The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1901-10-17


where were those signal lights and
what were they?"
Felt Sure It Was the spaniards.
81 judged them to have been about
six or seven miles to the westward,
three lights, one ahead Of the others,
very distinctly, and the discussion that
took place on the ship, in which
think the commodore took part, was
pretty clear evidence that it was a
signal of some kind to assist that fleet
and that he certainly had them in
there. I know he felt doubly sure at
that time that he had them there"
There could have been no doubt,
whatever, from the arrangement Of
those lights that they were intended
as signalS?"
"Oh no, their appearing at the time
they did and remaining so long, but
we could not determine from whom or
to whom they were sent"
Mr.. Hanna questioned witness con-
corning the arrival of the Iowa and the
Dupont off Cienfuegos. Captain Cook
said they had brought dispatches and
he had gathered from conversation
with Commodore Schley after they
were received that it was the idea of
both Sampson and Schley that they
should continue to hold Cienfuegos.
He did not, he said, recall the receipt
of the McCalla memorandum convey
ing information of a landing place
near Cienfuegos. After reading the
dispatch he said:
II never saw or heard Of it. It may
have been received, but if I had seen
it, certainly would remember it."
In this connection he said that while
he was not formally appointed as chief
Of staff to Commodore Schley he had
often acted in that capacity and the
commodore had, he said, always COM
municated very freely with him.
Mr.. Hanna-"Were you present at
any interview between Captain Nc
Gala and the COMMODORE"
I'VE talked on various subjects at
first. I think Captain McCalla in
formed him he had mining materials
for the insurgents and that he was
going to communicate with the in
surgent camp. We brought up the
question about the camp and where
it was and then the commodore said
to him:
McCalla Explains the Lights.
eve have seen three peculiar
lights, one ahead of the other here, but
we cannot make out what they are
and I believe it is something in con-
nection with the Spanish fleet C-p-
tain McCalla gave q start, threw up
his hands and said: That is the sig
nal from the insurgent camp. They
want to communicate with you, he
added, well I can go there and find
out at once
"The commodore told him to go, to
get off as soon as possible and added,
You can send a boat across and let
me know as soon as possible Then
the subject of coaling came up again
concerning the great difficulty we were
going to have in coaling from golfers
and Captain McCalla said: You need
not be at all concerned about me. |
will get coal if there is any to be OBJ
tained.' He was always cheerful
about everything. He started from
the ship almost Immediately and said.
I must get off, In the meantime,
closely connected with that, was the
arrival of the Adula. This steamer
came in from Jamaica and reported
that the Spanish fleet had gone into
Santiago and had left On the 18th.
recollect that particularly, because
that seemed to confirm the commo-
dore's idea that they had reached
Cienfuegos. 1t was a suspicious craft
They did not give any clear reason Tor
| going in except to communicate with
their subjects and in my conversation
with the commodore, my impressions
were that he looked upon that as en-
tirely suspicious Not understanding
the matter and not knowing exactly
his object, I said something to him
about letting that steamer go in. !
don't care anything about that steam
er, but I am bound to get Information
| from her. If the captain does not give
| it I will certainly get it out Of some
of the passengers. 1t was arranged
| that when she came out the officers
! should go abroad and question the pas
sengers and get information from
them. She did not come out. THAI
confirmed him still more that they
were there. Then the Eagle came
down in the evening and reported tha
they had communicated with the in
surgent camp and that the Spanish
squadron was not in Cienfuegos."
THAT information was given in pos
tive form, was it,"
positive"
Question of Coal Supply.
Speaking of the coal supply of tn
vessels of the flying squadron whil
at Cienfuegos Captain Cook said tina
his only anxiety was concerning tn
Texas, whose supply was light. It ha'
been found difficult to coal that shll
on account of her sponsors. He sal
in this connection that Commodor
Schley always had been persistent i
keeping the ships as full of coal a
possible, availing himself Of every OF
portunity to take on fresh supplies
In reply to questions he said he ha
not been especially anxious about tn
coal supply of the Brooklyn and neve
had been, "although," he said, "ther
were times when I should have bee
glad to have more"
Captain Cook said he recalled tn
arrival of the dispatch boat Hawk o