The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-10-22
MADE
The LOOP
Defence of SchIcy
Well Under
Way.
THE BROOKLYN'S
CAPTAIN TESTIFIES
lie Supports His Former Flag
Officer With Much important
Evidence.

al T." 1ORh, Oct- l4.-A special 10
IL the Tribune from Washington
says: Schley's defense began in
of the precept against him probably be-
ing completed. The principal witness
was the flagship Brooklyn's commander,
Captain Francis A. Cook, whose story
as drawn from him by the assistant
judge advocate and members Of the
court puts new aspect on the essen
campaign and the Brooklyn's part in
the destruction of Cervera's fleet. If
the curiosity evinced by Admiral
Dewey and Rear-Admirals Beuham and
Ramsay. as shown in the great number
Of questions they asked when Captain
Cooks direct examination was com
pIeted, is taken to indicate the i'm
portance they attach to his recollec-
tions, he is clearly to be regarded as
more important than any other witness
who has so far appeared.
Captain Cooks evidence was almost
uniformly in support of his former
commander in chief, and 1t was under
stood when he left the stand today he
had not had an opportunity to tell all
he knew to Schley's credit, but would
return to the stand in few days un-
der summons from Schley's counsel,
who declined to cross-examine him to-
day. Among the points brought out by
Captain Cook were these: He alone was
responsible for the Brooklyn's loop, and
had the ship well around before the
Commodore spoke to him on the sub
ject.
He always regarded Schley as an 'e1l-
Enthusiastically brave and patriotic OFF,
| GER" Schley and he were convinced
that Cienfuegos was the destination Of
Cervera's fleet from all the informa-
| ton given them from Key West, and
believed the Spanish ships were in Glen
fuegos until McCalla communicated
with the insurgents.
The McCalla memorandum reached
the Brooklyn after McCalla came, and
up to that time the lights ashore were
thought to be Spanish signals and
horsemen on the beach Spanish cavalry.
Schley was continually anxious about
|
er and dreaded to have them short of
coal in battle.
| The flying squadron was on its way to
| Gonaives to coal when the scouts were
met southeast OF Santiago, and the ret
rograde movement toward Key West
began under the belief that Cervera had
left Santiago, If he had ever been there,
and was probably at that time nearer
Cienfuegos or Havana.
Captain Cook also thought the block
AIDES at Cienfuegos and Santiago were
closer in shore than did most of the
young watch officers who have testified
He never had EN- idea of jeopardIzing
the Texas by the loop, and was con-
! fident that there never was any dan
ger of collision.
| Lieutenant-C Commander William F.
Fuilam, senior watch officer of the New
| Orleans, told of the firing on the Colon
and the blockade In almost the iden-
tical language employed by other Off
GERS of his rank.
| The last witness called by the Judge
advocate was Joseph Beale, formerly
Lieutenant in the Navy and volun-
teer~ on the Harvard in the Spanish
J
sages into cipher for transmission, and
particularly what notifications which
he regarded as minor, he made in
! Schley's "disobedience of orders" dis
patch.
The first witness formally summoned
in behalf of Schley was the Cuban pilot,
Nunez, who had not believed the Span
ish fleet to be in Santiago and after
ward was put ashore to communicate
with the insurgents by Schley, resulting
in finding out exactly what ships were
inside.
, LIEUT.-COM. SEARS TEsTIFIEs.
} WASHINGTON, Oct 15.-The presenta-
J ton of the Schley side of the case was
continued in the Schley court of inquiry
today. At the instance of Mr. Rayner,
. the judge advocate summoned Leuten-
. ant Commander James II. Sears, VINO
was Admiral Schley's flag officer on
board the Brooklyn during the war with
| Spain. He testified to many details CON
, nected with the campaign, and was fol-
lowed by other naval officers, who served
on the BROOKLYN.
On p1oa