Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-10-30

the naval court of inquiry. Two of them,
Captain Cook and Lieutenant Command
er Sears, made additions TO earlier testi-
mony, while three, Commander n. f. Ma
son, executive officer; Lieut.. Edward Me-
Cauley, Jrs signal officer. and Lieut..
Charles Webster watch officer were new
witnesses. All the Witness testified
chat Schley was calm. cool ANA courage
Gus during the battle.
Captain Cook, the first on the stand.
was asked about the unceupling of the
Brooklyn's engines, saying that he
thought it had been ordered by the com
nander-in-chief in a bulletin. He was
then asked whether the flying squadron
had proceeded with all dispatch from
Cienfuegos TO Santiago. He answered
No. but said that if the surrounding cir
eumstances were taken into account he
would say Yes" These circumstances
he defined as the coaling conditions at the
time. Bad weather, he said, had delayed
the direct progress TO Santiago before the
retrograde movement.
Lieutenant Commander Sears was then
asked about a conversation on the Mas
saehusetts, May 81, in which DO was al
legged to have said that it had been Gift
cult to get Commodore Schley up to the
point of undertaking the bombardment of
the Colon He answered:
Il do not recollect it at all. 1t could
not be possible | said such thing. They
have misunderstood what | said. l was
irritated at the delay. In the ward room
talk something might have been construed
in that way, as statements often are. but
it issentirely impossible that l could have
said that, | was impatient, excited per-
haps. it being my first engagement, and
/ might have made some remark. 1t is
something some one might have misun-
derstood, but that remark never made. ;"
what do you mean by 'irritated at
the delayY'
Delay of not going Immediately into
this work.
Commander Mason was the next wit
ness. After answering questions concern
ing the blockade he was asked by Mr.
Rayner how many times he had seen
Commodore Schley under fire, to which
he replied;
During all the islgements."
What was his general conduct, man
ner and bearing ON these occasionsT Mr..
Rayner asked.
Excellent. in every particular. He
= was tolAlis tOAISNtEa anu
He then gave an account of the battle
of Santiago, as he saw it, paying espe-
cial attertion to the way the batteries
were used. He told of the Brooklyn's
chase after ii strange man-of-war that
proved to be Austrian, just after the bat
tie was over.
In reply to number of questions asked
by Admiral Dewey after the regular ex-
that beyond sending rlen aloft and hay-
inc Captain McCalI4 90 ashore, nc effort
had been made by the flying squadron to
determine whether the Spaniards We're in
the harbor at Cienfuegos; that he knew
of no American ships being between the
Brooklyn and the Spanish ships when
the Brooklyn was turning to starboard
July 3, and that when the Spanish fleet
came out of the harbor the Brooklyn was
near her regular blockading position,
which was 5000 yards from the MORO.
Twenty-fifth Day,
Tie testimony of eight witnesses, all of
whom had served on the Brooklyn dur
ing the Spanish war and all of whom
were friendly to Admiral Schley, was
heard by the naval court of inquiry on
the twenty-third day. Each Of them, up
on being asked, praised Schley's conduct
during the battle. Those whose duties
had given them the requisite knowledge
added facts TO help out the theories that
are being developed TO explain the slow
ness of the movement toward Santiago
and The Brooklyn's loop during the bat
tie.
OF the witnesses five We're ensigns and
one was surgeon. Lieut.. Charles Web
ster, who began his testimony the pre-
yious day, was the first one called. Up
on questioning by Mr.. Hanna, he said
that he could not have distinguished OBJ
jects on the shore line at night.
Gould you see the vessels on the in
ner picket line at night"
Not without the aid of searchlights.
Lieutenant Commander Griffin was
then called He explained why the Eagle
had been sent away from the fleet, in
order thai better speed could be made.
Then he was asked about conversation
he had with Schley prior to July 3 about
the Brooklyn's going to Guantanamo for
coal. His answer was
I'm substance | mentioned the fact that
other ships of the squadron We're in the
habit of going to Guantanamo for coal.
The commodore replied that ne had been
like to go to Guantanamo, where he could
coal quietly and give the officers ant. men
a rest from the strain of blockade. lie
said that his answer was in each case
that he preferred to remain on the station
until the Spanish ships came out of the
harbor."
During the Santiago battle were ana
cheering or encourag ing messages sent
among the men that you know Of, by
whom and what were they" he was ask
ed.
"One message which seemed to cheer
the men below very much was that there
were three Spanish ships on our star
board beam, all firing at u.s."
Can you speak of the conduct, bearing
and manner of Commodore Schley during
the engag ement in which you saw himf'
''He impressed ME as being remarkably
cool, considering what had just occurred.
He was perfectly natural in manner and
bearing"
Twenty-Sixth Day.
The examination of seven witnesses
was concluded on this day, and that of
the eighth. Lieut.. B. W. Wells, Jr., who
served throughout the Spanish war as
Admiral Schley's flag lieutenant. was
started when an adjournment was taken.
The witnesses simply substantiated tes-
tiInony already given concerning the work
of the Brooklyn during the battle Of SAN
t;ago and the c0aiing arrangements OF the
feet. They were: Commander Reginald
p Nicholson, navigator Of the Oregon;
Medical Director Charles NJ. de Vain.
81 l. Tn-ra L