The Savannah morning news., 1901-10-03
THE CHANGED NOTES
THEY COME UNDER DISCUSSION AT
sCHLEY INQUIRY.
LIEUT.. DOYLE ON THE STAND.
THE FIRST sCHLEY WITNESS YET
INTRODUCED.

Commander Sharp Evades the cues
tfOns as to the Notes Taken
Aboard the Vixen-Were Lieut..
HarIow's, Not His, He Says-He
Carried Copies of Them to Commo-
dore SchIey-Like other Witness
es His Recollection Was Bad.
Lieut.. Doyle Explains "A Change in
the brooklyn Log-It Was His own
Mistake Which He Corrected.
Washington, Oct. Am interesting
turn was given to the Schley court of
inquiry to-day by the. introduction of
the first witness in Admiral Schley's
behalf. This was Lieut.. James J.
Doyle, who was watch officer on
board the flagship Brooklyn during the
war with Spain. The fact that Lieut..
Doyle was put on the stand does not
mean that the Navy Department has
concluded the presentation of it's side
of the case. Mr.. Doyle was called by
the department, but as it also had
been the purpose of Admiral Schley to
summon him, advantage was taken of
his presence on the stand to question
him as an original witness for 1.-The
applicant" He was under examination
by Mr.. Rayner in the interest of the
admiral when the court adjourned for
the day.
Before undergoing examination at
Mr.. Rayner's hands. Lieut.. Doyle, at
CAPT. Lemly's request, explained his
part in the battle of July 8, and his
original entry in the ships log con-
cerning the famous loop, and his alter
alton of that entry, because he SUBJ
sequently discovered that his first en-
try had been erroneous.
Admiral Evans, Capt. Sigsbee and
Correspondent Dieuaide were all recall
ed for the purpose of correcting their
testimony as given yesterday, and all
made additional statements.
Lieutenant Commander Alexander M
Sharp, who commanded the converted
yacht Vixen, was the first new witness
Of the day. He said that the weather
on the cruise from Cienfuegos to San
tiago had been 'squally," but that it
had not been sufficiently bad to inter-
fere with the speed of the Vixen.
during the siege of Santiago under
Commodore Schley, Commander Sharp
said that he had been placed on picket
duty. He was about two miles from
the shore, he said, and probably three
miles from the mouth of the harbor.
Mr.. Hanna: Gould you have seen
vessel undertaking to pass out near
the shore under those conditions?"
Commander Sharp: 'If she had
Shown 11n I
do not believe we could
The Disputed Notes.
Commander Sharp told of going
4 lows notes and of discussion concern
n ing the question whether the Brooklyn
made turn to port or starboard.
Capt Parker question Commander
Sharp concerning the notes made of
the battle of July by Lieut.. Harlow
Il on board the Vixen. This report has
* occasioned no little controversy, it be-
Ing claimed by some of Admiral
Schley's friends that after a copy of
the notes was delivered to the admi-
raj Cthen commodore) by Commander
oharp the original notes were changed
somewhat. The witness said that he
mad taken carbon copy to the commo-
uore after the battle.
DO these notes state the truth of the
lie
Parker and the witness replied:
Ihese are Lieut.. Harlow's notes. He
look them and l am not prepared to
say yes or no whether they are abso-
n not"
commander Sharp said in response
10 questions by Mr.. Rayner that one Of
cue results OF the bombardment of the
colon had been to develop the Spanish
/ batteries Mr
asked:
DO you recollect conversat ton with
commodore Schley after the Colon re-
connoissance in the presence of Tieut
Harlow, In which the Commodore re-
marked that his purpose had been to
develop the strength of those bat
Il really do not remember" was tba
response. Il wish could"
Change in HarIow's Notes.
On redirect examination Capt. Lemlv
Drought out the fact as to the change
IN IN the Harlow notes. Commander
Sharp said:
=, When l was writing my report of
Ine action of July 8. said to Lieut.
narrow, I desire a copy of your notes
taken during the action to accompany
my report to the Admiral His reply,
as as near as I now remember 1t, was:
HooV holeS were taken Tor the repre-
sentative of a newspaper on board the
brooklyn, and I will have to make
some changes in them I said: Very
wen, wish the notes to go with my
report He afterward submitted TO
me the notes written in script, which
read over and enclosed in my re-
port to the Admiral"
Judge Advocate Lemly had the wit
ness compare the original copy of the
narrow notes with the copy printed on
BOARD the Brooklyn; with the result
oL showing that the notes had been
\ Shanged before being printed so as TO
make the account say that at 1906 the
eWo leading ships of the enemy bore
4 ven on the Brooklyns starboard quar-
Yer, instead of on her "starboard
ooW' and that at 1145 the Brooklyn
was one point on port bow" instead
q 99l 9 one point of starboard bow" 1t was
developed that these changes placed
the shore.
He Could Not RecoIIect.
Mr.. Rayner: II want to see IL YOU
ecollect this incident Do you re-
eper that on the afternoon of the
st or second of July you were called
a.Vnsside the Brooklyn, and by a meg
ulhone message from Lieut.. Sears
q aTahng for Commodore Schley. di-
n led TO go TO the New York and re-
port to Admiral Sampson that Com
n,o,.oe schley had observed suspicious