Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-10-05
.SCHLEYS FIRST WITNESS
Lieutenant Doyle, Of the Brooklyn,
Put on Stand.
EXPLAINS ALTERATION ON LOG
Rayn 4 Effort 10 Bring in SIMPSONS Ptan Of
Blockade Squelched by the Court--vixen's
Repo Was Changed, Says Com
mander Sharp.

Repo Was Changed Says Com
mander Sharp.
Washington. Oct. 3.--An interesting
| turn was yesterday given to the Schley
court of inquiry by the introduction
! of the first witness in Admiral Schley's
| behalf. This was Lieutenant James
J. Doyle. who was watch officer on
/ board the flagship Brooklyn during
/ the war with Spain. The fact that
Lieutenant Doyle was put on the stand
does not mean that the navy depart.
| ment has concluded the presentation
/ of its side OF the case Mr.. Doyle was
/ called by the department, but as 1t
also had been the purpose OF Admiral
| Schley to summon him, advantage was
taken OF his presence on the stand to
/ question him as an original witness
| for the applicant" He was under ex
animation by Mr.. Rayner in the inter
! est of the admiral when the court nd.
i journed for the day.
Before undergoing examination at
Mr.. Rayner's hands Lieutenant Doyle,
at Captain Lemly's request. explained
his part In the battle of July 8 and his
original entry In the ships log con-
corning the famous loop and his alter
alton Of that entry because he subse-
quently discovered that his first entry
had been erroneous.
In response to questions by Captain
Lemly, Doyle said that during the
battle of Santiago he had had charge
| OF the two waist turrets. He had, he
said. written the log giving the ac-
| count of the battle as there recorded,
but afterwards an addenda had been
made by the navigator. He explained
that the error had been caused by the
fact that during the action he could
not see on account Of the smoke. He
said that he had entered in the log
that the ship had turned with star
board helm, but found later that 1t
was changed to port. Reading from
the log, Doyle said the Brooklyn en-
gagged the Colon. viscaya and Teresa
as they car out OF the harbor. He
said 1t had looked very much to him
before the Brooklyn's turn as II they
were about to have a general nlix-up
with the Spanish ships.
Did Not Know Of Signals.
Doyle said that while at Key West,
which port the Brooklyn had left at the
head Of the flying squadron on May ID,
1898, he had heard nothing of the Span
ish feet nor had he then been informed
of secret code OF signals arranged by
| Captain McCalla for communicating
with the Cuban insurgents.
Relating the particulars of the block
ade OF the Cienfuegos by the flying
squadron from the 2lst to the Gath OF
May Lieutenant Doyle said he recalled
| the arrival of the Iowa and and the
| Dupont off Cienfuegos on May ~, OF
! the Hawk on the 23d and the Marble
head on the Gath. He said that he had
observed three lights which looked like
bonfires on the shore each night that
the squadron lay off Cienfuegos, but
that neither he nor anyone else on
board, so far as he knew, understood
their purpose. He also told OF a recog-
nizance OF the harbor at Cienfuegos on
the evening OF the 22d of May; Of the
conversation with the officers OF the
British ship Adula, and of the arrival
| OF the Marblehead and the departure OF
the entire squadron for Santiago after
| the last named vessel had made COM
munication with the Cubans ashore.
Then, he said, on the night OF the
oath ships formed in squadron and
started eastward, the speed at first be-
| ing nine knots an hour, but afterwards
being reduced to accommodate the small
vessels, the Vixen and the Eagle. When
they made their start there was quite
a surf, long swell of the sea-" and
on the 25th the weather was still worse,
making it very difficulty for the yachts
to keep up.
Lieutenant Doyle placed the distance
of the American feet off Santiago from
| the mouth Of the harbor at from three
| to four miles, and said there were
picket boats on the inside of the line.
/ Speaking Of the bombardment Of the
Colon on the 3ist Of May. he and Mr.
Rayner designating it as a reconnais-
ance, Lieutenant Doyle said that its
| effect had been to develop the fact
that the Spaniards had new guns in
their land batteries.
Here Mr.. Rayner asked when was
the circular form Of blockade COM
menced?"
While no mention was made OF the
name OF Admiral Sampson this ques-
tion was evidently regarded as an at
tempt to bring his blockade into the
case for the purpose Of comparison, and
| Captain lily was prompt in noting
a sharp and vigorous objection.
4 Without waiting for any argument