The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-10-08

time in case of treachery or any act
of that kind on her part; although
saw her throwing breech locks over
board. I did not suspect anything of
that kind
How far was the Oregon from the
Brooklyn?"
From 1000 to 1900 yards on the
starboard quarter"
The witness In reply to questions con-
tinued his report of the battle. He
said that at the beginning of the fight
he had given the range at 1,400 yards,
but that after the loop it was about
2,400 or $500 yards.
schlcy Took Position of Danger.
Mr. Rayner: What was the bearing
of Commodore Schley during this en-
gagement or any engagement in which
you saw him?'
His bearing and manner were nat
urally those of a commander-in-ch chief
of a naval force on that occasion"
The witness said that the Com
modore had occupied a place on a
platform around the coming tower
during the engagement. This, he said,
was a position of danger as the COM
modore was there always in full view
of the enemy's ships.
1T has been stated here" said Mr..
Rayner, that the Brooklyn ran 1000
yards away from the enemy's ships in
making her loop"
The witness replied:
ANY witness who made that state
ment, although he may have stated
what he thought had occurred, was
absolutely mistaken"
How far did she go from the enc
my's Vessels?"
Only "A 6OO-Yard Loop.
"She must have gone about 600 yards
to the southwark, as that is about the
tactical diameter of the Brooklyn at
that speed"
Did this turn interfere with the
Brooklyn's ability to keep up her
fire?"
1T did not. She continued to fire
from her aft turrets.
At this point Mr.. Rayner questioned
Commander Hodgson at length con-
cerning his reported colloquey with Ad-
miral Schley during the battle off San
tiago, in which the commodore was
said to have said Damn the Texas" "
Mr. Rayner asked the witness if it
was not Capt. Cook who had given
the order to port helm" The reply
was that Capt. Cook might have given
the order to the man at the wheel.
Mr. Rayner then asked:
Did Commodore Schley give the or
der to port the helm?"
He did" was the reply.
Continuing his statement in response
to Mr.. Rayner's question. the witness
said that when his conversation with
Commodore SchIey had occurred on the
Brooklyn, the commodore was standing
on the platform around the coming
tower, and two or three feet from him
self (the witness), and that Capt. Cook,
a part of the time, stood in the door
of the coming tower four or five feet
distant. He said that Capt. Cook had
taken part in the conversation.
Mr. Rayner then questioned Com
mander Hodgson very closely in regard
to the language in which this con-
pers.. and the language used by Mr..
! Hedgson in his correspondence with
Admiral Schley.
Mr.. Rayner then had the witness
scrutinize the letter which he had
written to Admiral Schley on June 8,
and drew from him the statement that
he had not then informed the admiral
that he had used he expression Damn
the Texas" When the witness was
asked if he thought there was any sug-
gestion of such an expression he re-
Piled:
when I suggested to Commodore
Schley that there was danger of col
liding with the Texas he said Damn
the Texas He used the expression as
not in any way condemning the Texas
for being there, but as if he were ir-
ritated as one might be about any
thing"
A Statement He Never Made.
Mr.. Rayner asked than about the ex-
preston attributed to the witness,
She will cut down the Texas Com
mander Hodgson replied that there was
no such expression in the letter and
that he never had said that the Brook
lyn would cut down the Texas.
There is a good deal in that report
ed colloquy that I did not say" Com
mander Hodgson added. 1.-THE state
ment was never made, but the COM
modore did say Damn the Texas.
Continuing, he said that the dialogue
as reported was fictitious and that he
had denied its verbal accuracy, while
not denying the truth of part of 1t.
The afternoon session of the court
began with a question put to Lienut.
Commander Hodgson by Mr.. Hanna.
He asked why he had written his cate
gorical denial of the newspaper report
of the colloquy between himself and
the commodore. The question was OBJ
jected to and Admiral Dewey said:
Good for Dewey.
I'VE have the facts. The letters
were written That is all the court
wants. We want facts-facts. People
are influenced by different kinds of
things. We want the facts. Draw out
the facts"
Mr.. Hanna: "All want to find out
is the occasion for writing the let
ter
Admiral Dewey: THE court don
want that information. We don't need
that"
MIR. Hanna then changed his question
and the witness said that he had writ
ten his explicit denial in response to
a request from Admiral Schley.
Have you anywhere denied the sub
stantial accuracy of the facts as set
forth in the report of that colloquy?"
"On the contrary, / have admitted
it."
Continuing the witness said that
Commodore Schley had not said as
reported, that the Brooklyn was too
near the Spaniards.
Changing the line of examination,
Mr.. Hanna then asked:
when the Brooklyn turned with
port helm did she blanket the fire of
the Texas? Did she go between the
Texas and the enemy?"
"I do not think she did. 1 thought,
however, she was going to do it,"
Could Have Turned the other Way.
Had she turned the other way, was
there space enough for her to have
made such a turn without endangering
the Texas"
"Perfectly-perfectly clear enough
space"