The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-10-22
SCHLEY COURT
TAKES RECESS
TO ALLOW ATTORNEY RAYNER
CONFER WITH WITNESSES.
THAT DEAR SCHLEY LETTER
mits Receipt of Several
Dispatches.

Washington, Oct. 1S.-Just before
the Schley court of inquiry adjourned
today Attorney Rayner, counsel for
Admiral Schley informed the court
that he hoped to be able to conclude
the presentation Of testimony for the
applicant by the close of next week.
He added that he thus far had not
had opportunity to consult with wit
nesses who are still to be heard. He
therefore asked that an adjournment
be taken from today until Monday.
Speaking for the court Admiral
Dewey, said he vas most happy to
grant the request. Accordingly, the
court adjourned until II o'clock Mon
day.
The list of witnesses examined to-
day included eight names but the in
terrogation of the last of the witness
IS called had not been concluded
when the day came to a close. The
last witness was Lieutenant B. w.
Wells who served during the war
with Spain as Admiral Schley's flag
lieutenant or private secretary. The
other seven persons heard during the
day were in the order in which they
were called, Lieutenant Commander
Reginald P. Nicholson, who was navi-
gator of the Oregon, Medical Director
Charles M. Devalin, a surgeon; Cap
tain j. L. Hannum, retired engineer.
Lieut.. Thomas e. Carter; Ensign W.
p. Cronan, Carpenter J. B. Warford,
all of whim served on the Brooklyn,
and ]. L.. Hanley who was chief ma
chinist on board the Texas.
Lieut.. Commander Nicholson told
the story of the battle of July 3 as
he saw it from the deck of the Ore
gon. He said the movement of the
Oregon had been controlled by sig
nails from the Brooklyn and he ex-
pressed the opinion that the Oregon
was neare the Colon than the Brook
Ign was.
Mr.. Hanley said that the port en-
gines of the Texas had not been stop
ped during the battle of July 8.
From the line examination relat-
ing to the fight of July 8, already
pursued it is evident that it is the in
tention of Mr.. Rayner to have Lient.
Wells give a complete history Of Ad-
miral Schley's actions during the
Spanish war. When the court adjourn
ed he had reached the period of the
battle of July 8, having gone quite
infinitely into other incidents of the
campaign up to that time, including
the receipts of dispatches from Ad-
miral Sampson.
Washington, Oct. 21.-Lieutenant
B. w. Wells, Jr., who was the flag lieu
tenant of Admirla Schley while the
latter was in command of the flying
squadron occupied practically the en-
tire time of the Schley court of in
quiry today. On his direct examina-
ton he continued his narrative of the
Cuban campaign. Lieutenant Wells
was under cross-examination for about
two and a half hours, largely at the
hands of Mr.. Hanna, whose questions
We're directed mainly to the dispatch
es received and sent by Admiral (then
commodore) Schley. While this line
OF investigation was being exploited,
Mr.. Rayner, speaking for Admiral
Schley said that the admiral was will
ing to admit that he had received the
"Dear Schley" letter on the Dupont,
which arrived at C%ienfuegos on May
%, but he added that no duplicate of
this dispatch had ever been received
by Admiral Schley. He also said that
the admiral admitted the receipt of
two copies of number s. Admiral
SIMPSONS dispatch, saying that the
Spanish fleet, probably was at Santi
ago and telling Commodore Sch1ey iii
satisfied that it (the Spanish fleet
is not at Cienfuegos to proceed with
all dispatch to Santiago" One Of
these being received by the Hawk
May % and the other by the Marble
head May "a. Lieut.. Wells was still
on the stand when the court adjourn
ed for the day and will continue his
testimony tomorrow.
n