The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-09-26
CAPI. HARDER POSITIVE.
Naval Officer Contradicts Schley
and Higginson Regarding Hap
penings on Cuban Coast
NO PICKET LINE At CIENFUEG0S.
Statement from Schley Concerning this
Matter Flatly Contradicted Long and
Tedious Questioning Regarding the Con-
dition of the sea and the Wisdom OF
CoaIing in West Indian Waters.

Tedious Questioning Regarding the Con-
dition Of the sea and the Wisdom OF
CoaIing In West Indian Waters.
Washington, Sept. 21-Admiral
Dewey observed his usual rule of
promptncss in calling the Schley court
. Of inquiry to order at II O'Clock Sat
urdav. All the members of the court
were present ON the minute and Adj
niral SchIey sat with his counsel at
/ the table set apart for them on the
left OF the witness seat. The first
+ witness called was Capt Harder. eX-
ccutivc officer of the Texas during the
/ Spanish war. and who was on the
| stand when the court adjourned Fri
/ day. The Judge advocate asked no
| questions If him and he was Imme-
, diatclv turned over TO Mr.. Rayner. o.
counsel for ADMIRAL Schlcv. who que
/ toned him concerning his statement
| that he did not recall that there was
any picket line established inside the
line OF blockade at Cienfuegos. \ re
port by Admiral Schley was read 10
the effect that a picket line had been
| maintained. but the witness declined
TO change his Statements Asked if the
III oOhtA II IlNtt MOI. til - -. -
nailed the Texas 20 90 alongside the
collier and coal, h" said he did not re
call anything of the kind Mr.. Ray
ner read the signal message as fol
lows: Go alongside the collier and
coal rs rapidly a. possible" but no
dmount of pressing could bring the
witness to say that he remembered
The incident.
Capt. Harder was also questioned
closely concerning the rate of speed
of the fleet on III" sail from Cicntue-
Cos to Santiago on May -. He said
the weather MAS fresh ard The sea
moderate: that it was bard fOi small
vessels. but it was "uoth.n@ much.
lie thought the Texas could have
made from 10 to - knots. Mr.. Ray
ner had the witness reading logs from
the massachusetts. Iowa. Brooklyn
and other vessels concerning the
weather at that time Mr.. Rayner
read a report from Capt. Higginson.
saying that the weather had been
rough and squaIly" on the 18th.
Capt. Harder stated that the report
of Cap. Higginsou was not borne out
by the log rock of his ship. Ii does
not correspond with the log" he said.
Continuing his testimony Capt.
Harher insisted that the weather May
- was moth rough" He also main
tanned that it was his recollection a
stated yesterday that the fleet was
further out at night than IN the day
time. Whom his attention wae called
to the contrary statement by Ad-
miral HigginsOn. the witness said il
was not material to him what amy
other men had said: that he had civ
en- his estimate and was not con
cerIted about the statements of 9th
ers. Then YOU object To having
your memory refreshed?" said Mr.
Rayner Il said nothing of the kind
replied the witness. Il am here to
give my testimony and l obiec- to be
spoken to in the way YOU speak to
me-" He also objected 10 Mr.. Ray
ner's shaking his finger at him, say
ing he construed it as menace.
Counsel questioned the witness con
corning his estimate that at night
the vessels of the feet steamed eight
miles 20 the eastward and seven miles
to the westward of the mouth of the
harbor. The point was sought to be
made that TO make this sail of 10
miles would require greater speed
than three knots an hour. " hich the
witness had testified was made. but
Capt. Harder maintained his position
saying he had given his best impress
sion. Some Of the log entries he con
sidered worthless a evidence.
Admiral Higginson was recalled
and modified his statement concern
ing the distance which the feet before
Santiago stood out to sea. He said
that during the first portion of the
time it was out about five miles dur
ing the day and about four miles at
night.
Commander Schroeder said that he
had not known of the order 10 Schley
TO proceed from Cienfuegos TO San
tiago if satisfied that the enemy was
not at the former place. On redirect
examination Mr.. Hanna asked it, in
accordance with the terms of this
order. the fleet had proceeded with
all dispatch" to Santiago. The witness
replied that IT had not. He thought
that the speed was nothing like as
great as it might have been.
In reply to question by the court,
Commander Schroeder said that he
fire of the Spanish batteries had no,
been heavy enough to seriously en-
danger the American fleet.
Recovering the Carter Entertainments
Chicago. Sept. 21.-Through the re-
covery of 5000. 900 in cash and securi-