Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-10-22

Been Received-tt Was Also Adj
mittcd That Two Copies of samp-
sons Dispatch No. Had ncen
Recefved-Tbc Lieutenant viii
Continue His Testimony To-day.
WASHINGTON. October 2i.-Lieut.
B. w. Wells, Jr., who was the flag lieu
tenant of Admiral Sehley while the lat
ter was in command of the flying squad
ron. occupied practically the entire time
Of the Sehley court OF inquiry today.
On his direct examination he continued
his narrative of the Cuban campaign.
Lieut.. Wells was under cross examina-
ton for about two and half hours,
largely at the hands of Mr.. Hanna,
whose questions were directed mainly
TO the dispatches received and sent by
admiral. then commodore. Schley.
While this line OF investigation was
being exploited Mr. Rayner. speaking
for Admiral Schley, said that the adj
mirsl was willing TO admit that he had
received the Dear Sch.ey" letter on the
Dupont which arrived at Cienfuegos on
May %. but he added that no dupli-
cate of this dispatch had ever been re-
ceived by Admiral Schley. He said also
that the admiral admitted the reeeir
OF two copies OF number s, Admiral
Simpsons dispatch saying that the
Spanish feet was probably at Santiago,
and telling Commodore Sehley "if sat-
isfied that it (the Spanish fee) is not
at Cenfuegos to proceed with all dis
patch to Santiago one of these being
received by the Hawk May 20 and the
other by the Marblehead May "a. Lieut..
Wells was still on the stand when the
court adjourned for the day and will
continue his testimony tomorrow.
Other witnesses called for the day
we're Mr.. Edward Graham, the Assoc
ciated Press correspondent, who was
with Commodore Schley on the Brook
Ign from the beginning of the campaign
at Hampton Roads until dts close; 1t.
Edward Simpson, who served on the
Brooklyn, and Mr.. Dennis j. Cronin.
Among the former witnesses recalled
was Captain Francis A. Cook, who re,
turned to the stand for the purpose OF
making an explanation of his former
testimony regarding the boilers of the
Oregon.
Captain Cook, who commanded the
Brooklyn during the Spanish war, was
the first new witness of the day. He
was recalled at his own request and
made the following statement.
In my testimony stated that the
Oregon on the morning of july 3rd IVES
uncer all boilers, having shifted her
boilers from forward to aft. ] stared
this from hearsay and presumed 1t 10
be correct as accounting for her ex-
traordinary speed. ! find that she had
not shifted boilers that morning but
that she had steam on all her boilers at
all times while in the Santiago block
ade."
CAPTAIN Cook then was excused and
former witnesses were called to correct
their testimony.
While Captain JOHN L. Hannum was
on the stand for the purpose of correct
ing his testimony the court asked him
the following question:
"How soon. after you went on board
the Merrimac was she able to use her
own power to make from five to seven
knots?''
"She was in condition to make nve
knots when | wen. on board. | did
not give her seven knots
In reply to question from Mr. Ray
ner the witness said it took from the
forenoon watch of the 9th until the
evening of the 2Sth. working day and
night, to make the repairs on the
Merrimac. He did not know how long
the vessel had been totally disabled.
Captain Hannum desired to make
statement concerning the testimony OF
another witness to the effect that there
was no water in two of the boilers on
the Brooklyn. AS this statement did
not concern his own testimony, the
court ruled it out CT order.
Lieut. Thomas F. Garter. while cor
recting his previous testimony. stated
that he desired to change that portion
of his answer to question by the
court, in which he had said that the
two after boilers of the Brooklyn had
no water in them when the battle be-
gan on the morning of July Sd. As cor
rected he desired the answer to read:
1.-THE two after boilers had little or
no water in them. Their fires were not
laid until after che battle calls were
sounded"
Ensign w. p. Cronan. while on the
stand for the purpose of correcting his
t. 5timony, stated that he had measured
the distance from the initial position
of the Brooklyn to Rio Tanquino on
Uuly Sd and found it to be 80 knots.
j. L. Hanley, the chief machinist OF
the Texas, who last week testified that
on July Sd he was &C the throttle of
the port engine of the Texas, while
correcting his testimony was asked by