Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-09-30

Captain Jewell, of the Cruiser
Minneapolis, Also on the
Stand.
Washington, Sept. 30.-The schley
court of inquiry began today's session
by recalling the witnesses of the previ-
Gus days for any correction to the testi-
mopy given. While Commander South
erland was ON the stand he was asked
by the court whether if the fleet Of Ger
vern had been in the harbor at Cienfue-
gos it could have been seen by vessels
b.ockading the port. He replied: II can
rot definitely say. Not unless they had
anchored in the lower harbor just in-
sid the entrance in deep water, where
| the schooner to which referred before
was anchored. do not believe they
would have anchored in that spot"
| The first new witness of the day was
Commander James Miller, in command
Of the collier Merrimac, part of Schley's
| flying squadron. Miller said he had as
sumed command Of the Merrimac on
April IL at Norfolk. He had taken on
board at Lambert's Point soon after
ward about 5000 tons of coal. Witness
said late in the afternoon Of the 26th q
valve broke on the Merrimac, but the
weather and sea were such that he be-
1 n 1aI cal
to the time of the breakdown. Asked
| If the vessels could have been coaled
while the Merrimac was in tow of the
Yale witness replied that was q suppose
titious question, and he would not like
to say. As matter OF fact she did not
coal any vessels while in tow. On all
days from May % to the 31st, except on
days when en- route from Cienfuegos to
Santiago and when disa blcs. the Merri-
mac had vessels alongside for the pur-
pose of coaling and they had been
coaled from the collier. Questioned
regarding his objection to coaling the
Texas, Miller said he objected because he
didn't like to have two battleships along
side the collier at the same time, owing
to their tendency to roll and liability OF
crushing the collier. 1t was not so much
on account of the weather as the pres
enee of a battlcship on either side. In
IIeply to questions by the court. witness
said he knew of no pointsahere vessels
could have found protection from the
sea May "a unless far to the eastward of
Cienfuegos. II he had been ordered to
coal any vessel May 25 he would have
obeyed, but if he had hie own choice he
i I,,tk how 1as1 X6of CO
of the nasty weather.
Capt. Theodore F. Jewell, who COM
manded the cruiser Minneapolis, said he
had first fallen in with the flying squad
ron on the evening of May 26. Lemley
quoted from Schley's letter to the SEN
ate committee on naval affairs, dated
Feb. IS. 1899, saying: After having
been informed by scouts commanded by
such officers as Sigsbee, jewell and Wise
that, altho they had been Off Santiago
for week, they had seen nothing Of
Cervera's fleet since 1t left Curacao
and asked whether he had given Schley
this information. He replied: II gave
him no information with reference to
that subject whatever"
He also said that altho within signal
ing distance of the flagship at no time
was he asked any question by Schley
as to the presence Of the Spanish squad
ron in Santiago.
Capt. Jewell said when he had first
seen Schley's statement as to the infor-
nation he might have given concern.
ing Ceryeras' fleet he had written let
ter to the department denying he had
done so. Objection was made to this
line Of testimony and it was not per-
sisted in. Witness said he had no
knowledge that Bigsbee. speaking for
himself and for Jewell and Wise, stated
to Schley on the 26th, at Santiago that
neither of the three had seen anything
or knew the Whereabouts of the Span
ish fleet. Nor did he know whether Slgs-
bee wrote letter to Schley stating that
was fact.
Jewell was excused and McCalla was
recalled for the purpose of correcting
testimony. While on the stand the court
asked him two questions:
WAS there place in the vicinity of
Cape Cruz where vessels could find
protection from westerly or southwest
erly winds?"
NO" very quickly.
Had the feet of Cervera been in the
harbor at Cienfuegos could it have been
seen by vessels blockading that port?"
81 should say not"
Admiral Robley Evans, who was cap
tain OF the battleship Iowa during the
battle off Santiago, was next called. He
lstated he had first Joined the flying
squadron off Cienfuegos on May 22d,
when he took dispatches from Sampson
to Schley. These dispatches he had sent
to Schley by his executive officer, Rog-
ers, he not seeing the commodore him
self. AS the dispatches We're sealed he
did not know their contents.
"Please state what, il anything, was
done while the squadron was off Glen
fuegas toward developing the fact as to
whether the Spanish squadron under
Cervera was or was not in the harbor
of Cienfuegos."
There was nothing done as far as !
know"
"what, If anything. within your
knowledge, was done toward destroying
or preventing further completion of the
enemy's batteries in the vicinity of
Cienfuegos?"
"On Sunday afternoon Schley formed
the squadron in columns and stood in TO
range about mile and a half from
shore, made the turn and stood out
again. That is the only thing know"
WAS any attack made upon the en-
emy or by the enemy at that ttme?"