The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-10-03
A WITNESS FOR SCHLEY

A WllNESS FUN SJHLEI (Continued from Page one.) ---------=---------=------ which the Commodore remarked that his purpose had been to develop the strength of those batteries?"
 q really do not remember" was the response. T wish I could"
 The Chart Was Not Correct.
 In response to a question from Mir. Raynor, Commander Sharp said that the position of the Vixen during the blockade was not correctly given by the official chart He was nearer the shore than these show.
 On redirect examination Captain Lemly brought out the facts as to the changes in the Harlow notes.
 Judge Advocate: Did you attach to your official report of July a copy of notes of said action?''
 "Yes, sir"
 "where did you obtain this copy?"
 From the executive officer, Lieutenant Harlow
 Did you at the time know whether there were any difference between these copies as attached to your official report and the copy as it appears in your log book?'
 Yes sir; mean there were some slight differences"
 From whom did you learn that there were differences and was any explanation made of this fact to you?'
 When 1 was writing my report of the action of July 3, I said to Lieutenant Harlow: desire a copy of your notes taken during the action to accompany my report to the Admiral His reply as near as I now remember was, Those falr ho of newspaper on board the Brooklyn and I will have to make some changes in them
 q said Very well, wish the notes to go with my reports He afterward submitted to me the notes written in script. which I read over and inclosed in my report to the Admiral
 Mention has been made of the notes sent to the Brooklyn, which were printed on board the vessel. Do you recognize that paper (handing him @ printed pamphlet).
 T have seen copy of this before. If am not mistaken. several were sent through the Vixen"
 What does it purport to be-"
 An account of the engagement with the Spanish squadron, as seen from the United States steamship Vixen, July 3, loss, United States Brooklyn flagship
 At this point Judge Advocate Lemley had the witness compare the original copy or the Harlow notes with the copy printed on board the Brooklyn, showing the notes had been changed before being printed so as to make them say at 10:15 the two lead ing ships of the enemy bore well on the Brooklyn's starboard quarter" in- stead of on her ''starboard bow" and that at Il :45 the Brooklyn was "one point on port bow instead of lone point on starbeard bow"
 The court then adjourned for luncheon.
 Changes in the Notes.
 When the court reconvened after lunch con, Captain Lemley continued his ques- tioning Commander Sharp concerning the changes in the notes made by Lieutenant Harlow as follows:
 Judge Advocate-In the entry made in your log. hour 10:l5, the two leading ships of the enemy are given as well on the starboard bow of the Brooklyn, are they not?
 Commander Sharp (reading)-The two leading enemys ships were well on her starboard bow" yes sir.
 Now, in the copy printed on the Brook lyn, what is the bearing of those ships?"
 Commander Sharp (reading)-"The two leading ships were well on her starboard quarter" it says here and bow in the notes of the Vixen's log.
 Then the Brooklyn Is placed further ahead by the printed copy of the log, is she not?'
 Either further ahead or the Spanish vessels further astern, yes sir. . "In the entry made at Il :54 a. m., 1t appears from your log that the Brooklyn bore one point oh the port bow of the Vixen. does 1t not?'
 Commander Sharp (reading from the | notes as appeared to the Vixen's log)- "The, Brooklyn one point on the port bow, distant about three miles"
 Tn the notes Brooklyn one point on the starboard bow, distant about three miles, what is the effect of the difference between the copy of the log book and the notes?'
 'The copy of the Brooklyns printed notes would put the Brooklyn further in | shore or the Vixen further out sir, as the case may be-
 Cross-examining the witness, Captain 1 Parker elicited from the statement that the print of the word ''starboard' In Leu- tenant Harlow's entry for Il :25. as print | ed in the Brooklyn print of the notes correspond with the official print as given In the appendix, that would being given In place of the word port" as originally stated in the notes.
 Captain Parker also called the atten- tion of the witness to the entry in Lieu tenant Harlow's notes wherein he says: II iN 1OWb iS OIl lIlC V1dS- and asked if he had read the notes at the time, at the same time call Ing his attention to the fact that the Mas was then at Guantanamo.
 Commander Sharp replied that he did read the notes, but that he thought he must have overlooked the notation.
 Captain Parker then asked whether 1t was not true that all the changes from the original copy appearing in the Brook Tyr print had been made by Lieutenant Hf Ilow himself before he delivered the to him (Sharp) for Commodore Schley. The witness replied that he did not think so.
 Captain Parker-You can hardly re- member at this time whether the Brook lyn was on the starboard or port bow, can you?
 Yes, sir; my impression is she was on the port bow. After we had passed standing to westward my impression is that the Brooklyn was on her port bow during the entire run to the westward until she turned in at Rio Tarquno."
 Captain Parker: Now. knowing that fact may it not be possible that, before you sent those notes on board or took them on board to the Commodore, the wcrd "Starboard may have been changed into port or vice versa ?"