The San Francisco call., 1901-10-08


as reported was fictitious, and that he
had denied its verbal accuracy while not
denying the truth of a part of it. He
said that he had told Admiral Schley that
he could not Tcpudiate the entire state
ment, and that he had not understood
him to request that he should do more
ready, before writing his explicit denial,
told the admiral that he could not deny
the whole story. He had given the news
paper reporters authority originally to
quote him as authority for the gist of the
statement.
Not Taking Opinions.
At this point Raynor introduced as evil
dence the official report made by Captain
Chadwick of his examination of the wit
ness with regard to this colloquy, for the
purpose, as he said, of showing discrep-
ancieS between the statement made in
that examination and the statement now
made.
The Introduction of this report caused
Captain Lemly to offer a statement made
by Lieutenant Commander Heilner on the
same subject, but Raynor objected to this
statement as not pertinent, and the court
after consultation sustained the obJec-
Other statements were put in as evil
dence without objection, and Captain
Lemly' offered a letter from Captain
Chadwick to the Secretary of the Navy
in regard to an explanation contained in
letter from Commander HOdgSon, which
had just been lead and offered as evil
fact that this :etter contained an express
sion of opinion, whereupon Admiral
Dewey said:
I'VE don't want it, We have not taken
opinions here"
Captain Lemly said that he had only
offered these documents for the purpose
of making the record complete.
The afternoon session of the court be-
gan with a question put to Lieutenant
Commander Hodgson by Hanna. He
asked why he had written his categorical
Ia n NOR rn of fl1a n
loquy between himself and Commander
Schley. The question was objected to,
and Admiral Dewey said:
Ne nave the facts. The letters were
written. That is all the court wants. We
wants facts-facts. People are inf1unced
by different kinds of things. We want
the facts. Draw out the facts"
Hanna then changed his question, and
the witness said that he had written his
explicit denial in response to a request
from Admiral Schley.
He wanted me to write a denial of the
controversy he continued. Il had pre-
viously written that 1 could not deny the
statement. A letter followed asking for
denial of the colloquy. l gave him this,
admitted the gist of the report
Have you anywhere denied the sub
stantial accuracy of the facts as set forth
IN the report of that colloquy?"
"On the contrary, L have admitted it."
Changing the line of examination,
Hanna then asked:
helm, did she blanket the fire of the
Texas-did she go between the Texas and
the enemy?'
Il do not think she did thought, how
ever. she was going to do it"
Texas Not in Danger.
& Had she turned the other way. was
such turn without endangering the
Texas?"
"Perfectly-perfectly clear enough
How much would have she gained to
the northward and westward had she
turned with starboard helm?"
''She would have gained a position of
about 600 or 700 yards nearer the Spanish
line
Would that distance have been re-
duced by reversing the port englne?"
'If you turned the port engine the
tactical diameter would have been short
ened, but the speed Of turning would have
been reduced
81 understood you to say you suggested
the reversal of the starboard engine at
the time this turn WAS made, but that
that was rejected by Commodore Schley
after consideration and discussion Are
you clear that the starboard engine Was
not reversed?"
Il am very clear on that fact
A number of questions were then asked
by the court, as follows:
What was the distance Of the Brook
lyn from the nearest Spanish vessel when
Commodore Schley said to Captain Cook:
LOOK out, COOK, lney re gong to ram
you?' -"
Il should say the distance was about
1000 or 22OO yards"
Did you observe the whole movement
of the Brooklyn from the time Commo-
dore Schley gave the order, Hard aport
Cook until the Brooklyn was steadied on
her course to the westward parallel to the
Viscaya?"
81 did"
did you hear any order given while
the Brooklyn was making the turn, to
ease or steady the helm?'
mot until it was eased to parallel the
course of the leading Spanish vessel.
''In making the turn, did the Brooklyn
turn rapidly and continuously, or did she
have her head longer on some heading
than on others?"
''She turned rapidly and continuously. y
did any of the Spanish ships attempt
to ram the Brooklyn in the early part of
the battle of July 3?'
''The Maria Teresa evidently made a
rank sheer TO port toward the Brooklyn
with the evident intention Of getting into
close quarters or ramming.'
What orders were signaled by the
Brooklyn to the fleet July 3, 1882"
81 can only say from recollection that