The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-10-02
Admiral Modiies Some of
His Testimony.
" APPLICANT" OBJECTS
His Counsel Will Admit Letter at
the "Proper Time"
vIxEN'S COMMANDER QUESTIONED
Great Deal of Testimony on the
Changes in HarIOw's Notes
on the Battle.

! Washington, Oct. 2-The proceedings OF
the Schley court of inquiry to-day began
with the usual recall of former witnesses
for the correction of their testimony in
the official record. After these came
| Chief Yeoman Becker, who had begun his
! testimony yesterday and was on the stand
when the proceedings closed. He was at
that time under cross examination by
Mr.. Rayner and this was continued this
morning.
The formal proceedings of the day were
begun with brief explanation of the
large chart of the southern coast of Cuba,
which hangs on the wall of the courtroom.
This explanation was made by Captain
Lemly, who said that the chart had been
prepared from data collected since the war
with Spain and was much more correct
than former charts. Captain Parker, on
behalf of Admiral Schley, said that with
these explanations he was willing to ac-
cept the chart as authentic
Evans Produces a Letter.
Admiral Evans was the first of the wit
nesses of yesterday who appeared for thu
purpose of making corrections in his tes-
timony. Having made these corrections,
Admiral Evans arose and addressed the
court, saying:
May it please the court, in connection
with one of the questions asked me yester-
day, unless Admiral Schley or his coun'
object should like to make statemeA
and produce a letter. If at any moment
counsel object or Admiral Sehley objects,
will withdraw it and stop.
Mr.. Rayner-Could we look at the letteri
Admiral Evans-Certainly (handing it to
Mr.. Rayner). 1t is q matter entirely per-
sonal to me, sir. When the question was put
to me yesterday it put me in the position OF
having Dragged of the destruction of the
whole feet on board the Brooklyn. Ths
identical words were used in letter pur-
porting TO come from the Brooklyn and pub
lshed in a Washington newspaper on July
25, 1898. l Immediately went to the editor OF
the paper to ascertain the author of such
letter, and he ascertained that it was wo-
man who had given this information.
Whether she was paid for it or not could
not find out At the same time l wrote to
Captain Cook of the Brooklyn, enclosing the
article and there is his reply. I would like
that letter to go in the testimony In connec-
tion with that question, the words are
identically the words used in this scurrilous
letter published in the newspaper.
Mr.. Rayner-I do not object to any explain
alton at all that you may make. There was
nothing wrong in the question itself.
Admiral Evans-The question was put to
me If / had stated: II had shot the bow on
the Pluton, raked this ship and knocked out
another one" etc. There is Captain Cooks
letter denying that such conversation took
place.
Mr. Rayner-The point Is whether the con-
versation was between you and Commodore
Schley.
Mr.. Rayner said he would object to the
presentation of the letter at this time,
but not at the proper time. He said the
proper time for this will be when Captain
Cook is on the stand.
Admiral EVans-I withdraw it
Mr.. Rayner-I am perfectly willing you
should submit it at the proper time.
After some further colloquy the incident
| closed.
What He JOtted Down.
Thomas NJ Dieuaide, the newspaper
correspondent, when called to correct his
testimony Of yesterday, made brief ad-
dress to his response to one Of Admiral
Dewey's questions. The question put by
the admiral was whether he (Dieuaide)
had heard Captain Philip give orders to
back the engines when the two were on
the bridge of the Texas during the battle
off Santiago. Dieuaide had replied that
he might have heard the order and he
might not. To-day he said in explanation
of this statement:
The next thing 1 heard was the range
given, and just then the starboard twelve
inch gun was fred almost fore and aft OF the
ship. l jotted that and went around to the
port side of the coming tower to the
captain He might have given several orders
at about that time that ! did not hear. or
course 1 did not note everything l heard
Yeoman Becker was then recalled and
was excused after brief questioning con-
cerning the dispatches prepared by him
at Key West for Admiral Samp-
son for Commodore Schley. He
again said that, according to his recol-
| lection, these dispatches we're forwarded
by the Iowa and the Dupont, but said that
his statement was based entirely upon his
memory.
Commanded the Vixen.
Lieutenant Commander Alexander NJ
Sharp, who commanded the converted
yacht Vixen during the Spanish war. was
| the first new witness Of the day. He tes-
tilted that he first fell in with the flying
squadron on the morning of May "a of
Cienfuegos. He said that the weather on
the cruise from Cienfuegos to Santiago
was squally but that it was not sufficient
ly bad to interfere with the speed of the
Vixen The vessel had not, he said, been
in urgent need of coal on May 26.
"If l had been" he said, "and received
orders to coal l should have tried to do so,
though it would have been an uncomfort-
able Job, because the Vixen was very
small ship"
Commander Sharp said that notwith-
standing he had been on board the Brook
! lyn several times, Commodore Schley had
| never discussed with him the retrograde
| movement toward Key West begun on
| May 28.
Describing the service Of the Vixen dur
! ing the siege OF Santiago under Commo-
! dore Schley, Commander Sharp said that
he was placed on picket duty at the east
| ern end Of the line on the night of May 20
/ and continued this duty afterward He
| was about two miles from the shore, he
| said, and probably three miles from the
/ mouth of the harbor. The entire feet
! could not be discerned at night and the
shore line could only be discerned as a
] black mass in the distance.
Mr. Hanna-Could you have seen a vessel
| undertaking to pass out near the shore under
| those conditions?
1 fSoror,apdar Sharn-If she had ahown no