The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-10-18

-Ensign Haiiigsn Tcsunes That srhiey
said. the Day before the Attack on
the Colon. ina Tic Was Gslng I'm TO
Develop the Batteries at Long Range.
hut Not to Attempt TO Destroy the
colon Firing Range of the brook bn
In the Batue with Cervers Given ny
i've Witnesses. bu, no Two Agree.
WASHINGTON, Oct. Flight officers
who served on the flagship Brooklyn In
the Spanish war wers placed on the wit
ners stand before the Schlcy Court OF In
CURRY to-day TO give testimony In behalf
~ Admiral Schley. Five Of them. nov
ensigns. we're then naval cadets, The
others we're Q Lieutenant-C Commander.
then a Lieutenant: a lieutenant. then an
ensign. and a surgeon The Ave boyish-
looking etssigns gave the most interesting
testimony. One Of than fatly contra
oicted Capt. Charles II. S~igsbee's state
ment tina, he had never told Admiral Schlev
that he believed the spanish chips were
not at santiago. He said he heard Capt.
S,gsbes say that he DID not believe they
we're there. Another sAid he heard firing
a. the FLYING Squadron approached Glen
iuegos. something that Admiral Schley
,ad heiped convince him that the Spanish
TIL WV NAN' M NNNfs AANA ~ WV
other officers Of the Brooklyn. except Lieut..
boyle. haye testified that they did not
heu any sounds Of cannon. A third On
sign said Admiral Schley told him that he
vas going In on May 81 to develop tho San
tago batteries at long range. hut not to
attempt to destroy the Colon. which was
lving near the harbor entrance. A great
many officers have testified that Admiral
Schlev said before this affair that he was
going In 10 pot the Colon and Try TO sink
her. but they asserted that he would not
ht the attacking ships 60 near enough
% do the Spanish vessel any harm.
All Eve young officers testified hat the
Brooklyn got very close to the spanish
ships In the battle on Santiago before the
turn began. and that one Of the Spanisrds
started for the Brooklyn as II In ram her.
Ensign Abele said that I 100 yards was the
lowest firing range given To him and that
the Viscaya turned out ovari thu Brook
lyn, but In a few minutes changed her course
To a question by the Court he made the
rather remarkable statement that this was
the range when the loop" was completed
An other testimony on this point has been
that the range after this turn was more
than twice that distance
Ensign Halligan test fled that .2oo yards
vas the lowest range az which he fired.
and that b. saw the NiScaya change di-
rcction ard head toward the Brooklyn.
turning hack. however. a once She was
200 wards away then Ensign Macy
agreed with Ensign Halligan as 20 the
lowest rang, When the loop was com
plctrd tho range was 800 wards. He said
thc spanish ships at one time headed for
thu BROOKLYN.
nsign Hand testified that he heard an
officer call through a tube that the VS.
caya Nas heading for the Brooklvn. but
Admiral Dewey excluded this ~ hearSay.
lie CAV. tho frs' range as Zoo wards. En-
sigu Marhl" sa'd that during the loop a
rang, Of gGO wards va given, but he fired
a. Loo b@Cau-a the Brooklyn was turning
80 f4s'. He. too. asserted that one Of the
Snari-n ships headed for tho Brooklyn.
M.dicEi Director FitzSimons. who was Chief
M. geop on the Brooklyn, said he heard tho
range Of $50 yards passed.
II was Ensign HAlligan who testified that
be heard flr,ng when the Flying Squadron
was going TO Cienfuegos. The vessel was
then to tho west 81 that place. Under
cross-eNaminatiou he Said he did not re-
irembcr when n was that he heard IL, and
the nearest he could fix the time was within
two DAYS before the ships arrived there.
Admiral Schley said in an Official report
aud Told the Sentea that the FLYING Squad
ron was about forty miles from Cenfuegos
when he heard IL. and that a. the shots came
with the regular cadence of a salute. he in
terpre,ed 1t a. a welcome 90 Cervers's feet.
II. CAV. this as one Of his reasons for staying
so long AT Genfuegos and not obcylng the
order to 60 20 Santiago n he was satisfied
that Cervrra was not at the other port.
The contradiction OF Capt. Sigsbee was
given by Ensign Marble. In his statement
20 the Senate Admiral Schley said that in
addition 70 the difficulty presented in short
age Of coal among the ships OF his squadron,
he was induced TO disobey the Navy lie
partment's orders 20 stay at Santiago nv a
statement made TO him by Capt. Sigsbcs
that, although Sigsbce had been on Santiago
for a week. he had not seen anything OF
Cervera's ships and did not believe they
we're In the harbor. Capt, Sigsbee wrote
70 the Secretary Of tho Navy denying that
he had expressed any such opinion. and
asserted that he did believe the Spanish
ehip. were there and had - told Admiral
schley. He testified 20 the same effect he
fore the Schley court, but sfterward cor
rected his testimony on that point.
The conversation between Schley and
s.ssbee took place on Nav "a. when Sigs'
tees ship, the ~. Paul. encountered tho
Flying Squadron some distance To the south
ward ~ Santiago. Thu squadron stopped
him and then started back Tor Rev West.
Ensign Marble testified to-day that lac
was standing near Schley ~ Sigsbee came
aboard tho Brooklyn and that he heard
SigshAe say 10 an inquiry from the Com
modore: They are not here, adding
that they which tho witness under
stood 10 mean m" Spanish ships. could
not le there unless he (Sigsbeei knew II,
a. he had been OF Santiago for about a
wt-k.
Ensign Macy gave the testimony about
Commodore Schley's purpose In hrins
toward shore on MAY 81 He testified
that, tho evening before he had a %convcrsa-
ton with Schloy, In which the latter said
that be was going 10 take some 81 the ships
neN' day 10 hrr a. the spanish batteries
a. long raug". tlat n va not Ia la a lam
harlmcut or au attempt 10 destroy the
Oollu. which had been seen lying near th'
H'rsro" 20 the hafbor Tor two dave. hu'