Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-10-14
COOK PRAISES SGHlEY
COMMANDER Of the Brooklyn at
Santiago Says Admiral Was
Brave officer.
Regarded the Famou. "Loop" OF
The Brooklyn as Success.
full Movement.
s6svernment's Witnesses About
All Heard and Schley's Men
Ready to Testify.

washington, Oct. 14.-At three the
government rested in the schley court
of inquiry. Nunez, a Cuban pilot. was
the first witness called by counsel for
i Gchley.
i s;Washington. Oct. 14.-Capt. Francis
y ! Al Cook was the first new witness called
before the schley court Of inquiry today.
He was called by the navy department.
but as he is also on schley's list OF Wit
nesses. he Is considered. like Lieutenant
\ Commander Hodgson and Lieut.. Doyle,
al q witness for both sides of the contro-
yersy. During the war with Spain
\ Cook was commander OF the flagship
Brooklyn and also Schley's chief-of-
stan, thus occupying the same relative
position to Schley that Chadwick occu-
pied to Sampson. His appearance on the
stand, therefore, created considerable
anterest and his testimony was listened
to attentively. Other witnesses sum
moned BY the department for the day
were Lieutenant Commander William +.
Eullam. who was on the New Orleans
during the Santiago campaign, and
I Lieut.. Joseph Beale, who was on the
scout ship Harvard and who yolunte
10 70 ashore and ascertain whether the
Spanish fieet under Cervera was in the
aarbor at Santiago. These are the last
witnesses which Judge Advocate Lemly
expects to call for the present. and when
they shall have completed their testi-
raony he Tiil .srest." A number of Adj
smiraI echley's witnesses were in attend-
IHnce about the court room today.
The flrst witnesses recalled for correc-
1 Iticn of testimony was Lieutenant Com
rnnnder Staunton, formerly OF the New
York. who made an addition to his
statement as to the first news he re-
ceived from Capt. Allen at Key West, on
May 20, concerning the presence OF the
SPANISH fleet at Santiago. The addition
follows: THE information obtained at
that time from Allen and reported to-
a1he cosemander-in-chfef;s some time near
neon was not considered sufficient at
that time to cause change In
ehe plan that had already been
adopted, Capt. Chadwick also returned
! - the stand for the purpose Of correct
ing his former evidence.
Capt. Cook said he was at Key West
{ May ~.
v what information did you have at
that time concerning the whereabouts
- Cervera'a neet?'
ssldy impressions now are simply from
rumor, that they had left the Canary
Islands, and part of them had been
sighted at Martinique, and from con-
Z oular information. or perhaps informa-
tion sent by he Harvard, that they had
gone to Curaroa. The flying squadron
departed from Cienfuegos to intercept
and meet the Spanish squadron, 1t hav-
ing been determined, as we believed, by
them to make Cienfuegos their objective
point
Cook understood the Spanish feet
carried munitions Of war for Havana,
and It was believed they would go to|
Cienfugeos, because OF Its accessibility
TO Havana. Cook detailed a conversa-
tion between Sshley and Capt. Chester
sof the white squadron, en- route to Cien-
Sfuexoe. He said there had been talk be-
tween them abo1t coaling on the south
arn coast Of Cuba. Schley questioned
Chester very closely as to the facilities
Tor coaling ships on the south coast of
Cuba. They Consulted the chart and
something was s,id about Cape Cruise.
After looking at the chart it did not
seem 10 be favorable place for coaling
ships because the larger ships could not
j get far enough in there SO that golfers
would be smooth enough to go along
side. Cook recalled meeting the Marble
head en- route to cienfuegos, but could
recalf only very, indistinctly the fact
that the Scorpion had delivered to the
Brooklyn any information from the
Eagle at that time.
~ did not receive. any information"
he said, .and did net consider the Incl
dent Important,
Cook said upon arriving of Cienfue-
gos on the morning OF May % block
ade was Immediately established, as the
firing OF guns was near. and it was be-
lieved Cervera had arrived and fete
IN honor Of his appearance was on.
iEarthworks on the shore We're seen, but
they were not fired upon because it was
rot considered desirable.
SfsI It was believed from that time until
the arrival sof. the Adula, which reported
the Spanish fleet had gone into Santiago,
that the whole beach was occupied.
All felt satisfied that the fleet was in
eide the harbor. Cook said that after the
Iowa and Dupont had delivered the dis
patches off Cienfuegos he gathered from
conversation with Schley that It was the
idea OF both Schley and Sampson they
should continue to hold Cienfuegos.
After reading the McCalla memorandum
conveying information Of landing
place near Cienfuegos, Cook said he new
er savior heard of it.
Cook detailed conversation between
McCalla and Schley regarding the sig
rails seen ashore off Cienfuegos. He said
Schley had described the signals to Nc
Gala, which he believed were connected
with the Spanish fleet. Wi,ereupon Me-
Gala exclaimed: That's signal from
the insurgent camp! They want COM
munication with you" Schley ordered
NcCalla to go ashore as soon as possible
md inform him Immediately what he
learned. Regarding the information OBJ
tanned upon the arrival of the Adula,
Cook said 1t was looked upon. with sus-
picion and 1t Twas not until the arrival of
the Eagle on the same evening with
positive information, obtained thru the
insurgents. that the Spanish squadron
z q