The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-10-22
Brooklyn Was at One Time Engaged
Alone With Three ofspanish Ships,
QUESTION OF DISPATCHES.
Time of Their Receipt Was Subject of Ques-
tioning by Mr.. Hanna-Lieutenant Wells
Occupied Most of Day on Stand,
But His Examination Was Not
Concluded When Court
Adjourned.
(By Associated Press.)

WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct. 21.-Lieu-
tenant B. w. Wells, Jr., who was the flag
lieutenant Of Admiral Schley while the
Squadron, occupied practically the entire
time of the Schley court of inquiry to-
day. On his direct examination he con-
tinued his narrative Of the Cuban cam
paign.
Lieutenant Wells was under cross-ex-
animation for about two and a half hours.
largely at the hands of Mr.. Hanna.
whose questions were directed mainly 10
the dispatches received and sent by AL
miral (then Commodore) Schley. Lieuten-
ant Wells was still on the stand when the
court adjourned for the day, and will con-
tinue his testimony Tomorrow.
Captain Cook, who commanded the
Brooklyn during the Spanish war, was
the first new witness Of the day. lie
was recalled at his own request and made
the following statement:
In my testimony I stated that the
Oregon on the morning of July Sd was
under all boilers, having shifted her boil
ers from forwaWrd to aft. 1 stated this
from hearsay and presumed it to be
correct, as accounting for her extraor-
binary speed. I find that she had not
shifter boilers that morning, but that
she had steam on all her boilers at all
times while in the Santiago blockade
Captain Cook then was excused and
former witnesses were called to cor
rect their testimony.
While Captain John L. Hannum was
on the stand for the purpose of correct
ing his testimony, the court asked him
the following question:
How soon after You went on board the
Merrimac was she able to use her own
power to make from five to seven knots::'
She was in condition to make FIVE
knots when L went on board 1 did net
give her seven knots.
In reply to a question from Mr.. Rayner.
the witness, said it took from the fore
noon watch Of the 9th until the evening
of the 2Sth, working day and night to
make repairs on the Merrimac. He did
not know how long the vessel had been
totally disabled.
Lieutenant Thomas F. Carter while
correcting his previous testimony stated
that he desired to change that portion Of
his answer to a question by the court
in which he had said that the two aft
boilers Of the Brooklyn had no water in
then when the battle began on the morn
ing of July Sd. AS corrected, he desired
the answer to read:
water in them. Their fires were not laid
until after the battle calls were sounded" :"
Ensign w. P. Cronan, while on the
stand for the purpose of correcting his
testimony. stated that he had measured
the distance from the initial position of
the Brooklyn to Rio Tarquino on July
Sd and found it to be SO knots.
TEXAS ENGINEER
J. L. Hunley, the chief machinist on the
Texas, who last week testified that on
July Cd he was at the throttle of the
port engine Of the Texas, while correct
ing his testimony, was asked by Judge
Advocate Lenly as to what other ma
chinist was stationed in the port engine
room on the day of the battle. The
witness replied that as soon as general
quarters sounded he relieved Nrachinist
HILL
He stated in reply to questions by Cap
tain Lemly that Claxton, who had testi-
fled that he was at the port engine on
that day and that the engine was re-
versed, was stationed at the air pumps
back of the engine. Hunley said he kept
his hand on the throttle Of the engine
most of the time and Cid not think it
possible that the signal to stop or back
could have been given without his knowl-
edge.