The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-09-27

heard afterwards that the reversal was
because they We're passing the Brooklyn.
Lieutenant Spence: S. Wood. who COM
manded the dispatch boat Dupont during
the Spanish war. was the next witness.
Lieutenant Wood related the particulars
of his mission a dispatch-carrler from
Admiral Sampson. lying at Key West. to
Admiral Schiey. who was off Cienfuegos.
He had left Key West on May % carrying
| dispatches. of which the Iowa carried dupli-
| Gates. and had reached CienfueSos several
J hours in advance of the Iowa.
SCHLEY ANXIOUS TO LEARN
4 OF ADMIRAL SAMPSON'S PLANS.
''On my arrival" the witness said 81
went aboard and personally delivered the
| dispatches which l carried from Admiral
! sampson to Commodore Schley in his; cabin
at o'clock. He asked me Admiral Samp-
| sons idea about where the Spanish squad
| ron was. | told him did not know. He
! asked me Of Admiral SIMPSONS intentions
| l told him / did not know them. He told
me he thought the Spanish squadron was
| there. He had heard firing and was almost
convinced that they were there. The con-
verSation was on the line to endeavOr TO find
! out from me what Admiral Sampson's plans
! were. / could give him no information"
How long were lou on board the flag
ship?'
Until just before luncheon
Have you anything further to state with
respect 10 this interview which will bear
upon the subject of this inquiry"
The Commodore hesitated some about
giving me coal. He did not think he could
spare coal at first. said 1t was absolute
ly necessary: that We were almost out of
coal. having made the run from Key West.
He said: Very well: go below. and l will
think IL over l went below to t. ward
room. and was afterwards called up and
informed that they would give me coal. 1
had never before met the Admiral. He i'm
pressed me as being very nervous. He
would get up. walk around. come back and
sit down. and a number OF questions he
asked me about Admiral Simpsons inten-
tions was unable to answer"
III understand You clearly, YOU had no
knowledge of the contents Of the dis
patches which you delivered?'
Admiral Sampson did not tell me what
was in them. He simply told me these
were duplicate dispatches he was sending by
the Iowa. These duplicates. he said. he
gave to me because he thought the Dupont
could make better speed. left after the
Iowa, passed her of Cape San Antonio and
arrived in cienfuegos some three or four
hours before she did. left Key West at
II 30 a m. on the 20th.''
During this interview in which you
made some statements with respect to the
Admirars manner, had he read the dis
patches? Did he read them in your pres
ence?"
"Oh. yes
Ibid he advise you Of their contents
then?'
HE did not tell me positively what they
were. 1 gathered while 1 was aboard the
flagship what they contained. but whether
it was while I was in the cabin or later
in the wardroom do not know. I never
saw their contents and Admiral Sampson
never told me what they WERE
II wish to ascertain exactly the particu-
lars of this interview
"All the dispatches seemed to be Of an
important character, judging from the Ad-
mirars manner upon receiving them. As l
stated, he was very nervous"
Asked by Mr.. Rayner II Admiral Sampson
or any one else had informed him before |
lie left Key West for Cienfuegos that code !
OF signals had been agreed upon between |
the American forces and the Cuban in
surgents, Lieutenant Wood replied in the |
negative. He had not. he said, received
such information officially. but he added |
that IT was current talk at Key West that |
the Marblehead. on previous trip, had es- |
I tablished communication with the Cubans |
If. however, a code had been arranged, he |
did not know Of the fact. |
Before Lieutenant Wood had concluded |
his testimony, the court, at 12:45, adjourned |
for the day. to permit attendance at Judge |
Wilson's funeral.