New-York tribune., 1901-09-21
THE SCHLEY INQUIRY.
COURT RESUMES SESSIONS
AT WASHINGTON.
ADMIRAL HIGGINSON. CAFTAIN CHES-
TER AND MAJOR WOOD TESTIFY.
tRY TELEGRAPH To THE TRrsrxE.I

TER AND MAJOR WOOD TESTIFY.
rBY TELEGRAPH THE TRIsuNEI
Washington. Sept 20-The Schley court Of
inquiry determined to-day to limit it's witnesses
TO statements of fact and to permit no questions
involving expressions of Judgment in testimony.
This decision. which will result in materially
reducing the duration of the court and simpli-
flying its proceedings. reached upon ex-
ception taken by Admiral Schley's counsel to a
question propounded by the court itself. at the
instance of Admiral Benham. The information
sought was relatively unimportant. involving
merely the extent of the efforts made. If any
were made to destroy the Colon she lay
within the gorge leading from the
into Santiago Harhor fanked by the guns OF
Socapa and the Moro. without reference TO the
injunction imposed upon the North Atlantic
Squadron avoid injury from the shore bat
teries
The court at first perceived no impropriety
in the question. but after brief argument was
convinced that the pursuit of the investigation
would probably become intermna BILE il opinions
and expert testimony to be solicited to
assist the court in forming the opinion it was
expected to render eventually to the Navy De-
partment- The question was ordered with
drawn, and hereafter facts and not opinions
will alone be admitted to consideration. The
decision is important making for expedition
in determining the merits of the controversy
and for disposing of large masses of hearsay
and gossip which thought to be the UNDER
lying basis of the whole historical dispute.
II also tends TO eliminate from the inquiry
disclosures that promised TO be highly sensa-
tional. but which had for obvious reasons been
omitted from official reports. 1t was always
exceedingly doubtful that such evidence could
ever be brought out. and with to-day's action
of the court the likelihood of extraordinary and
damaging developments hitherto unsuspected
becomes more than ever remote.
To-day's witnesses evoked nothing not already
published in official documents. save some re-
marks attributed TO Admiral schey by marine
officer and, as it turns out overheard with more
or less indistinctness and radical discrepancies
between the witnesses as to the distance OF the
ships off Santiago before Sampson instituted tho
effective blockade OF the port.
Admiral Higginson. who commanded the
Massachusetts. declared that the vessels pa
troIied back and forth at distance not exceed
ing miles by day and two three miles
from the harbor mouth at night Commander
Harber who was executive officer of the Texas.
certain that seven miles was the least dis
tance by daylight. and this increased at
night about miles. Admiral Higgnson's
testimony did not vary from his official report
of August ). 1S9S, and added nothing to it.
The only witness to-day who threw any new
light on the operations of the Flying Squadron
in the preliminary period at Santiago was Major
Wood. of the Marine Corps. who commanded
the 6-inch battery of the Massachusetts, and
was forbidden fire. when the big guns were
being used. in the direction of the Colon He
was not actively employed by official duties
during this engagement. but he kept his ears
open. and above the din. with projectiles nom
the shore batteries passing over the Massa-
chusetts and dropping all about her. he over
heard Admiral Schley say TO Admiral Hig-
ginson
-Starboard your helm. and let's get out OF
here"
Interest in the proceedings. as indicated by
the size of the audience does not seem TO equal
the anticipations of those who prepared the
courtroom. Not cne-haf the press seats
occupied to-day. and three-fourths of the chairs
provided for the public were empty. Admiral
SIMPSONS counsel. W. III. Stayton. was present.
but decided not TO ask for recognition by the
court until his client should be attacked.
The first witness Tomorrow after Captain
Harber's evidence is completed. will be Lieuten-
ant Commander Alexander Sharp. jr.. who COM
marded the Vixen south of Cuba and was
naval aid TO Assistant Secretary Roosevelt be-
fore the Spanish