Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-09-20
SCHLEY NAVAL
COURT OF INQUIRY
Admiral Ramsay Satisfactory to
Appellant
ADM'L HIGGlNS0N TESTIFIES
asked What schleyI Manner In Ac-
lion Was, said, "That OF u Conn
mandef-in-C Chief"

Washington Sept 2O.-After an inter-
mission Of eight days, the schey court
Of inquiry resumed its sittings at II
o'clock today in the tool shops at tho
navy yard, Rear Admiral Ramsay &c.
cupied the seat which on the FIRST day
OF the session was filled by Rear Adj
mlral Howison All three members Of
the court We're in service uniform and
the morning air was cold enough 10
make their closely buttonod coats ap-
pear comfortable Mrs Dewey aecom-
panied her husband and remained a
short time The general attendance
was not large
The court was called to order by a
simple word from Admiral Dewey
NO OBJECTION TO RAMSAY.
The first order Of business was read
ing by Judge Advocate Lemly OF tae
| order Of the navy department appoint
| ing Rear Admiral Ramsay TO place N
| the court in place OF Rear Admiral
| Howlson, and when this was accom-
pshed, Capt. Lemly turned TO Admiral
| Schley and asked him. as he did when
| Admiral Howison was challenged.
whether he had objection to urge
| against any member OF the court. The
| admiral arose as this question was
| asked and replied, Il have not
The judge advocate then swore the
| members OF the court collectively and
then In turn was sworn as Judge adj
vocate.
The court then retired for the pur-
pose Of discussing the methods Of pro-
cedure. Before the withdrawal a let
ter from Admiral Schley 90 the navy
department requesting to be supplied
with all papers bearing upon the case,
and the departments reply granting
the request, was read
sCHLEY SAID go AHEAD"
At lips the court returned from ia
consultation. Judge Advocate I.emly,
addressing Admiral Schley as the APP
plicant' asked II he had any sug-
gesti0ns 60 make as to the method ~
procedure, whether he had something
TO offer or desired that ne Q.emy)
proceed. The admiral responded with
q nod OF the head and a move II the
hand, Go ahead"
Mr.. Lemly then presented the report
OF the bureau Of navigation for lS9S.
a photographic chart OF the West In
dies and adjacent seas and other
charts He stated explicitly that they
were introduced not as testimony but
as books Of reference.
WIN they preclude the Introduction
Of original Documents" Judge Wilson
asked.
mot at ALL" was the reply. ION the
contrary. we shall desire to introduce
the original document when opportun.-
~ offers"
Capt. Parker made objection to the
photographic chart when 1t was pre-
scented.
1T is grossly Incorrect" he said. AS
a matter OF fact the coast line OF Cuba
is six miles further south and four
miles further west than II should be-"
lie Withdrew his objection when as
sured that the chart was not TO be used
as evidence.
ADMIRAL HIGGINsoN CALLED.
Admiral Francis J. Higgnson, COM
mander-in-chief Of the North Atlantic
squadron, was the first witness called.
lie said that he had, as captain COM
mandel the battleship Massachusetts,
during the Spanish war and that for
part Of the time the Massachusetts had
been part OF the flying squadron
Of which Admiral Scly'ey had been In
command. he told OF joining the fleet
al Newport News. Of going 10 Key
Vest and then, on the 22nd Of May, OF
going TO CienfuegOs, Cuba. Key West
had been lett on May IS, 1895. and
Cienfuegos reached on the 22nd.
What was then done to secure COM
municatiOn with the Cuban forces on
sh0reY Capt Iemly asked,
Nothing, 10 my knowledge" the wit
ness replied. Il did not see that any
thing was done but | understood that
information concerning the Cubans was
received through Capt McCalla.'
Admiral higginson, IN response TO
questions said that this was later.
lie also tcld, In reply TO questions. OF
the presence Of the collier Merrimac,
and Of the departure from Cienfueg0s
aud the arrival al Santiago on the even
ing u the 10Th. In reply 10 questions.
he said that the Massachusetts, had az
that time taken On board thirteen ions
Of coal but that as The weather was
heavy this was done with difficulty.
RETURN TO KEY WEST INCIDENT.
This witness also tod OF the fleets
leaving Santiago for Key West on the
night OF It's arrival al the former place
and hoW after steam.ng westward for
some time, tie vessels. all IN response
% Commodore SChsy's signals, re-
turned and steamed % within two or
three milesof lhe mouth of the harbor
What happened 10 cause the dccis-
ion o. return 20 Key West?"
Il don't know"
what was the condition Of the wea-
Their "a, that time for coalug al soap
1T was impossible % coal ! think.
Did you have any conference with
the commanding officer Ga regard 10
returning 20 Santiago after you had
gotten on the way 20 Key West?"
None we acted under general or
deis All We ala was 90 follow the sig
mas 90 The iagship-the signals Of ihe
cUmmsnier-in-chief'
Speakllg ~ ihe Condit ons when San
tiago harb0r was again reached the
admiral said hc could see wei int.
the hafb1r and thar BE saw the Span
ish sh.p Colon lying On the outward
hafh.r De asa not remember seeing
Other vessels but the Colon was then
1900 yards beyond Moro castle The
vessel hai lain there until she Was Cred
url0. which was done on May 5lst
ana h.d tlon retired
Describing fhis engagement Admiral
F.crHscD r1ii 70 was ou the day he
fore TIE arrival of endorsements un-
dCI Admiral sampson. ie said that
Adrhal schIey had come and said that
b. wanted 90 go in and fire on tho
colon"
some went Ia and fired IN her, cons
trr.i The witness Hs sal7 fhe shot.
fsu short Of TIE Colon and nat no
erauish shore batteries hal On turn
hred al the bomharding shigs.
In reply 10 questions a. 10 what had