Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-10-31
FIVE DAYS
ON STAND
Admiral Schley Long Time in
Testifying Before the
Court of Inquiry.
WILL CONTINUE TODAY
cross.Exanmination of the "Hero of
SantiSs continues-Ground is Now
u Being sshed Over and the Mi
mute - Being Brought Out.

]. Being sshed Over and the Mi,
mute 80 Being Brought Out.
Washing J. c., Oct. 3O.-With
the opening e Schley court of in
quiry today. Z. ey began the fifth
day of his te ny. The prospect
was that he continue on the
stand throughot day.
Replying to Ions by Lemly
Schley said the Iowa was not at
Hampton Roads when he gave the
captains verbal orders about attack
ing the enemy's fleet. He could not
recollect whether he had communicate
ed verbal orders to the commander OF
the Iowa.
Regarding the suggestion of Captain
Folger of forming a circular squadron
the witness said such a formation
would produce confusion and would
inevitably lead to different arrange
ment as it moved east or west The
witness attention was called to his
statement that neither at Cienfuegos
or Santiago had any vessel entered or
departed and was asked how he knew
this. He replied that he only knew it
because he never heard of any ship
getting in or out.
Reasons for Waiting.
Coming to the bombardment of the
Colon Lemly asked: why did you
wait two days after the discovery OF
the fleet in the harbor before under
taking your reconnaissance"
For the reason that had used those
two days for coaling the vessels of the
fleet. so as to be prepared in case the
enemy should came out"
Does your letter to the senate plead
precautionary order of the department
for not destroying the Colon?"
81 should rather think that is the
inference
He again explained when he wrote
the communication to the senate he
did not have all the records before
him. He had prepared it largely from
memory.
In further support of his position
the admiral read the departments in
struction of July Is specifically warn
ing the commander-in-chief against
risking his armored vessels to fire
from the land batteries. The Judge
advocate then asked the admiral tc
tell exactly what his purpose was or
that occasion and what instructions
he had given. Schley replied the sig
nails made indicated his purpose. The
signal instructed the ships to use theil
heavy guns against the Colon and the
instruction was to go in 1000 yards
and he thought until several days af
terwards the ships had gone in thai
distance.
Admiral's Logic.
| directed the ships to follow the
flag and to operate against the Colon
to fire at the forts to develop them
and | think reconnaissance, so far as
it went, was eminently successful
The batteries were developed and the
fact demonstrated that the enemy wa:
in port with a squadron of only five
or six ships. 1t, served to show tina
only the strongest military necessit,
would have justified me in risking thu
loss of a vessel that might have re
duced our squadron to numerical in
feriority with the enemy. The devel
opment of the facts as to the batter
les and ships was, in my opinion, sui
ficient The enemy's ships could no
get away and they did not get away
Loop Was Unimportant.
Gross examination of the battle o
Santiago was begun. Schley said il
reply to questions regarding the Brook
lyn's turn he decided in the events o
the day to not mention the loop in hi
report of the battle because 1T was a.
incident of the battle which he had n
idea would ever come into controversy
Cook had given the order without OF
ders from him, except under his gen
eral instructions to close in and keel
somewhere about 1000 yards away
and outside of broadside torpedo rang
and when the time came for the turl
Cooks conception of the movement &C
incided with his own. Although Cool
gave the order he would have done s
in moment had the Captain of tn
Brooklyn failed to do SO.
Assumes Responsibility.
DO you assume full responslDlllt
for the turn, he was asked,
absolutely; if l did not give tn
order I approved of it," replied tn
admiral.
Says He Kept Mouth Shut
Asked whether he had mention6
during the battle that he had give
the signal "Follow the flag" previou
to beginning of the inquiry, Schley r.
piled.
II think have kept my mouth clio!
ed on all these subjects and don't rt
call speaking of the incident. di
tinctly recollect giving the signal an
1t was flying for twenty minutes"
Schley said he never heard of th
Texas incident until six months afte
the battle. He had been under tn
Impression until later that the stal