The sun., 1901-09-26
THE SCHLEY INQUIRY.
Death Of Judge Wilson Does Not De-
lay It. ifssssxyss
ADMIRAL COTTON ON STAND.
Tells of Dispatches He Bore to COM
nander mt Santiago and of
the ssRetrograde" Move-
ment to Key West.

beeH occupied from the DeSlnnlnR OF
the sittings by Judge Jere Wilson was
vacant. He had endeared himself not
only to the members of the court, but
70 all persons about the court, and sor
row was shown on every countenance.
Comment upon his sudden taking off
was very general throughout the court
room. The business of the court how
ever, was promptly resumed at the
usual hour.
IN answer to question from the
press Admiral Schley stated that since
the death of Judge Wilson Attorney
General lsidor Rayner would be the
leading counsel in his case and that
he would be assisted by Captain James
Parker Of New Jersey and by Mr.. NJ
A. league of Baltimore as an expert
assistant. Mr.. Rayner will continue to
conduct the cross examination of wit
nesses, as he has been doing. and the
other gentlemen will continue in the
same capacity they occupied up to the
time Of Judge Wilson's death.
The wall back of the court was
adorned with chart OH large scale
showing the ground site of the battle
off Santiago on July 3. The southern
coast of Cuba in the vicinity of San,
tlago was plainly marked, and the
points mt which the Spanish ships went
to the bottom or to the shore were all
indicated in plain lettering. There were
also Il number Of transparent charts,
4 which had been prepared over night,
sitting about in the rear of the room
and which We're intended to illustrate
4 various phases of the Santiago cam
paign. All these had been prepared
\ with view of eXpediting the work OF
the court, and al We're on large scale.
3& The first witness called was Mr.. A.
y. ClaXton, the machinist OH board the
STcxas, who had begun his testimony
when the sittings of the court were so
abruptly terminated by the death of
eJudge Wilson.
Commander HeiIner Recalled.
Before Mr.. ClaXton took the stand
Commander Heilner was recalled to
4 make verbal corrections in the official
copy Of his testimony He said he had
~ seral corrections that he desired to
lake. In one case he was recorded as
Giving the hearing and distance" of
the Brooklyn. He said he had given
the bearing and not the distance. He
made various other changes, but they
Were not material.
M MIR. ClaXton said that on July 3, 1898.
8,e had been on duty in the engine room
sUf the Texas. The engine Indicator had
called for full speed ahead early in the
morning, which had within an hour
after the beginning of the action been
sehanged to full speed astein." To his
knowledge there had been no signal fol-
\ the reversal of the engines. He said
S HAT he had been excused from service
4 m the engine room, but still he knew
That the engines We're reversed for
about two minutes.
I'D Mr.. ClaXton silt not questioned by
z MIR. Rayncr.
Rear Admiral Cotton. now comman
giant of the Norfolk navy yard, who
commanded the auxiliary cruiser Hal-
4 ward during the Spanish war, was the
next witness. He told of meeting the
lying squadron under Commodore
Schley off Santiago on Nav y, 1898
ahd said that on that date he had de.
hNered dispatches to the then commo.
4 aore from Admiral Sampson and the
navy department. lie had. he said,
bOafded the Brooklyn about 1O:3L
O'clock. The weather was then mod.
crate, ana he had had no difficulty in
gong aboard the Brooklyn from hi-
Doat. lie had worn his sword
What conversation took place be.
tween yourself and Admiral Schley!"
asked Captain Lemly.
1T will be impossible for me to state
the entire conversation" the witness
replied. Il was on board. generally
speaking. from about half past 10 tc
about noon. The conversation natural
\ ~ covered Il very wide range, tie most
Important part of which was. of course.
reiatlve to the dispatches | had deliy.
ered'
s what was said about the dis
patches?"
Admiral Cotton's Testimony.
delivered to Commodore Schley
me original cipher in which the dis
patches had been received by me nj
81 Nicholas mole, together with trans
Iation of those dispatches made by
1Lieutenant Beall of the Harvard
handed them personally to him in his
cabin III the order of their date. He re-
ceived them, read them and comment
ed in general way upon their pur-
port; spoke of the difficulty he had had
IN igetting coal on board his ships while
at Cienfuegos and subsequent TO the
date Of which | am speaking, May 27,
and said it had been an almost impos.
sibility to get coal on board on account
OF the weather. He questioned me
reiatlve to the practicability of coaling
SHIPS at st. Nicholas mole and Co |
nafyes channel. As to st Nicholas
moiel said There is no question the
small ships can coal there. AS to 20.
naives channel. | know of no reason
why you should not be able to coal
there The commodore made some ra.
marks upon my statements, the Ian.
guage of which | do not recall, but he
asked me, How about the large ships
at3St. Nicholas mole?' I said, You
can't coal your big ships there 1 had
special reference in my reply to the
paftleships and protected cruisers OF
the Brooklyn and New York class.
while was still there he received a
report to the effect that the signals
&#ere ready. Before | left ship lie or
&Rfed signals to be made for ships to
t9an preparatory for steaming to Key