Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1901-10-04

1aneA
number of changes had been made in
Schlcy's dispatch as it appears in the
Official records.
in the departments version of the dis
patch appear the words, much to be re-
GREETED. cannot obey orders of the de
partmcnt. Have striven earnestly" The
original dispatch, however. as it appears
in Schley's letter copy book. reads: ut is
to be regretted that the departments Or
dcrs canno be obeyed earnestly as we
have all striven to that end"
Rear Admiral Schley's attorneys con-
tend that the correct o D of his dis
patch gives an altogether different APP
pearancc to the incident.
Rear Admiral Cotton, who commanded
the Harvard during the war, upon di.
rect examination. said positively he had
delivered dispatches to Commodore
Schley on May % from Secretary LONG
and Acting Admiral Sampson, informing
Schley that the Spanish fleet was i'll San
tiago harbor. BY referring, to the Off.
cial records and after refreshing the mem.
DRY of Rear Admiral Cotton, Attorney
ltayner demonstrated that one of these
dispatches, which Cotton claimed to have
delivered to Schley on the afternoon OF
May 20 was not sent from Washington
until that day. 1t was impossible, there.
fore, to deliver this dispatch to the com
mander-in-chief of the flying squadron al
the time as first sworn to by Cotton.
Upon cross-examination Cotton admit
ted that he might be mistaken as to
dates, and it was possible that the in
formation was not conveyed to Schley un
til May 81, four days later. Before the
latter day, Schley himself had learned OF
the presence Of u portion of the Spanish
fleet in Santiago harbor and had FREQ
upon the Colon.
Again the court ruled in favor of Schley
when Captain Wise was being question
ed by MIR. Hanna about a conversation
between Wise and Captain Philip the
day the flying squadron started for Key
West to coal. Wise said he was asked
by Philip about the location of the Span,
ish fleet. Wise replied that he was con
hdent it was in Santiago harbor. Attor
ney Rayner objected to the admission OF
conversation as evidence, especially a,
Schley was not present when they tool
place, and could not know what was said
Admiral Dewey promptly sustained the
objection.
Rear Admiral Schley acted as his owr
counsel, so far as related to consulting
with and advising his legal representa-
tives. While the rear admiral did no,
address the court, he directed matters.
Sixth Day.
Only one session was held Thursday
the court adjourning mt I o'clock out o
respect to the late Judge Wilson, who's,
funeral was held during the afternoon
Two new witnesses We're examined
Spencer S. Wood who commanded the
torpedo boat Dupont during the Santiago
campaign told of delivering dispatches
from Sampson to Schley at Cienfuego,
May % and informed the court that after
reading them Schley appeared to be Ia
boring under excitement. The other new
witness was William C. Gray, an engi
neer of the Texas, who rather dismayeG
the department counscl by saying the en-
gines of that ship We're reversed after
she had passed the Brooklyn, indicatin;
that at that time at least there was III
danger Of u collision ON account of thu
flagship's loop. Gray was dropped il
short order and not asked for further ties
timony.
The testimony of Captain Wise of tn.
Yale revealed the fact that Schley con
templated entering the harbor and en-
gaging the Spanish fleet May 81, three
days before the battle.
Machinist Claxton of the Texas wa.
recalled and was on the stand only Ions
enough to state that his testimony q
printed was correct. Then Captain Wis.,
of the Yale took the stand for cross-ex
animation by the Schley counsel.
Wise had sworn that he had word from
the Navy Department that the Spanish
fleet was at Santiago May q and til.
attorneys for the applicant were success
full in obtaining from him the admission
that he did not communicate that infor
nation to Commodore Schley. The wit
ness said he informed Captain Sigsbee
and he considered it certain the latte,
would notify Schley. The cross-examina.
| ton revealed the fact that Wise exchang
ed a number of signals with Schley's flag.
ship afterward, but did not inform the
commodore of the reported presence OF
the enemy.
AT the suggestion of Admiral Dewey
Judge Advocate Lemly asked the witness
who was the senior officer at that time
, Captain Wise said he himself was unit
Captain Cotton arrived. He also admit
ted that lie did not direct Captain Sigs
bee to communicate to Schley the in.
formation he had received about IN,
! Spanish fleet.