Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1901-10-31
FLOOD OF TESTIMONY
CONTINUES
An Effort by the Navy Department to I'm
peach the Testimony Given on Behalf
of Admiral Schley During Inquiry.
SIGSBEE, CHADWICK AND
OTHERS ON The STAND

Washington, D. c., Oct. 31.-When
the Schley court opened today Captain
T. S. Borden was called as the last
witness to testify in Admiral Schley's
behalf. Borden is an officer Of the ma
rine corps and served on the Brook
lyn during the Cuban campaign. His
testimony was, therefore, largely cor
Iroborative of the evidence heretofore
given by others on the Brooklyn. The
remainder of the day. it was expected,
would be taken up with hearing wit
nesses called by the navy department
for the purpose of impeaching the tes-
timony given in support of Schley.
Included in the list for this purpose are
Captain Charles D. Sigsbee, Captain
Francis E. Chadwick and Sylvester
Scovil, a newspaper correspondent.
Captain Borden said the distance of
the blockading line from the entrance
of the harbor at Santiago was not to
exceed four and half to five miles.
He said, during Schley's command
there, the picket boats steamed about
at night.
Speaking of the events of the battle
of July he said the lowest range
given was LOO yards and this was
given just before the turn, while the
maximum range was $500 yards
In reply to questions from Rayner,
he said he had seen Commodore
Schley three times during the battle,
and his bearing was Everything that
the officers and crew could have expec-
ted"
The witness related incidents of the
battle, saying: "The most vivid fea-
ture of the battle in my recollection
occurred just after the Brooklyn made
her turn. 1 had relieved the gun cap
tain in charge of the starboard g.
inside of three minutes by a slight
change in the train. At that time I
could see no other American ship"
AS Captain Borden left the stand,
Rayner said: May it please the court,
we have closed our case"
Captain Parker then asked to have
put in evidence number of docu-
ments, including the report of the bat
tie of July 8, Admiral Schley made
from Montevideo on June 1S, 1900,
which has never been printed.
This report was admitted.
At the conclusion of Captain Bor-
denis testimony, counsel for Schley an
nounced that they had closed their
case.
Lieutenant Grant Of the Massachu-
setts, was called in rebuttal. When
the questions made it evident that
their purpose was to bring out CONVEX
sation among officers in the ward-room
of the Massachusetts in regard to the
reconnaissance on May 81, Rayner OBJ
jected, saying as Schley was not pres
sible.
Captain Lemly quoted the remark
Lieutenant Sears is alleged to have
made as follows: For Gods sake,
don't discourage him, meaning Com
modore schley, it is all we have been
able to do to work him up to this
Captain Parker followed with brief
speech in support of Rayner's con-
|tention. "If,'' he said, commanding
officers are to be judged by all the
foolish and ridiculous things young
officers say in the ward-rooms, I don't
know what would become of them"
The court sustained the objection.
Grant was excused and Captain Sigs-
bee recalled.
Hanna stated that the witness was
such facts as the court or counsel
might want to elicit from him."
Rayner claimed the government had
closed its case and could now only call
witnesses in rebuttal.
Captain Lemly: Counsel is wrong
when he says I closed the case. did
not close it. simply said we rest
here, and propose to call further wit
nesses hereafter"
The controversy between counsel
continued until 1850, when the court
took recess without deciding any
point raised.
When court reconvened Admiral
Dewey announced his decision on the
question of rebutting testimony, hold
ing that witnesses may be called any
time or recalled for the purpose OF
making corrections of former testi-
mony or additions in the nature OF
corrections. They cannot, however, re-
iterate former evidence.
| Captain Sigsbee then made furth.
er statement, but added nothing Of
importance to his former testimony
| 1aanu @nnnnx