Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1901-10-25
LARGE ATTENDANCE
ON COURT OF INQUIRY
Interest Increases as the End
Approaches.
SCHLEY WAS CHIVALROUs

Major Murphy Tells How, When the
Spaniards surrendered, the Commo-
dore Requested His Men Not to HUI
initiate Them by Cheering.
WASHINGTON, Oct "a Every availa-
BILE seat III the large room in the gun
ners workshop at the navy-yard. where
the Schley court of inquiry is sitting,
was occupied half an hour today before
the court was called to order at II
o'clock The announcement of the ap-
preaching close of the case. and of the
possibility that Admiral Schley would
take the witness stand during the day,
had the effect Of increasing the public
interest and of bringing to the court.
room larger number of persons than
could be conveniently accommodated,
and far larger number than could
hear the proceedings.
When the session began a number of
yesterdays witnesses were recalled as
usual for the correction of testimony
and after they had concluded Lieuren-
ant Commander Charles H. Harlow con-
tinued his testimony. He had concluded
his statement In chief when the court
adjourned yesterday and he was imme-
d1ately taken in hand today by Captain
Lemley for cross examination This
was devoted principally to the notes
taken by Mr.. Harlow of the battle of
July 3 from the deck, but was not very
extended. After Commander Harlow,
Rear Admiral Barker and Captain M.
\. Borden Of the marines were intro.
duced TO testify TO incidents of the Gu
ban campaign,
Captain Charles E. Clarke, whose
record on the Oregon during the cam
paIgu Of 1898 Is the bOasUOt every Amer
lean, was called as the third witness of
the day and the last witness in Admiral
6chley behalf to be heard before the
admiral himself should come on.
Lieutenant Wells Recalled.
Lieutenant B. w. Wells was the first
of former witnesses called for the pur-
pose of correcting testimony. He said
in response to a question from Captain
Lemlev that he had made q translation of
cipher dispatches prepared at COmmO-
dOre Schley's instance on May "A, 1898,
but which was never sent and to which
reference was made while Lieutenant
Wells was on the stand yesterday.
''Was the dispatch sent?' asked Ad-
m1ral Dewey, and when he was told
that it had not been, the admiral said ii
was nos relevant
1--WE only want the facts, " he said.
Major Murphy corrected his testi-
mony Of yesterday so as TO say that tie
vessels of the flying squadron in steam
ing back and forth at night in front of
the mouth Of the harbOr at Santiago had
gone only about 800 yards TO either side
of the harbor instead of l, 500 yards, as
stated yesterday,
In response TO a question by Mr.. Ray
nor, Major Murphy detailed an incident
in which Commodore Schley figured at
the close of the battle of July g. Major
Murphy said:
81 remember the incident distinctly,
because it made very great impression
on me at the time. It was when they
were preparing cutter to take Captain
Cook to the Colon to receive the surren.
der of that ship. She had hauled down
her flag and was ashore. The officers
and many OF the men were gathered
forward in the neighborhood of the
forecastle, and Commodore Schley ad-
dressed the men, cautioning them not
to cheer when the Spanish captain came
on board.
"He spoke of their gallantry-that
they should not be humiliaUed; that we
should treat them chivalrously and not
humiliate them by cheers. It was a
gallant speech, and we all felt it very
deeply. The commodore made the same
speech about midnight of the same day
when we were ranging alongside the
Iowa, and we had learned that Admiral
Cervera and his officers were on board
that snip. It afterward developed that
Admiral Cervera heard Commodore
Schley make the remark and he ap.
proved it very much, so we were told. ~
Coaling IA Difficult Job.
Major Murphy was then excused and
Commander Harlow called. He said
that on May % no one would have at.
tempted 10 coal ship and that without
experience cOallng could not have been
undertaken In the forenoon of May 26.
''NOCes taken by himself during the
battle of July 5. did not, he said, give
the exact time consumed by the Brook.
Ign in making It's turn, but showed the
time TO be less than % minutes. When
asked how much time elapsed after the
Spanish vessels came out OF the harbOr
before they turned TO the westward the
witness said that the time was only
such as would have been consumed in
going a few ships lengths.
He said he remembered the incident
of Commodore Schley's transferring MS
flag from the Brooklyn to the Massa-
chusetts on May 81 for the purpose of
making a reconnaissance, the Vixen
having been used for that purpose.
what, if anything. was said when
returning about the guns that were dis.
covered or developed"
ga remark was made, think, by my.
self, that at any rate we had developed
the battery. Commodore Schley replied
that That was what we went in for
A remark was made by Mr.. Schley
about the 13-inch gun on disappearing
carriage which we did not believe We
found afterward the disappearing car.
riage was a tree"
What was the manner and bearing
of Commodore Schley on this occasion?''
Commodore Schley looked badly and
as I would have suspected from man
who probably had been up great deal
at night and labOring under a great dea]