships.
Albert v. Mason was called. He was
questioned by Captain Parker and said
tlaL ne QdQ D00u d ySOudu VI the second
class on board the Brooklyn during the
Santiago campaign and had been the
writer of that ships log. He was ques-
toned about the log giving an account
Of the Brokolyns turn.
story of a Correspondent.
George Edward Graham, the Associated
Press correspondent, was called. He was
questioned by Mr.. Rayner and said he was
on the Brooklyn from March g. to August
20, 1898. Mr.. Graham was questioned con-
cerning the conversation between Commo-
dore Schley and Captain Sigsbee on the
occasion of the captains visit to the
Brooklyn on May rs, as follows
Did you see Captain Sigsbee on board the
Brooklyn on May 26?
Yes, sir.
Did you hear him in conversation with
Commodore Schley?
Yes, sir.