The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-11-05
ARGUMENT is BEGUN
MIt. HANNA LEADS IN ARRAIGN-
MENT OF sCHLEY.
LONG LlSToF SPECIFICATIONS
ARGUMENT WILL PROBABLY oCCU-
Ply SEVERAL DAYS.


pears to BE the Line of Pleading
Adopted by the Civil Assistant of
Capt LemIy-schIey's Final Testi-
mony in Line With His Previous
straightforward and Clear Cut
Accounts of the Blockade and Bat
tie of Santiago.
Washington, Nov. 4-The Schley
court of inquiry reached the argument
stage at the beginning of the after
noon session to-day. The morning sit
ting was devoted to listening to Ad-
miral Schley and Capt. Sigsbee, in
making corrections of their testimony,
which had been given previously and
the introduction by Judge Advocate
Lemly of numerous documents bearing
upon different phases of the inquiry
Admiral Schley did not make any ma
terial additions to his previous state
ment, but devoted himself largely to
the clearing up of ambiguous points in
his evidence. An effort was made to
Introduce two new witnesses, who were
expected to give testimony in Admiral
Schley's behalf concerning the contro-
versy as to what information Capt.
Sigsbee communicated to Admiral
Schley when he arrived off Santiago
in May, 1885 One of these witnesses
was Frank B. Richards, and the 9th
er George Lynch, both of New York,
and both newspaper correspondents
who were on duty in Cuba and in Gu
ban waters during the war with Spain.
Mr.. Lynch was on the press boat SOM
ers N. Smith, and Mr.. Richards on the
Premier They were to have testified
concerning the meeting of those yes
sells with the st. Paul, of which Capt.
Sigsbee was in command. The court.
however, decided not to hear them. The
opening speech of the argument in the
case was made in behalf of the depart-
ment by E. p. Hanna, assistant to the
judge advocate. He began his presenta-
ton of the case a few minutes after
the court convened at 2 o'clock. and
when the court adjourned two hours
later he had not covered more than
half of the ground involved in the con-
| troversy.
While Capt Sigsbee awas on III,
stand Mr.. Rayner asked him il he hat
megaphoned or otherwise connnuni.
Gated to the press boat Premier while
OIL Santiago, the fact that the
Spanish fleet was not in Santiago. The
witness replied that he had not done
SO, although he would have been iusti-
ned in saying so if he had thought II
proper under the circumstances of war.
When Capt. Sigsbee was excused
capt. Lemly announced that he had no
more witnesses to call.
Newspaper Testimony Barred.
Frank 3. Richards was then sworn.
Mr.. Richards stated that he was on
the dispatch boat Premier during the
Santiago cmapaign, and that the boat
was hailed by Capt. Sigsbee on the
night of May q or 2S. Can't. IarnN.
objected to this line of evidence. and
the court ruled that "as the testimony
OF this witness is not considered by the
court as material to the case, the OBJ
lection is sustained in accordance with
the courts previous ruling"
Under this ruling neither Mr.. Rich
ards nor Mr.. Lynch could testify. and
Admiral Schley took the stand for the
purpose of correcting his testimony.
Inc admiral was suffering from a
cold and his voice was quite hoarse.
He began his corrections with the verv
first of his testimony. Most of these
corrections were of typographical er-
rors or the changing of words to make
sentences read more smoothly.
Referrlng to his testimony regarding
the reconnaissance of May 81, the ad-
miral changed his statement that fifty.
If not more, shells passed over the
fleet, to read that a number of shells
passed over the fleet He also changed
his evidence concerning suspicious
M aNrd &c IL.
July to read that before dark I
noticed in the harbor good deal of
smoke coming up"
The official record, he said, made him
say that he saw the smoke after dark.
Coming to his answer to a question
In reference to his order sent below
during the early part of the battle to
stand by to RAM" Admiral Schley en-.
phasized his former testimony by stat
ing that there was a distinct attempt
to ram on the part of the Maria Teresa.
Admiral Cerveras flagship, and the
Viscaya." He also reiterated his con-
hdence in the Brooklyns speed by stat,
ing that with one engine and all the
boiler power" she could have gotten up
all speed that was needed. AS to the
passing of the Flying Squadron by the
Eagle on the morning of May l9, and
the latter's conveying the information
that there was mo news" Admiral
Schley corrected his testimony where
in he said that he was not mistaken
as to this, by stating that he might
have been mistaken.
What Sampson Said.
Admiral Schley also corrected his
statement regarding his visit to the
flagship New York, when he had made
his preliminary report of the battle of
July 3 to Admiral Sampson. The
record, he said. did not make the mat
ter quite clear.
THE admiral said to me-" continued
Admiral Schley. that / had omitted a
very important detail, which was TO
state that the New York was present"
The witness corrected but one of his
answers TO the questions Of the court.
This question was as to whether he
should not have communicated with
Capt. McCalla 10 secure informtion.
The answer. as corrected. reads.
"The communication which he made
10 me through the Eagle, indicated that
Capt. McCalla knew / was bound for
Cienfuegos and /, Of course. took II for
granted that II he hGd anything i'm
portant he would notify me OF the fact
without my inquiry"
AZ this point Admiral Sohiey am
nounced that he nd no more correc-
tons 20 make. Capt Parker called the
admirars attention 20 the evidence Of
Capt. SiFsbee In which he said that
when be went on board the Brooklyn
the whole question 20 far as he could
remember Was coal and nothing but
coal and that Commodore Schley al
ready had made up his mind 70 20 -
Key West