The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-10-08

to Whether Sampson Will be Wit
ness-Short Session of the Court.
Washington, October 5.-OnIy one ses-
sion of the Schley court Of inquiry was
held today. An adjournment until
Monday was taken, at l o'clock in order
TO allow court and counsel to recuper-
ate after an arduous weeks labor.
Practically the only witness of the day
was Lieutenant Commander Albon C..
Hodgson, who was navigator of the
flagship Brooklyn during the campaign
of 1898, and almost his entire time was
taken up with the reading of correspon-
dence between himself and Admiral
Schley concerning an alleged colloquy
between them during the battle of San
tiago, which the witness was reported
to have detailed to a newspaper corre-
spondent. The correspondence has been
published and this fact rendered the
proceeding of comparatively little pop
ular interest.
When the court adjourned last night
Commander Hodgson was in the hands
of Judge Advocate Lemly, whose exam
ination. of him partook very largely OF
the nature of a cross examination
This was due to the fact that Mr..
Hodgson had been called by both sides
of the controversy and was consider
ed even more Schley witness than a
government witness.
Captain Lemly and Mr.. Hanna con-
tinued the inquiry for the government
at the beginning of the sitting today.
after which Mr.. Rayner began a series
of questions intended to present the
Schley side of the conduct Of The
Brooklyn during, not only in the bat
tie of July 3rd, but of the entire San
tiago campaign. Mr.. Hanna's inquiries
were devoted partly to developing more
of the details concerning the lombard
ment of the Spanish ship Colon on May
31st
There is much interest in yesterdays S
episode concerning Admiral Sampson,
and there is still doubt as to whether he
will be. a witness. 1t will remain with
Admiral Schley and his counsel to say
for what day, if for any, he shall be
called. The controversy as to the ad-
miral's meaning in his dear Schley"
dispatch of May Goth has been in on
wise abated by the tentative agree
ment as to his being summoned. Coun-
sci on both sides this morning had be-
fore them copies of the dispatch and
each was trying strenuously to bring
the other to his view of the case.
LIEUTENANT DOYLE RECALLED.
The first of the witnesses of a previ-
Gus day who were recalled to correct
testimony was Lieutenant Doyle, who
was on the Brooklyn during the battle
off Santiago. He made a number of
changes in phraseology. His attention
was called to an error in his former tes-
timony in stating the distance the
Brooklyn stood out from the MORO at
the court. He had formerly placed this
distance at two or three miles, but had
enormously based his statement on the
log for June 2Sth instead of May 2Sth.
Looking at the log for May 2Sth he
found only one estimate of the distance
out, placing it at seven miles.
THE DEAR SCHLEY' LETTER.
When Lieutenant Doyle was excused
Captain Lemly again brought up the
question of the difference of construc-
tion of the last paragraph of the dear
Schley'' letter. He produced the origi-
nal copy.
Captain Lemly then said: IF the
court pleases, was yesterday requested
by counsel for the applicant to pro-
duce the original of the letter from Ad-
miral Sampson to Commodore Schley
dated May 20, 1898, the question being
as to the final name at the end OF the
first paragraph. whether it should he
'Cienfuegos', or Santiago I have the
original and the name appears Santa
go' and appears over an erasure. in
vite attention to the fact that in The
press copy book it is Santiago which
shows that the change was made be-
fore the letter was press copied and
sent
He also at the request of Admiral
Schley's counsel, produced another
copy 'fn which, he said, "you will see
there was no correction. 1t appeared
originally as Santiago"
The court examined the original pa
pers and the press copies with care and
lit was agreed that the papers should