The Minneapolis journal., 1901-09-20
HIGGINSON
HITS SCHLEY
Continued From First Page.

munication with the Cuban force on
| shore?' Captain Lemly asked.
| Nothing, to my knowledge" the wit
ness replied. 81 did not see that any
thing was done. but I understood that
information concerning the Cubans was
received through Captain McCalla."
Admiral Higginson said in response to
questions, that this was later. He also
told OF the presence of the collier Merri-
mae and of the departure from Cienfugos
and the arrival at Santiago on the even
Ing of the 26th. He said that the Massa-
chusetts had at that time taken on about
$50 tons OF coal, but that as the weather
was rough this was done with difficulty.
The Return to Key West.
The witness also told of the fleets leav-
ing Key West on the night of its arri-
val at that place and of how, after steam
ing westward for some time, the vessels
all In response to Commodore Schley's
signals, returned and steamed to within
two or three miles Of the mouth of the
harbor.
What happened to cause the decision
TO return to Key West?" the witness was
asked
Il don't know was the reply.
What was the condition of the wealth
er at the time for coaling at sea?"
1T was not impossible to COAL l think"
Did you have any conference with the
commanding officer N regard to return
ing TO Santiago after you had gotten on
the way to Key West?"
None. We acted under general orders.
All we did was to follow the signals of the
f1agship-the signals of the commander
in-chief.'
AS to the Colon.
Speaking Of the conditions when San
tiago harbor was again reached, the ad-
miral said that he could see we'll into the
harbor and that he saw the Spanish ship
Colon lying. in the outer harbor. He did
not remember seeing other vessels. but
the Colon was then 1000 yards beyond
Moro Castle. The vessel had lain there
until she was fired upon, which was done
on May 81, and had been retired. De-
scribing this engagement, Admiral Hig-
ginson said 1t was on the day before the
arrival OF reinforcements under Admiral
Sampson. He said that Admiral Schley
had come aboard and said that he wanted
ito go in and fire on the Colon"
$50 we went in and fired on her." con-
tinued the witness. He said the shots
fell short of the Colon and that the Span
ish short batteries had in turn fired at
the bombarding ships.
| In reply to questions as to what had
| been accomplished by the bombardment,
| the witness replied that it had served to
draw the fire of the Spanish shore bat
teries and to give an idea Of what it was
| composed of.
"What idea did you get Of it's compo
| sition?'
"T did not think it amounted to any
thing"
Where was Admiral Schley during the
| bombardment?"
| cat one time he was with me in the
| coming tower, but most of the time he
was on the outside of it. l was near him
most of the time"
Like a Commander-fn-Chief
Describe the admirals manner in this
engagement"
81 hardly know how to answer that
question, except to say that his manner
was that Of conniander-in- chief"
The judge advocate asked: What i'm
preston did the admirals manner in that
engagement make upon you?"
Mr.. Raynor of counscel for Schley OBJ
| jected to this question and after some
| contention the question was withdrawn
| Judge Advocate Lemly stated before
withdrawing the question that he consid-
/ cred the point as embraced in the pre-
cept and said that while the task was q
| disagreeable one, he considered it his duty
| to press it and intimated that he would
| do so at another time
| "Why did you not go in and destroy the
Colon in the engagement Of May II"
Judge Advocate Lemly asked the witness.
| because we were not ordered to do
| So" replied the witness.
Later on the witness volunteered the
statement: 81 think the Colon could have
been destroyed where she lay at anchor
that day"
Admiral Higginson stated in reply to
| questions from Captain. Lemly that there
were no written orders, and so far as
he could recall, the only verbal orders
were to "go in.''
The Judge advocate then offered Admiral
Higginson's report Of Aug. 5, saying the
report had been made in line of duty.
| Judge Wilson Of counsel for Admiral
Schley said no objection would be made,
but that counsel for the applicant did not
desire the unobjected acceptance Of the
report to operate as precedent
Captain Lemly announced that he had
no further questions to ask of Admiral
| Higginson, and counsel for Admiral Schley
stated they had no questions to put.
Court Has Questions of It's own.
It was then stated by Captain Lemly
| that the court had some questions Of its
| own to ask. These were written, and the
first was concerning the elevation Of the
guns during the bombardmen of the Colon
| on May 81. The reply was that at first
they were 1900 feet and latterly 5000
1 feet. The next question was as to wheth-
| er there was any place of shelter near
Santiago where the flying squadron could
have coaled after it's arrival at,Santiago?"
/ Admiral Higginson replied that Guam
tanamo was only forty miles to the east.
The third question, coming as 1t did
from the court, created something Of a
/ uuhi ioh odd dod tn hv Tho
l-reply. The question was: