Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-10-24

Washington, Oct. 23. The Schley
Court of Inquiry WAS as interesting
yesterday as II was dull Monday. This
was due, perhaps, to the appearance Of
a newspaper man, George 4. Graham,
the Albany correspondent OF The Asso.
waited Press, whose story was not ouly
graphic and tense with details, but
carried the case into out of the way
corners OF The campaign, and the
culminsting battle at Santiago. Lieut..
Edward Simpson, who had gone into
history as the man who fired the first
gun from the Brooklyn, also con.
tributed much to the interest Of the
proceedings by giving most graphic
and picturesque description OF the
battle from the standpoint of en- officer
who stood up to his duty and caught
his sight OF what was going on in inter.
walls from his work. The early mart of
the day was spent in continuation of
the cross. examination Of Lieut. Wells.
This developed no new points and con
listed chiefly of careful consecutive
pview OF his story on the direct exami-
iation.
The most important point brought
VT ny Mt. Graham was the cor
roborstion OF Lieut., Ralph Marble q
ft1to"Hdp Wubh ho W ttlh COUNHfAA-
lion which took place when Commodore
.bchley and Capt. Sigsbee frat met
before Santiago. The two stories co.
,inoide. Mr.. Graham said that as soon
rs Capt Sigabee reached the quarter
deck OF the brooklyn Com modure Sohley
asked him Have we got 'em, Sigsbee?"
10 THIS Capt. Sigsbee replied: mo,
they Bre not here. have Eeen here
for week, and they are not here. ),
This is as tar AZ Mr.. Marbles over
hearing Of the conversation went, but
MIR. Graham heard more of il. He
accompanied the two otfioerH aft, and
heard Commodore Schley ask "Are you
sure they are not In there?" Capt.
bigsbee sain: " have been very close
TO the harbor entrance two or three
times. Capt. Cotton has heen In and
cut cable, ana they are not there. -
ihe witness said that Capt. Sigsbee
knew be iGraham( was newspaper
man, and that he sent the dispatch 10
which he told of this conversation py
Capt Sigsbee, who forwarded it OH to
be cabled to New York.
Mr. Graham was mn the MasHaoh usetts
during the reconnaissance OF May .}lst,
and was near Commodore Schley during
the engagement. He contradioted the
statement Of Lieut.. Potts as to Com.
modoro Sohiey's nervousness and want
OF courage, and said he heard no con-
veraation between Capt Higginson and
the Commodore suggestive OF that de.
acribed by Lieut.. Fotts. There was
nothing said about danger from being
conspicuous in white uniforms, aud
Lieut.. potts must have taken seriously
the iucose remarks Of some one of the
various persons present. Mr.. Graham
IN ri ha thA 81 IL.
was said to have taken place Lieut.
Potts Should have beon going about
the ship calling out the range. "From
the first moment, said Graham, THAT
the Commodore came on deck on July
ID, when the Spanish ships came out
OF the harbor, he stood towards the fire
OF the enemy. He wRs absolutely COOL
and sent messages to the men repeatedly
TO cheer them up, and when Yecmap
Ellis was shot he wiped some of the
blood oil his own clothes. As the men
picked the body up to throw 1t over
board. the Commodore calmly said
Don't throw thar body overheard
take IT below, and we will give 1t
Christian burial"
AS to the loop Mr.. Graham's OBJ.
serrations corroborated these of Capt.
Cook and Lieut.. Sears to the effect
1850 sAS SAobhAyh inhu0 tub buE0 lnSlUo
the Texas and never crossed the path
of the latter vessel 30 that 20 collision
could possibly have occurred. A cues. |
tion in regard to conversation, which |
was brought up whsn Admiral Evans
vas on the stand, developed con
siderable argument. Mr.. Graham said |
!, that In the Oommodores cabin on the
! BfoQklyn July 9th, when Evans came |
: IN, the first thing he said was: "Sohley,
did you see Jack Philip run away with |
the TexasH" Commodore Schley replied
moi neither did you. y
Admiral Dewey interrupted at this |
point, saying. Zone moment. Poor
Philip is not present - the intlmation |
peing the conversation should not go into |
the record because Capt. Philip was
-skd. Mr.. Rayner argued that Admiral |
Sohley would testify to this conversa- |
tion, and that 1t was rertinentas show |
ing the want OF accuracy in Evans
statements before the court. The court |
took half an hour to consider the oues- |
rion, and finally admitted it on the |
Rrouhd that IL tended to impugn the |
credibility OF Evans testimony.
another witness who corroborated the |
conversation between Capt. Sigsbae and |
Commodore Schley appeared 10 Dennis |
j. CronHn, who was Schley's orderly |
on the. Brooklyn. His recollection was |
substantially the same as that Of Lieut..
Marble and Mr.. Graham. 1t is under. |
stood that Admiral Schley will testify
also on this point.
Lieutenant Commander William H. |
Rush, who was for many years elm.
ployed in coast survey work, described |
the surf at Cienfue2os as too rough for |
boats to land. He snid he had vivid |
rerollection OF the turn the visoaJa /
nadesas II to ram the Brooklyn.
The testimony given by Lieut.. Simp.
son rose to a high level In the art Of |
story telling He was in command Of
one of the forward eight inch batteries,
and his position was such that he could |
only tell OF the battle from the sight he |
had OF 1t over the sights of his guns.
he gave the direction of the MORO, the
bearings Of the Brooklyn, the effects OF
shots, the ranges at differ ent points in
the fight, the orders and remarks which
be overheard; told how he recognized
the voice Of Commodore Schley,
although he could not ses him: snoke
OF the cheers the men gave and for
every important fact which he brought
out assigned some collateral incident
which fixed IL in his memory. Nov
and then be smiled as he told the many
striking little details OF what took
place. The audience rustled and stirred
with murmur of APPRECIATION when he
concluded.
Washington. Dot. %. The ScbIey
Court of Inquiry is rnpidly Rpproaohinp