The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-27
WAS ILL INFORMED
sCHLEY's sUBORDINATES DID NOT
KEEP HIM POSTED.
TESTIMONY SHOWS THIS.
WAS ANXIOUS ABOUT SIMPSONS
PLANS.

Testimony of Capt. Wise and Lieut..
Wood Shows That They Did Not
Take Amy Great Trouble to Convey
Information to Their Commander
Which He should Have Had-Both
Witnesses Satisfied That Spanish
Fleet Was In the Harbor, but Do
Not show That They Had Any Ev-
idence Upon Which to Base This
Opinion.
court of inquiry was in session for only
one hour and three-quarters to-day,
adjourning at 12:45 in order to permit
its members and others engaged there
to attend the funeral of Judge Will
son, late chief counsel for Admiral
Schley.
Capt. Wise concluded his testimony,
Admiral Cotton made a brief state
ment on recall and Lieut.. Spencer S.
Wood, who commanded the dispatch
boat Dupont, during the Spanish war,
began his testimony. Machinist Gray,
who was in charge of the starboard en-
gines of the Texas on the day of the
battle off Santiago, testified that on
the day of the battle the starboard
engines were stopped and the machn-
cry reversed.
Capt. Wise was questioned at con-
siderable length as to what he had
done before the arrival of the Flying
Squadron off Santiago towards locat-
ing Cervera's fleet in the harbor. He
said that while he had satisfied him.
self of the presence of the Spaniards,
he had been content to communicate
his knowledge to Admiral Schley
through Capt. Sigsbee, not consider
ing It necessary to make direct COM
munication with the COMMANDMENTS
chief.
Wise Makes His Statement
Lieut.. Wood gave the particulars of
his delivery of dispatches from Ad-
miral Sampson to Admiral Schley on
May 22, while the Admiral lay off Glen
fuegos. He said that Schley seemed
very nervous and especially anxious to
know what SIMPSONS intentions were.
He had not concluded his testimony
when the court adjourned for the day.
Capt. Wise, who commanded the
scout ship Yale during the Spanish
war, continued his narration OF the
| Squadron toward Key West on May 27
on the next day he was then dis
patched to Newport News, reporting
to Admiral Sampson on the way. He
had told Admiral Sampson, he said,
that the Flying Squadron was about
thirty miles west of Santiago. In re-
sponse to a question from the Admiral,
he had said he did not know what 1t
was doing there.
Mr.. Hanna read the following ex-
tract from Admiral Schley's report of
Feb. IS to the Committee on Naval Af-
fairs, beginning:
After having been informed by the
scouts commanded by such officers as
| Sigsbee, Jewell and Wise, that, al
| though they had all been off Santiago
de Cuba for a, week, they had seen
nothing of it (the Spanish f1eet) and
knew nothing of its movements or it's
whereabouts" etc.
He then asked Capt. Wise If he had
made such communication to the ad-
miral.
schIey's Report Contradicted.
81 did not" was the response.
did you give Admiral Schley any
information respecting the Spanish
squadron"
"Only through Capt Sigsbee. 1 did
/
gave Capt. Sigsbee all the information
| l had"
Capt. Wise was cross-examined or
| this point by Mr.. Rayner. He asked:
From the morning of the 22d until
the arrival of the Flying squadron or
the evening of the 26th you were trying
to get in touch with the enemy and
watching the harbor?"
Yes"
'You saw nothing in there?"
II could not see any harbor at all.
you sent no one on shore to try to
establish communication?
Not at ALL"
Isn't the natural condition of the
harbor such that it is impossible to see
considerably up the harbor?"
| you can only see short distance ur
the harbor."
"And there was nothing in sigh;
whatever, was there?"
Nothing at ALL"
The witness had said that Capt. Sigs-
bee had taken the dispatch beginning
"Get in touch with the enemy" The
court through Admiral Dewey asked:
WAS 1t your duty or that of Capt
| Sigsbee to convey the information in
the dispatch referred to Commodore
| Schley?"
II think it was Capt. Sigsbee's, as he
went Immediately on duty and / was
| intercepted by orders from the COM
| modore to take the Merrimac in tow
Mr.. Hanna: did you receive any in
! Quiry, or did the commanding officer
OF the Flying squadron ask you for any
information at that timer
Nothing"
Mr.. Rayner continued his questions
devoting himself especially to the sig
mailing between the Yale and the flag.
ship. The witness said he was sure
that on May 26, when he hailed the
Texas, he had not passed within hail
ing distance of the Brooklyn. being one
and half miles distant.
Mr.. Rayner read from a report made
on May 80 by Admiral Sampson, ir
which he stated that Capt. Wise hac
told him that he believed Santiago
harbor to be strongly fortified
"Is that true?" Mr.. Rayner asked.
at is."
Capt, Wise said in reply to questions
by Capt. Parker that he would at any
time when off Santiago. have beer
able to signal any information h,
might have had in regard to the situa
! tion. He had seen the masts of
vessel, and thought II to be a small
military vessel. He had gone neal
enough to observe the land batteries
Capt. Wise was questioned by the
| court:
Ibid the batteries at or near Santi
ago fire upon the Yale while she wal