New-York tribune., 1901-10-15
IN DEFENCE OF SCHLEY.
rAPTALV COOK AN IMPORTANT
WITNESS.
LIE ASSUMES RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE
BROoKLYNS LOOP. AND PRAISES
sCHLEYS CONDUCT
SCHLEYS CONDUCT
LBx TELEGRAPH TO TIE TR1BUNE.I

-
washington, Oct 14-Schleys defence began
,r earnest to-day, the evidence in support of
,bs precept against him probably being com
,leted The principal witness was the flagship
p-ooklyr's commander Captain Francis A
Cook, whose story. as drawn from him by the
Assistant Judge-Advocate and the members of
re court put a new aspect on the essential ept-
-o5es of the Flying SQuadron's campaign and
,bs Brooklyn's part in the destruction OF Ger
vora's feet. II the curiosity evtnced by Ad-
-,,-al Dewey and Rear Admirals Benhan and
Ramsay as shown in the great number of
uuestions they asked when Captain Cooks d.
ract examination was completed, IS taken to
,,sieate The significance they attach TO his rec
oBections. he is clearly 70 be regarded as more
,r,nortaut than any other witness who has so
4o- appeared Captain Cooks evidence was al
roost uniformly in support OF his former COM
-,snder-in-chlef. and II was understood when
he left the stand to-day that he had not had
an opportunity 10 tell all he knew 10 Schleyss
credit, but would return 10 the stand in a few
ssvs under a summons from SchIey's counsel
Who declined 10 cross-exa1nine him to-day.
Among the points Brought out BY Captain Cook
were these:
He was responsible for the BrooIIyu's loop
and had the ship weu around before the Com
-noaore spoke 10 him On the subject
He always regarded schley as an enthust-
asrcaIly brave and patriotic officer
schley and he were convinced that C.eufuegos
was the destination OF Cervera's fcet from all
The information given them from Key West, and
believed the Spanish ships were il CIenfuegos
until McCaIla communicated with the insur-
gents.
The McCaua memorandum reached the Brook
w after McCalla came. and up 70 that time the
lights ashore were thought TO be Spanish signals
and the horsenen on the beach Spanish cav
airy.
schley Vas continually anxious about the
cOaIng OF rs ships IN rough weather. and
dreaded = have them short oc coal 81 battla
> The Flying Squadron was on It's way TO Co
na.ves to coal when the scouts were met south
east OF Santiago, ana the retrograde movement
toward Key West began under the belief that
cervera had left Santiago. II he had ever been
there, and was probably at that tine nearer
centuegos or Havana
Captain Cook also thought the bIockades at
Cenfuegos and Santiago were closer inshore
thar cid most OF the young watch officers who
have testified He never had any idea OF Jeop-
sr6izing the Texas by the loop. and was con-
aaent that there never was any danger OF col
nsion.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS William r Flran,
senior watch officer OF the New-Orleans, told OF
the firing On the Colon and the blockade IN al
most the Identical language employed BY other
officers OF his rank
The last witness called by the Judge Advocate
was Joseph Beale, formerly q lieutenant IN the
navy and a volunteer on the Harvard n the
Spanish war. who explained how he put mes
sages into cipher for transmission. and particu-
larry what notifications. which he regarded as
uanor. he made IN schIey's -disobedIence OF Or
ders Dispatch
The first witness formally summoned IN behalf
OF sehley was the Cuban pilot Nunez, who had
not believed the Spanish feet to be IN Santiago,
and afterward was put ashore 70 communicate
with the insurgents by Schley, resulting In ind
ing out exactly what ships were inside