Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1901-10-24
NEWS TN GENERAL
sCHLEY COURT OF INQUIRY

Schley's flag lieutenant during the
Spanish war. He gave a detailed ac-
count of the entire Cuban campaign,
including the brief siege of Cienfue-
gos. the retrograde movement of the
flying squadron in search of coal, the
blockade of Santiago, the reconnais-
and the bombardment of the Cristo-
boil Colon May 81, and the battle off
Santiago July 3, when Cervera's
fleet was destroyed. He expressed
the opinion that in the battle of July
3 it had been the Viscaya's inten-
ton to ram the Brooklyn.
Mr.. Rayner sought to secure the
introduction of the brief report of
the battle of July 3, which Commo-
dore Schley prepared for transmits
sion to the secretary of the navy. 1t
was stated that Commodore Sears
had taken this dispatch ashore to
be cabled to the secretary but that
it never had reached that official.
The dispatch was ruled out on the
ground that as it was not received
it was not an official communication.
Washington, Oct. 1.-THE officers
of Admiral Schley's flagship, the
Brooklyn, occupied the attention of
the Schley court of inquiry for the
entire day yesterday. The proceed
ings began with the recall of Cap
tain Cook and Lieutenant Command
er Sears, both of whom made ma
terial additions TO their former tes-
timony, and they were followed in
succession by Commander N. f.
Mason, who was executive officer
of the Brooklyn; Lieutenant Edward
McCauley Jr.. who was signal officer,
and Lieutenant Charles Webster, who
had charge of the forward gun bat
terry of the Brooklyn during the bat
tie off Santiago and was watch
officer on board that ship.
Captain Cooks new testimony
related to the uncoupling of the
Brooklyn's engines and to the yoy-
age of the flying squadron from
Cienfuegos to Santiago, explaining
in some detail the cause of the slow
progress made on that occasion.
Commander Sears spoke again of
the conversation as having taken
place between himself and the Off
GERS of the Massachusetts, in the
wardroom of that vessel on May 81,
in which he was alleged to have
said that it had been difficult to get
Commodore Schley up TO the point
of undertaking the bombardment of
the Colon, and he again denied that
he had said anything rejecting up
on his superior officer.
Commander Mason and Lieutenants
McCauley and Webster all gave ac-
counts of the engagement of July
3. Mr.. McCauley related in detail
the signals made in connection with
that historical engagement at the in
stance of Commodore Schley. When
asked if Commodore Schley had said
anything during the battle for the
encouragement of the men, this wit
ness replied: "Give 'em hell, bull
lies" All these witnesses testified
that the conduct of the commodore
when under fire was cool and cour-
ageous.
Washington, Oct. 1s.-The presenta-
rfon- 0r-T1vfssrfrssf-ss
controversy was continued before the
Schley court of inquiry yesterday,
eight witnesses being examined. OF
these five were ensigns, and the entire
eight had served on board the Brook
Ign with Admiral (then commodore)
Schley.
The first of the days witnesses
was Lieutenant Charles Webster who
had begun his testimony Wednesday.
He was followed by Lieutenant Com
mander L. ID. Griffin, who had charge
of the powder division on the Brook
Ign during the fight off Santiago, and
was succeeded by Ensigns c. A. Adele,
John Haligan, Jr., Ulysses S. Macy,
James NJ. Hand and Ralph N. Marble.
The last witness of the day was Med
ical Director Paul Fitzsimmons, who
was chief surgeon of the flying squad
ron.
While Ensign Haligan was on the
stand, Mr.. Rayner sought to bring
out information as to the position of
the American ships in sight at the
beginning of the battle of July 3, but
Judge Advocate Lemly objected on
the ground that the question was in
tended to show the absence of the
New York, and the interrogatory was
withdrawn. Ensign Marble stated
that he had heard Captain Sigsbee
tell Commodore Schley, when he came
aboard the Brooklyn on May 26, that
the Spaniards were not at Santiago.
Washington, Oct. 19.-T'he list of
witnesses examined yesterday in
cluded eight names, but the inter-
rogation of the last witness called
had not been concluded when the day
came to n close. The last witness
was Lieutenant b. w. Wells, Jr., who
served during the war with Spain as
Admiral Schley's flag lieutenant, or
private secretary.
The other seven persons heard DUR
ing the day were in the order in
which they were called, Lieutenant
Commander Reginald p. Nicholson,
who was navigator of the Oregon;
Medical Director Charles NJ. DE Val
min, surgeon; Capt. j. i. Hannum,
retired, engineer; Lieutenant Thomas
+. Carter, Ensign w. p. Cronin, Car
penter j. III. Warford, all having
served on the Brooklyn, and j. i.
Hanley, who was chief machinist on
board the Texas.
Lieutenant Commander Nicholson
told the story of the battle of July
3, as he saw it from the Oregon. He
said the movements of the Oregon
had not been controlled by signals
from the Brooklyn, and he expressed
the opinion that the Oregon was
nearer the Colon than the Brooklyn
was. Mr.. Hanley said that the port
engines of the Texas had not been
stopped during thebattle of July 3.
From the line of the examination
relating to the fight of july 3. al
ready pursued, it is evident that IL
is the intention of Mr.. Rayner to
have Lieutenant Wells give COM
plete history of Admiral Schley's
actions during the Spanish war.
When the court adjourned he had
reached the period of the hnttIa Of