Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-10-02
SHARP'S TESTIMONY
Is Heard Today in the SchIey
Naval Court of
Inquiry.
HAS AN IMPORTANT BEARING
Gist of Evidence Submitted by
Officers and News
paper Men.

Washington, Oct. 2.-Lieut. Com
mander Alexander Sharp. who COM
manded the Vixen during the war.
was the first witness today in the
Schley court of inquiry. He joined
the flying squadron May q He said
the trip from Cienfuegos to Santiag O
had been sgually. but if he had been
in need of coal and received orders to
coal at sea he would have tried to do
SO, but it would have been an uncom-
Portable job. Sharp was questioned
at length concerning the notes made
of the battle July 81 by Lieut.. Har-
low. on board the Vixen.
This report has occasioued no little
controversy, it being claimed by
Schley's friends after the copy of the
notes were delivered to the admiral
by Sharp they were changed some
what. He was not prepared to say
definitely if the Harlow notes cor
rectly stated the truth of the battle,
but believed they did. but there were
probably some mistakes in them.
Washington. Oct. 2-Another death
has hampered the progress of the in
Quiry. Judge Advocate Lemly was alb
sent from the court yesterday because
OF the death Of his sister. who was
burned at her home at Salem,
y. c.. Monday night Solicitor Hanna
conducted the case for the department
in Captain Lcmly's absence. This is
the third time the hearing has been af-
fected 10y death and the impression is
growing that the Schley case has many
of the elements of Il 'hoodOo." Pres
ident McKinley's death delayed the
proceedings a week. and then the sud
den demise of .Iuage' Wilson. leading
counsel for the applicant. necessitated
two days adjournment. The parties
in the case are wondering where the
next blow VIII fall
Raynsr Amends the Question.
Admiral SchlCy'S counsel yesterday
tried TO shatter the testimony given
ny Fighting Bob" Evans before the
court of inquiry Monday. endeavOring
TO weaken his story by showing that
lie has given II different version of The
affair. Rayner began the croSs-eXam-
ination for the day with the admiS-
sion that he had been wrong Monday
when he asked about the interview on
July = between Evans and Schley.
Yesterday" he said. Il was speaking
OF a conversation which thought you
Hau III GuanIananlO on July - UnU
I have made Il mistake about that"
and he then fixed the date at July 4,
off Santiago
Evans Calls Tt "PrepOsterous.'
Said Rayner: Did YOU in 4 cOnveT-
sation with Commodore Schley say to
him. Did You know that Jack Philip
started to run away with the Texas:
and did not Commodore Schley reply
to you: You are mistaken about that:
the Brooklyn made the turn-nOt the
TeXaS-and YOU must see that the turn
was necessary"
The idea that | ever intimated that
Philip tried TO run away with the
Texas is prepoSterOuS.' said Admiral
Evans with emphasis. Il never said
that
Omits the Probable "Cuss Words"
Then Attorney Rayner tried to show
that Evans had boasted of destroying
all the Spanish ships himself-that he
had told Schley he shot the bow off the
Pluton. raked the Teresa. dismaSted
the OquendO and set the NiZcaya afire.
81 do not use all the language attrib-
uted To YOU" said the attorney. init
mating that he was omitting the
''cusS'' words and plain Saxon for
which Admiral Evans is said to he
famous. and at this the naval men
present smiled broadly.
II never used such language. to the
hest of my knowledge and belief" said
Evans. meaning that he did not make
such beast.