The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-10-11
Officers Who Served With Ad-
miral on the New York
On the List of Witnesses ut the
Court of Inquiry.
RUNS INTO NEXT WEEK.
Government Will Not Finish It's
Side Earlier.
Error of 900 Yards in a 1900
Yards Measurement.

Washington, Oct. 11.-After the wit
nesses of yesterday had been recalled
today in the Schley court for the pur-
pose of correcting their testimony,
Lieut.. j. H Holden was reintroduced
to continue his exa ination. Other wit
nesses called for the day were Capt
Chadwick, who was Admiral Simpsons
chief of staff during the with
Spain; Lieutenant Commander G. c..
Marsh and Lieut.. E. l.. Bennett, both
of whom served on the flagship New
York; Lieut.. Adelbert Althouse, of the
Massachusetts; Lieut.. Francis Bough-
ter of the aArblehead, and Lieut. VIM.
H. Reynolds, who was signal officer on
board the Texas.
Capt. Lemly had supposed that he
would be able to conclude the presenta-
ton of the governments side of the
case by the close of this week, but he
now finds that he will still have several
witnesses on his list when the court ad
journs tomorrow. In all probability he
will consume the greater part of the
first half of next week. Mr.. Rayner eS-
to conclude it's work before the middle
of November.
When the court was called to order,
Capt. Lemly made a brief explanation
of one of his statements of yesterday
concerning the statement received
from nInander Mark. He had said
that the statement was ''unsworn." Il
would like it to appear" he said, that
although these are sworn to they are
not, being in the shape of dispositions
and ex parte tatements, such sworn ev-
idence as is usually admitted before the
court, but came in with their fall value
merely because there was no objection
on either side.''
Among the witnesses called early in
the day for the purpose of correcting
7i1-a1
Taylor. While he was on the stand he
was questioned as to whether he had
received information that the Spaniards
were coming out of the harbor at San
ance on the morning of July 3. The
question was asked by Capt. Lemly and
the answer was:
None whatever"
Mr. Rayner: You did not get M S
sage from the Vixen in reference to
smoke coming out of the harbor?''
None
Capt. Parker: Your attention was
not called to smoker
Not at all. SIR
DO you remember anybody on your
vessel who did observe smoke and re-
ported it to you?"
Il do not remember
Capt Lemly read a report from Capt.
Merrill Miller, formerly of the Raleigh,
concerning the accuracy of the stadime-
Ter 1n1S report was dated IN 1893 ana
stated that the stadimeter had been
found to give accurate results in meas
urements in less than 800 yards, but
not so when the distance was greater.
In one case the writer noticed an error
of 200 yards in a 1,600 yards measure
ment.
Lieut. Ade1bert Althouse, formerly
watch and division officer on the battle
ship Massachusetts, was then called
He detailed the movements of that yes
sci in connection with the flying squad
ron He said that at Cienfuegos the
vessels lay six to ten miles out at
night, going nearer in the daytime.
Lieut.. A1thouse said that on the day
Colon he had been in charge of the s.
inch turret of the Massachusetts. He
said that the ship had not been to ex-
ceed three minutes in passing the en-
trance to the harbor on the first pass
age, and that only two shots were then
fired The instructions were to make
the range 1000 yards, but the shots
fell short and the range was increased
on the return trip to $500 and then to
IL, 900 yards. Asked what was devel-
oped as to the strength of the land bat
teries by this reconnaissance, he said
that to his mind it was shown they
were very weak In reply to a ques-
tiOls as to whether he made any notes
concerning the engagement. he re-
piled: No; we went in under instruc-
tions to sink the Colon" His orders
had been TO direct his fire at that YES
sci.
When Lieut. Althouse was excused
Captain Lemly Introduced evidence
the reports made by Commodore Schley
to the secretary of the navy of the en-
gagement of May 81. In one of these.
dated June 8. Commodore Schley said:
Reconnaissance was intended prin-
cipa1Iy to injure and destroy Colon
The fire was returned without delay by
the heavy batteries to the east and to
the west entrance, large calibre, long
range, reconnaissance developing salts
factorily the presence of the Spanish
squadron lying behind island near in
ner fort, as they fired over hill at ran
dom Quite satisfied the Spanish fleet