The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-02

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-The Schley
court of inquiry made good headway
again today concluding with Admiral
Evans and hearing three new witnesses,
although the testimony of one of them
was not concluded when the court ad-
journed for the day.
- Admiral Evans testimony was along
the same general lines with his statement
of yesterday, but some points were pre-
sented in greater detail in response to
questions by Mr.. Rayner. The new wit
nesses were Capt. Sigsbee, who command
ed the scout st. Paul during the San
tiago campaign, Mr.. Thomas NJ. Diem
aide a newspaper correspondent who was
on the Texas during the battle of July 8,
and Chief Yeoman Gustave E. Becker,
who was clerk to Admiral Sampson
during the war.
Capt. Sigsbee's testimony covered his
communication to Commodore Schley up
on the latters arrival off Santiago, May
&c, 1898, and at subsequent dates, and
dealt with the state of the weather at that
period He was asked a great number
Of questions by the court
Mr.. Dienaide described the loop of the
Brooklyn as seen from the Texas. Mr..
Becker testified as to dispatches sent
by Admiral Sampson to Commodore
SGhley.
CAPT. LEMLY WITHDRAWS.
General sympathy was expressed on the
Fart of the members of the court and
those in attendance with Judge Advocate
Lemly because of the death of his sister,
- which occurred yesterday. Capt. Lemly
was present when court convened, but I'M
mediately withdrew.
/ Capt. Miller, who commanded the collier
Merrimac, was called for the purpose of
I correcting the official record of his tes-
! tlmony given yesterday and then Ad-
| miral Evans was recalled. Mr.. Rayner
( began his interrogations by asking him
concerning the secret code of signals for
4 communicating with the Cuban insurgents
near Cienfuegos. The admiral said that
Z when Capt. Chadwick communicated this
code to him he did not instruct him to
give the information to Commodre Schley
Mr.. Rayner then questioned the witness
i particularly as to his interviews with
4 Commodore Schley after the battle of
Santiago.
Yesterday said Mr. Rayner, IT was
speaking of a conversation which
thought you had at Guantanamo, on
July 3. l find 1 have made a mistake
about that, and it is necessary for me to
repeat my question. I suppose you Will
answer in the same way
de then asked: Did you have con-
\ versation with Commodore -SehIey on
July 4, some time during the morning be-
tween and u o'clock, on his fagship
at Santiago, in the course of which Won
used language as follows: Did YOU know
mat Jack Philip started to run away at
the beginning of the battle?' and to
which Commodore Schley replied, You are
mistaken about that Evans 7 saw moth
ing of the kind. The BROOKLYN made
turn, and you must see the tactical SIT
u4u N that made it necessary
EVANS DENIES.
I do not remember of being on the
brooklyn on the 4th of July. I think #
was the 5th at Guantanamo. 1 am
Qulle positive 1t was on the Brooklyn off
oahuago, and that was long time before
lhat AS TO the conversation I never
said anything to the effect that CAM
Fhilp mad run away or attempted to run
away. On thinking it over last night
what did occur with reference to the Tex.
as, think Commodore Schley and 1 dis
cussed the position of the Texas when
the night began. The Texas was lying
with her head to the east when the en-
SaSement began, and she turned with
starboard helm and headed off in the same
direction as the rest of US. She fired first
with her short battery and then put her
heIm to starboard and headed in the Same
erection with the rest of the ships 7
tnlnk that question I discussed with
commodore Schley, l cannot be sure of
it, but that 1 ever intimated tha+ CO.
thllIp attempted to run away with the
Iexas is preposterous on the face of II :,
Did you nave conversation with him
Oh the same day at the same place and
at the same hour, or at any place i'm
winch you used substantially the follow
: ing language; shot the bow off the
Fjuton, the stern off the Furor, put NV
helm to starboard and raked the Ter ga
ard Knocked out the Viscaya'?"
TO the best of my knowledge and be-
hef, l never used such language"
were not the commanding officers
called on board the flagship BROOKLYN bv
signal on the morning of May % after
the Colon was discovered?"
- They were"
CONFERENCE OF COMMANDERS
Can you tell me or do you recoIlect
what took place at the conference of the
commanding officers at that time?"
Commodore Schley was in the cabin
Of the Brooklyn when we assembled. and
there was. a general talk about the Span
ish heet having been located at last at
Santiago. / do not think 1t was in the
nature of a conference. l do not recol-
lect now that the officers were asked to
express any opinion. I remember having
had a conversation with Commodore
Schley about the effect of the fighting
batteries the ships in which 7 told
Juan, and expressed the opinion To him
that it was not worth while to risk shins
hghting shore batteries alone; that I did
not think anything would be gained bv il
In the case under consideration the Span.
ish ships were present in the harbor.
The conditions were changed, and We
would have to take the risk of the fire
from the batteries in order to get at
them. - rl
4 remember Commodore Schley re-
marking before we left that he felt that
the country held him responsible so that
the ships should not be risked under the
frezof the shore batteries until the Span
ish ships were destroyed
want to call your attention to the
report Of Capt. McCaIla, of the Marble
head, on page 426 of the appendix. which
says: Commodore Schley explained to
the commanding officers that in case the
Spanish ships came out he wished to con-
eentEate the batteries of all our ships
on a Portion of those of the enemy. This
Was not explained as a tactical concen-
tration of our whole force on a part of
the enemy, but as division of our whole
IRE on several of the enemy's ships. Dur
lng the time the commanding officers vvere