The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-13
Proceeding Of the Court of Inquiry
EnIivcBed by an Incident
Near the Close.
TWO NEW WITNESSES HEARD
TESTIMONY or COMMANDER STAIN
o AND LIEUT.. TwINIAG.
Effort by Rayner to show that schIey
Did Not Know CcrVera Was at
Santiago Until May -.

court Of inquiry held but one session to-
day, adjourning at 1 o'clock until Monday
I'm order TO give those engaged in the in
quiry an opportunity FOR cooperation
Captain Chadwick concluded his testimony,
begun yesterday. and Lieutenant Com
mander Sidney 4. %StaUnton. who served on
the New York as an assistant TO Captain
Chadwick as chief Of staff for Admiral
Sampson. and Lieut.. Nathan G. Twining,
formerly of the Iowa, were introduced as
new witnesses.
Commander Staunton's testimony dealt
largely with dispatches forwarded by Adj
miral Sampson 10 Commodore Schley, and
while he was under examination MIR. Ray
ner outlined a contention in behalf Of Ad-
miral Schley TO the effect that the dispatch
written on May q was the first positive
notice that the commander-in-chief had
given Commodore Schley of the Spanish
feet being in the harbOr at Santiago.
Lieutenant Twining said in his testimony
that while the flying squadron occupied a
position OF from three TO five miles out
from cienfuegos during the daytime. the
distance was increased to from seven 10
nine miles at night. lie was in charge OF
the eight,ineh guns during the bomoardI
he said that all the shots from the Amer
lean feet fell short of the mark
Near the close Of the day ; session Judge
Advocate Lemly and Mr.. Rdyner became
engaged In a controversy over the ad-
FEASIBILITY at that time OF a chart showing
the speed OF the vessels Of the flying squad
ron. and when Mr.. Rayner made d state
ment concerning the matter 10 be intro
duced the judge advocate took exception TO
its reception. saying Mr.. Rayners sum
mary might be inaccurate, as other state
1nents made BY him, referring especially 20
the contents OF documents presented, mad
been. Mr.. Rayner resented the expression
and Fanlian TO rhn effect that II uttered
outside OF the courtroom he would say that
1t was false. Before the court adjourned
both MIR. Rayner and Captain Lemly made
statements concerning the incident 10 the
court, and Admiral Dewey expressed the
opinion that Captain Lemly's explanation
should be satisfactory TO MI Rayner.
CHADWICK EXAMINED AGAIN.
When Captain Chadwick took the stand
this morning Mr.. Rayner formally ad-
dressed the court requesting permission to
ask two questions which he outlined. He
called attention 10 a question put to Cap
tain Chadwick yesterday concerning a tele-
gram OF congratulatiOn which Admiral
Sampson had sent 10 Commodore Schley on
May .. He had asked the witness il he
remembered that message, and the witness
y had replied that he did remember it very
well. and adding, Because / protested
against his congratulations"
Mr.. Rayner said that this last expression
was purely voluntary ON Captain Chad
wicks part and was not necessary in re-
sponse TO the inquiry. The questions, which
he stated to the court, were as follows:
"FIrst-When did you first learn Of the
existence of dispatch No. S?'
"Seoond-Did you then, in protesting
against the sending OF this cOnSratulatory
dispatch. refer TO his blockade of Cienfue-
Admiral Dewey stated the court had no
objection TO the questions, ana Captain
lemly said he would not object. providing
he could cross-examine on the points
raised. Mr.. Rayner did not cOncede this
right, but before the point was decided Mr..
Rayner asked his first question as pre-
Ntously given TO the court. After reading
the dispatch in question the witness said:
IT was informed OF its purpOrt at the time
81 was sent to the Marblehead.'
Did you see IL when it was sent 10 the
Marblehead7"
Il did not read it,"
When did you fiTst read it,
Il did not read the original dispatch until
SchIey. brought by the Hawk"
Wasn't that on May %. when your ship
was at a point between Havana and Cape
Francis. IN the vicinity OF Cape Pedras?'
Yes"
did you have the blockade Of Cienfuegos
sending Of the cOngratulatory Dispatch"
May l ask IL you mean L had that only
I'm mind?'
Il do not mean that. I mean whether you
had ii i'm mind at all"
Il can say 1 had il partly"
After Mr. Rayner had formally asked his
second question captain CHADWICK offered
n written reply. but Mr.. Rayner objected.
saying: Il must first read what he has
written before he answers. 1t might be
something very Objectionable. Suppose lie
did protest How did that affect the case?
What We wanted IS the cOngratuiatOry dis
patch. Now he brings in something en-
tirely different. If the witness in answer
10 my second question says yes or no
j won't object, but il he says anything else
! would like to have the opportunity of
Captain Chadwick then tore up his writ
ten reply and answered verbally: II had it
partly in mind"
On redirect examination Mr.. Hanna
brought out the Information that the telc-
gram of congratulation of Commodore
Schley had been based partly on the cap
ture OF "A collier with coal for the Spanish
1leet. which capture was made by Captain
SigSbee. Captain Chadwick also said that
he had drafted Admiral SIMPSONS second
dispatch of May II, the one sent from
Havana, and while the dispatch from Key
West. designated as No. 8. was sent at 2
6 O'Clock. Captain Chadwick was then ex-
cused.
lieutenant Commander Sidney A. staun-
ton was called next. Before the witness
took his seat Judge Advocate Lemly asked
and received permission to put in as evil
oence Admiral SIMPSONS official report
made at Guantanamo bay Aug. ., 1895.
STAUNTON'S TESTIMONY.
Lieutenant Commander Staunton related
the particulars OF his securing Informal
ton of the presence Of Cervera's fleet at
Santiago. He said that while the feet un-
der Admiral sampson .Iy az Key West on
the morning Of May 70 he went ashore.
While in the office OF Commodore Remev
he said that Captain Allen. of the signal
Office. had called him aside and told him
that he had received information of the
presence OF the Spanish fleet at Santiago
which he believed 10 be- correct. The in
formation was 10 the effect that the fleet
had entered the harbor on Nav 10. The in
formation came from an emDIOve OF the
telegraph office at Havana, who could only
send his Information at s o'clock when
others were absent from the office there.
Captain Allen had. the witness said. asked
that great secrecy be observed for the pro-
lection OF the operator. only agreeing that
the commander-in-chief and his staff SHOULD
be Informed. Later the witness had re-
: tory Information lie then stated that on
Ire next morning MAY 2l the fleet pro-
ceeded 90 the blockade OF Havana. Admiral
Sampson being satisfied that the nforma-
ton concerning the presence OF the fleet
at Santiago was correct. The ADMIRAL ac-
cordingly had called up the Hawk aud for
warded his dispatches 10 Commodore
Echley.
Captain Lemly-Tell the court fully from
what source the Information was received
concerning the arrival OF Cervera's feet i'm
Santiago. 1 would like yea 10 identify the
dispatch put into cipher at that time. To
which you refer.
The dispatch 7 referred 20 as having
been drawn mp by Captain Chadwick IN
my presence IS the dispatch known as the