Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-11-08
.SPEAKSFOR SCHLEY.
Argument Of Capt. Parker In the
Admira1's Defense.
DISCUSSES SANTIAGO CAMPAIGN.
He Declares That tho Inquiry Into
Schley's Actions Has Become,
in Fact, a Trial - MI.
Hanna Closea.

schley's Actions Has Become
I'm Fact. a Trial - MI.
Hanna Closes.
Washington, Nov -.e.-Mr. Hanna
Continued his argument when the
sehley court Of inquiry convened at
II o'clock Tuesday morning.
Mr.. Hanna briefly reverted to the
cruise of the flying squadron from
Cienfuegos to Santiago for the pur-
pose of showing that neither the Vixen
or the Merrimao had been the cause OF
the delay on the voyage.
He then continued his discussion OF
the retrograde movement, saying that
but one explanation had been given for
1t in Admiral schley's dispatch, name
ly, the mad equacy of the coal supply.
"There is" he said. mo suggestion OF any
other reason in this dispatch. In his testi-
mony before this court Admiral Schley
gave four reasons for leaving his station
OFF Santiago, but no one of these four rea-
sons appears in his telegraphic report
made at the time"
Deciares sch1ey Disobeyed.
Mr.. Hanna then took up SPECIFICATION nve,
of the precept, relating to the circum-
stances attending and the reasons for the
disobedience by Commodore, Schley of the
orders, Of the department. contained in ats
dispatch dated May Is. 1898. and the pro-
priety of.his' conduct in the premises.
| Mr., Hanna took issue with Admiral
sohley that the dispatch: 1.-THE depart
! ment looks to you to ascertain fact and
that the enemy, If therein, does not leave
without decisive; action" was 2 sugges-
tfon and not mandatory ORDER. Mr.. Han
ma quoted Admiral Sc1l1ey's diapatch of
May.7, In which he expressed regret over
not being able to obey orders. saying that
as 1t was written after the Cotton dis
, patch had been received It was an explicit
confession that the Cotton telegram was
an order
Taking up the coal supply of the fleet as
required by specification six of the precept,
Mr.. Hanna said:
From testimony of commanding and
other officers Of the Brooklyn, the Iowa. the
Massa chusetts the Marblehead, and the
executive and other officers of the Texas.
and from the steam logs OF those vessels
1t has been established that tho flying
| squadron was on May q. 1855, fairly well
equipped with COAL
| The Colon Incident.
| Specification. seven was next considered.
| This requires an inquiry as to whether
every proper effort was made TO capture
the Colon as that vessel lay in tbs harbor
at Santiago, and referring to IT Mr.. Hanna
said aide. ,. ). .,..,so.,., :.
seems sufficient to say that when tho fly
| Ing squadron arrived off Santiago on May
% the Colon was discovered in plain sight,
lying about 1000 to 1,2o0 yards inside Of
the Morro, mo9red sterp and Ttern, AppHI-
emily, with awnings UP, and that abe 10 re-
manned during the 18th, 80th and alst' Of
May end until the morning of June 1t In
this connection Mr. Hanna referred to the
reconnaissance of May 81, during which the
Colon was hombarded and said that cur
ing this action not one of our ships had
the Colon under FIRE for total period of
more than five Minutes. and the Colon was
not struck
Mr. Hanna then. referred to the eighth
specification of the precept. concerning the
withdrawal of the ships Of the flying squad
Fon from the vicinity Of the hafbor at Sab
tsago at night. OF this be said: TT does
hot appear from the testimony aGdMsed be-
fore this court that the vessels Of tbs dy-
ing squadron We're withdrawn ts1m Khe
entrance to Santiago harboT TO a fiatasanA
at sea- and therefore, The extent and char
acter Of such withdrawal need not be dis
cussed.
Taking up the blockade OF Santiago Mr..
Hanna said he did not feel competent to
discuss 1t. and therefore would content
himself with outlining lis character.
The Brooklyn's Loop.
+ Mr. Hanna said that beyond the Brook
iyn's turn the battle of Santiago was not
involved in the-inauiry. He said that ae,
cording to the weight OF the testimony no
disposition was manifested by the Span
ish ships.ts ram the Brooklyn. With ref
erence to the testimony concerning the pos
sibility of collision with the Texas Mr..
Hanna called attention to the fact that the
two vessels In closing In moved on con-
Verging lines. He said that Capt. Cook
md Yrr Jnlr n
served Commodore Schley's movements on
the day of the battle from different stand
points. Mr.. Hanna said beyond peradven-
ture the progress of the Texas vas seri-
ousy fnterferred with.
Colloquy with Hodgson.
Mr.. Hanna also discussed the, rep6rted
| colloquy between Commodore Sthley .ahd
| Lieut.. Hodgson, which forms the tenth
count in the precept In which Schley was
! reported to have said during the turn:
Damn the Texas" This remark, Mr..
Hanna said, showed lack of interest in
another ship of the fleet. He expressed the
| opinion that there was much to stain Mr..
Hodgsons recollection of this incident
Mr.. Hanna concluded his speech at
2:S5 p. M, having spoken about four and a
half hours. He said that he considered the
inquiry serious ,proce eding and the ques-
| ton involved most important, and con-
| cluded with thanks to the court for Its at
ment.
Capt. Parker Speaks for Schley.
Capt. Parker, Junior counsel for Admiral
Schley, then began his address in support
Of Admiral Schley. He stood at counsels
table and spoke In clear and distinct tones.
u doubt, said Capt. Parker. "if the naval
history Of the world presents OF ever has
| presented case of the Importance and
| character of that in which we have SO long
| been engaged. doubt If a tribunal more
| exalted In the character of the persons who
compose 1t has ever sat In judgment upon a
brother officer. I doubt II an officer, with
the lifelong character and standing and
| conduct that Admiral Schley has always
| displayed, was ever called upon before to
| ask an investigation of his conduct as
victorious commander of fleet"
Not Inquiry But Trial.
There is no accuser here" he said; mo.
body is on trial. and yet the case has been
| conducted as though Commodore Schley
| were on trial. We get it," he went on, Sin
| the order of the argument now being made
| here. So That we are compelled to consid-
| err the inquiry as trial"
Taking up the events of the campaign In
| their sequence Capt. Parker spoke of the
| interviews between Admiral Sampson and
| Commodore Schley at Key West. saying
! that he would not give Admiral SchIey 5
| testimony on this point. He pointed out,
| however, that Schley was not then in
formed that the Spanish fleet had left
| Curacao. notwithstanding Sampson had
| been in possession of this information for
| three or -four days. =
He then quoted SIMPSONS orders to
| Schley to proceed to CiGnfuegos and there
| establish blockade and quoted Schleys
1 testimony to the effect that Sampson told
him he had at that time no adviccs as ia
| the Where bouts of. The Standards