Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1901-10-16
ONLY SIX WEEKS MORE.
Prospect That the Tedious Schley
Inquiry Will Be Completed
Before Christmas.
SPANISH SHORE BATTERIESAT SANTIAGO
Former Onicer of the Massachusetts Says
They Were Very Weak, But Report
from Commodore Schley to the Navy
Department Says the Batteries Returned
Spirited Fire to American Battleships.

Washington, Oct. 12.-Capt. Lemly
had supposed that he would be able to
conclude the presenta ton of the gov
ernment's side of the Schley inquiry
case this week, but now finds that he
will have several witnesses on his
list when the court adjourns Satur-
day. Mr.. Rayner estimates that the
court will not be able to conclude its
work before the middle of November.
Among the witnesses called was
Admiral Fl. {. 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 Santiago before they
made their appearance on the morn
ing of July 3. The question was asked
by Capt. Lemly and the answer was:
None whatever"
Lieut.. Althouse, formerly watch
officer OH the battleship Massachu-
sets, was then called. lie detailed the
movements of that vessel in connec-
ton with the flying squadron. He
said that at Cienfuegos the vessels Law
SIX to ten miles out at night going
nearer in the day time. Lieut.. Alt
house said that on the day of the
bombardment of the Cristoboi Colon
the ship had not been to exceed three
minutes in passing the entrance to
the harbor on the first passage 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
10000 yards. Asked what was devel-
oped as to the strength of the land
batteries by this reconnaissance he
said that to his mind it was shown
they were very weak. When Lieut..
Althouse was excused Capt. Lemly in
troduced as evidence the reports made
by Commodore Schlcy to the secre-
tary of the navy of the engagement of
May 81. In one of these dated June
3, Commodore Schley said: RE
connoissance was intended principal
ly 10 injure and destroy the Colon.
The fire was returned without delay
by the heavy batteries to the east
and TO the west entrance, large cali
Der, long range; reconnaissance de-
veioping satisfactorily the presence
of the Spanish squadron lying behind
island near inner fort for they fired
over the hill at random. Quite salts
fled the Spanish feet is there"
Lieut.. 2. c. Dewey, nephew of Ad-
miral Dewey, who was a watch officer
on the Massachusetts, was the next
witness. He placed the distance of the
blockading line at Santiago under
Commodore Schley from the mouth of
the harbor at from five to eight
miles, the distance being about the
same day and night. There was, he
said, no particular formation of the
vessels. He said it would have been
easy for the Spanish ships to have
escaped unseen from the harbor on a
dark night during the Schley block
ade
Capt. Chadwick. who commanded
the New York. and was Admiral
Simpsons chief of staff. was called as
witness in the Schley court in the
afternoon. Capt Chadwick recalled
a conversation he had heard between
Admiral Sampson and Commodore
Schley at Key West in which Commo-
dore Schley had told the admiral that
he was glad to be under his command
and assured him that he would be en-
tirely loyal to him. Capt. Chadwick
also said he had heard Commodore
Schley tell Admiral Sampson after the
latter's arrival at Santiago that it was
impossible to blockade the Spaniards
at Santiago if they desired to come
ont