The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-09-20
BEGINS AGAIN.
Sehley Court Of Inquiry Recon-
venes at WashingtOn-
All the Members and Admiral
Schley Present.
MRS. DEWEY is THERE.
Wife Of the Admiral Is Among
the Spectators.
The General Attendance Was
Not Notable For Magnitude.

washington. sept 2o-The sehley
court Of inquiry reconvened at the navy
yard at IL o'clock today All the MEM
bers OF the court. Admiral Dewey and
Rear Admirals Benham and Ramsay
We're present as was Rear Admiral
Schley. AIRS. Dewey was among the
spectators but the general attendance
was not large.
The court was called to order by q
simple word from Admiral Dewey. The
first order Of business was the reading
by Judge Advocate Lemley Of the order
Of the navy department appointing
Rear Admiral Ramsay to a place on the
court in place OF Rear Admiral Howl
son and when this was accomplished,
Captain LeTnIey turned to Admiral
Schley and asked him. as he did when
Admiral Howison was challenged,
whether ne had objection 70 urge
against any member Of the court The
admiral arose as this question was ask
ed and replied. II have not"
The judge advocate then swore the
members of the court collectively and
was in turn sworn in as judge advocate.
The court then retired for cOnsulta-
tion.
The withdrawal was for the purpose
of discussing the methods of procedure
and was ait the instance OF Judge Ad
vocate Lemley. He suggested that 1t
was usual on such occasions 70 clear
the court room, but said that the court
could withdraw in lieu Of this proceed
ing if the court so decided. Admiral
Dewey announced that the court would
pursue the rAtter course. Before the
wfthdra wal a letter from Admiral
Schiey to the navy department request
ing to be supplied with all papers bear
reply granting the request was read.
SCHLEY SAYS: go AHEAD"
AT 1l.25 the court returned from its
consultation Judge advocate. address
ing Admiral Schley as the applicant
asked if he had any suggestions to
make as to the method Of proceeding,
whether he had something to offer or
desired that he. Lemley, proceed. The
admiral responded with nod Of the
head and a move Of the hand: GO
ahead
Mr.. Lemley then presented the report
of the bureau of navigation board, a
photographic chart of the West Indies
and adjacent seas and other charts He
stated explicitly that they We're intro
Guced not as testimony. but as books OF
reference.
~Win they preclude the Introduction
Of original documents?" Judge Wilson
asked
Not at ALL was the reply. "On the
the original document when opportuni-
ty offers" Captain Parker made objec-
ton TO the hydrograp phic chart when it
was presented
1T is grossly incorrect, he said LAS
a matter of fact the coast line OF Cub4
is six miles further south and four
miles further west than it should be-"
He. however. withdrew his objection
when assured that the chart was not
to be used as evidence
Admiral TIigginson. eomman nder-in-
Chief OF the North Atlantic squadron
was the first witness called He gave
his fun name as Francis j. Higginson
rank as that of rear admiral. said he
now was In command of the North At
lantic squadron; that he had as cap
tain commanded the battleship Massa-
chusetts during the Spanish war ana
that for part of the time the Massa-
chuserts had been a part Of the flying
squadron" OF which Admiral Schlay
had been in command. He told If
Joining the fleet at Newport News: OF
going 10 Key West and then an tha
I'd of May Of going to Cienfuegos.
cuba Key West had been left on Nav
~. 1898, and Cienfuegos reached on the
What was then done to secure com
munlcation with the Cuban forces on
shore Captain Lemley asked.
Nothing. 70 my knowledge the Wit
ness replied
III did not see that anvthina was
done. but understood that info1Tla ia,
concerning the Cubans was received
through Captain McCallar Admiral
HigginsOn said in response to tIuastiors
that this was later He also toi5 fn
reply to questions of the presence of
the collier Merrimac and of tho ID
parture from Cienfuegns and the az
rival at Santiago on the evening Of
the 16th. In reply to questions he Sa55
tnat the Massachusetts had at that
time taken on about l3 tons Of coal
but as the weather was rough this was
done with difficulty
The witness also told Of the heet
leaving Santiago for Key West On fhs
night Of its arrival a. the former rlaoa
and or how after steaminp vesf1va,.f9
for some time the vessels all III "a
sponse TO Commodore Schle41ss siegrsls
returned and steamed 10 within fv-1
5r three miles Of the mouth of the har-
What happened to cause the decisio,
70 return to Key West2'' the witness
was asked.
II don't know was the reply.
~ nat was the condition or +ba
weather at the time for coaling al
'lt was not impossible to coal.
did you have any conference win
Ane commanding officer in regard ~
returning % Santiago after YOU had
gotten on the way TO Key West 9''
No We acted under general o~f7a,s
Al we did was TO follow the signals
1f the hagship-e ehe signals of tba 7sa,,,7 l,.-,7
-fn-chief''
OPERATIONS ABOUT SANTIAGO
Speaking Of the conditions when SAN
kiago harbor was again reached fha
admiral said that h. could So ,,.lT,
into The harbor. and that he saw tba
spanish ship Colon lying in the o,lrer.
harbor He did not remember seems.
7tner vessels, but the Colon was Fheg
Loco yards beyond Norro castle Tba
vessel mad lain there until she was fred