The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1901-09-26
SCRLEY COURT SITS.
BOARD OF INQUIRY REcoNvENEs
IN WASHINGTON.
Rear Admiral Ramsay Succe eds Rear
Admiral Howison. Declared lneliE.-
b!e-Testinouy of Admiral HiGI inson
Was the Feature of the Day.


Admiral Howison. Declared IneiiE.-
b!e-Testinouy of Admiral HiGr insor
Was the Feature of the Day.
The Schley court of inquiry reconvened
in Washington Friday morning and Real
| Admiral Ramsay was accepted As a mem
| ber of the court in place of Admiral
| Howison. to whom objection had beei
| made. The feature of the days pro
ceedings was Admiral Higginson testi'
mony. TO the effect that he believed the
| Co!'.n could have been sunk and tha,
| Scnley did not use every effort to accom-
| plish this.
After the court had been called TO order
the appointment OF Rear Admiral Ram
say as a member of the court was an
nounced, Admiral Ramsay succeeding
Rear Admiral Howison. declared ineiigi-
BILE. Judge Advocate Lemly asked II
there We're any objections to Ramsay and
Admiral Schley and his counsel signihed
that the new member was accepted.
After the court had administered the
oath to everybody concerned i'll the IN
quiry the court retired 10 read the precept
to Rear Admiral Ramsay. Judge Ad-
vocate Lemly presented a number Of ref
ereDce books and maps and then read
the orders assigning Sampson to com
mand Of the North Atlantic squadron and
Schley to thot of the flying squadron.
These orders were read for the purpose
of showing ut the beginning of the in
Qu:ry that Sampson was in command OF
the entire fleet and Schley's superior Off
Ger.
Higginson Gives Testimony.
Rear Admiral Higginson was the first
witness. He was in command of the bat
tleship Massachusetts during the war
with Spain. Higginson, who at the time
of the battle. was a captain in the navy,
detailed movements of the feet He is
considered one of the anti-Schley wit
nesses. During his testimony he said
that the colliers Merrimac and Castine
accompanied the fleet and that the Mas
sachusetts was able to take on 13I tons
of coal without trouble while at sea. He
also testified that the Iowa took on some
coal
After detailing the movement Of the
fleet from May 10, when Key West was
left, to May %, when the Colon was
sighted, ''She was in plain view at the
entrance of the harbor Of Santiago" said
Hirginson, in response to questions from
the judge advocate. Then the question
ing took another tack and before the wit
ness was asked il Schley used his utmost
efforts to destroy the Spanish vessel Lem
ly switched the questioning TO the block
ade. Higginson testified that the fleet
was closer to the harbor in the night time
than in the day time and that the vessels
kept constantly moving.
Then the testimony went back to the
firing cn the Colon. which was nosina
around the harbor of Santiago. In re
sponse to questions Higginson said that
Schley came aboard his vessel and said
it wa. his plan to have the ships pass
the mouth of the harbor at a ten-kno,
speed and distance of 5000 yards and
fire at the Colon as they passed the har'
bor.
He said this was done and that the
plan gave the fleet only about two min
utes to shoot at the Spanish ships. Hig-
ginson said most Of the shots from the
Massachusetts fell from 500 to Loo
yards short and that so far as he could
observe the Colon was not hit. He said
that the bombardment Of the Colon de
veloyed the location and strength Of the
shore batteries, the shots Of which came
near to the Massachusetts,. He testified,
however, that the shore batteries did not
impress him as being dangerous in the
least.
There was a quick exchange between |
Mr. Rayner. Schley's counsel, and Capt |
I hav, ha StaA piODiusnn haxv dir l
Schley's conduct impress him.
'.As that OF the commanding officer
answered Higginson, evading the ques |
tou.
Lemly insisted on more explicit an |
swer. After q series OF exchanges be
tween Rayner and Lemly the latter with
drew the question.
Colon Not Ordered Destroyed.
During the testimony Higginson testi
fed that Schley was in the coming tow
ec during part of the engagement, but
that he soon came out ard watched the
maneuvers from the bridge.
Then Judge Advocate Lemly asked:
Admiral, when the Colon was sighted
outside the harbor why did not the Mas
So chusetts go in and destroy her:'
Because she was not ordered to dc
So" was the quick reply.
Then Lemly started to establish the
fact that Schley had not issued any for.
mai order to follow in case the Spanish
fleet came out Of the harbOr. He asked
what specific orders had been given the
Massachusetts, for such a contingency.
Hiyginson said he remembered no orders
other than the verbal agreement that
each ship would go in at close quarters
ana do its best.
Judge Advocate Lemly tried to make
the captain admit that there should have
been battle arrangement by which the
ships Of the American fleet were desig
ne ted to take care Of particular Spanish
vessels, but he refused to be pinned
down. Then he was asked TO answer the
questions in the seventh precept regard
ins the Spanish cruiser Colon. Higgin
son's reply made Schley vince. Il think
he said, that the Colon could have beer
sunk"
Then, raising his voice, the judge advo
cate asked if every effort was made by
Schley to capture or destroy the Spanish
cruiser Colon as it lay in harbor frOm
May % to May 81. inclusive.
No, don't believe there was, can't
the unhesitating reply.
Judge Wilson jumped to his feet. Ad
m:ral Schley pulled nervously at hi.
beard. The navy regulations order tha
the commander Of an American vesse
sh all be liable to such punishment as 9
court martial may direct if he does moi
use his utmost efforts to sink the vesse
of an enemy when sighted. Judge vii |
bon argued against allowing Higginson.
opinion on such serious matter to enter
Into the records.
Mr. Rayner held that Higginson should
simply testify what took place on those
days and then allow the court to formu |
ate ITS opinion as to whether Schley usec
his utmost efforts from the facts.
Brief NeXa Itema.