The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1901-10-10
SANTIAGO
CAMPAIGN
STORY OF BATTLE BEING UN.
RAVELED BY sCHLEY
COURT OF INQUIRY.
sCHlEY REMAINS IN IGNORANCE

SCHlEY REMAINS IN IGNORANCE
Admiral Evans Admits schiey Was Kept
In Dark About Secret siGnals-sixsbee
Fail. to Clear Mystery - Intimation
That sampson Was warned-schIey's
splendid Conduct In Action.
Washington, ID. c., Oct. 4.-The
proceeding of the Court of Inquiry
TO investigate the conduct of Ad-
miral Schley during the Santiago
naval campaign are rapidly progress
ing. In the last four days eleven
witnesses have been examined. The
next important thing thus far de-
veloped Is that information furnish
ed by the navy department to Samp-
son and the captains Of the four
scouting ships in regard to the pres
ence of the Spanih fleet In Santiago
harbor were not communicated to
Schley, although many of the Off
GERS of these vessels were in daily
contact with his fleet.
Rear Admiral Evans, who as cap
tain commanded the battleship Iowa
during the Santiago campaign, was
one of the most important witnesses
called. His testimony covered the
entire period from the time the Iowa
left the port of Key West on the
2Oth of May, 1898, until the 9Th of
July, when Admi al Evans testified
he had conversation with Admiral
Schley concerning the battle of the
Sd. lie described in detail the
principal battle off Santiago, and
also gave particulars concerning the
bombardment Of the Colon on the
3lst of May.
On his cross-examination by Mr..
Rayror, Admiral Evans said he had
left Key West with the Iowa for
Cienfuegos on May 20, and that he
knew before leaving that port that
secret code had been arranged for
communication with the insurgents
on shore at Cienfuegos, as Captain
Chadwick had given him this infor-
nation.
"Then, did you inform Commo-
dore Schley that this system of sig,
nails had been arranged?"
'I did not. 1t never entered my
mind that he did not know it,"
"Upon what ground did you sup
pose that Commodore Schley knew
it?n
"He was the commanding officer
of the squadron"
Admiral Evsns also testified al
great length in regard to the famous
loop of the Brooklyn, saying that al
one time the Texas had to come tC
dead stop because the Brooklyn
was within 100 yards directly ahead
of her. He salso said that official
chart of the battle showing the
Brooklyn not to have been closer
than one-third of a mile from the
Texas was absolutely wrong.
commander Miller read from the
GOLFERS law tn show that the Iowa
the Massachusetts and the Castine
had been coaled on the 23d and oath
The sea on the 25th, he said, wal
nasty. On the 26th the collier was
making from to ii knots and th'
sea was smoother. Vessels coulC
have coaled that day. He had OBJ
jected to having two battleships Goa
as they had peculiar rolling mo
tion and might have crushed tn
collier between them. In respOns'
to the court Commander Miller sait
he could have coaled any of tn
ships on the 25th, though not com
fortably.
Captain Theodore F. Jewell, VIII
was commander of the cruiser Min
neapolis, said that he had first falle
in with the flying squadron on tn
evening of May 26. Captain Leme
quoted from Admiral Schley's lette
to the senate committee on naval al
fairs, dated February 1S, 1899 say
ing: "After having been .informe
by the scouts commanded by sue
officers as Sigsbee, Jewell and Wis'
that, although they had been o
Santiago for a week, they had see
nothing of Cevera's fleet since 1t lei
Curacoa," and asked whether he ha
given to Admiral Schley this info
nation or any other infOrmatio
concerning the Spanish fleet.
The witness replied: 81 gave hil
no information with reference
that subject whatever"
Capt. Sigsbee, formerly of ii
Maine and afterward of the scoutin,
ship st. Paul, testified that the fir
positive knowledge Of the presen'
of the Spanish feet In Santiago ha
Dor was on the morning of the 29I
of May, 1898, twenty minutes aft
the Colon had been sighted in Il
harbor by Schley's squadron, 6
though he had been cruising off Il
harbor since the 21st of May. T
did not give Schley on the 26t
when he first met that officer up,
the arrival of the squadron, any de
mite information Of the whereabou
ofthe Spanish feet, although he I
ported to him certain events whi
he thought ought to have indicat
that the feet was inside the harbt
de reported, however, that on t
18th he chased some steamers, whi
ne thought were the Spaniards 9
preaching Santiago. Admiral Sam
son, In report to the Navy Depa
ment, apparently quoted Capt. Sii
Dee as saying that Schley was bloc
aiding twenty-five miles from t
narbor of Santiago. Capt. Sigst
positively denied avor having ma