Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-10-02
Of the engagement into court tomOr-
sIGsREE ON THE STAND.

lOlt 4NuHehi anu Sdlu Nnul nc ulu Hol
have great confidence In that indyld-
ual. His instructions We're TO report to
Commodore Schley that the Spanish
squadron probably was In Santiago
harbor He fell In with the flying
squadron on the evening Of May 20,
the squadron then being twenty or
twenty-five miles south OF Santiago, He
had reported TO Commodore Schley that
he knew nothing positively about the
Spanish feet
He was then asked If he had ex-
pressed his belief to Commodore Schley
that cerveras fleet was not IN the har-
Dor as reported later by Commodore
Sclley. A controversy arose over the
admissibillty Of the question and the
court took recess for luncheon before
receiving the reply of the witness.
When the Schley court reconvened af-
ter luncheon Capt Slgsbee resumed his
testimony. Mr.. Hanna repeated his
question asked before recess. quoting
from Admiral Schley's report of July
Is, 1898. the sentence reading, After
having been assured by Sigsbee that
he did not believe the Spanish fleet was
In Santiago" The witness replied
~ stated that we had seen nothing Of
the Spanish fleet | have stated that |
Knew nothing positively or absolutely
about It's movements, but ! recited GER
tain events to show that there was a
probability Of the feet being In San
tiago at that time. In regard to the
other matter | beg TO make an appeal
to the court. This case is one involving
regulations. II has been stated by
Commodore Schley. In an official letter
TO the United states Senate, that
expressed certain belief. Now II has
been made public matter. | think
that either the court or the defense
should allow me to express under oath
what | really said Whether / ex-
pressed that belief or not It may be
technically right TO interfere with me-
but according to the ethics Of the naval
service / think the defense ought to
permit me to answer that question"
I've have no objection TO that" said
Mr.. Raynor.
II have given an answer TO that
question. | have said nothing about
my belief"
Mr.. Hanna-The portion Of the ques-
ton to which / should like TO have you
give an explicit answer is whether you
assured Commodore Schley that you
believed the Spanish fleet was not In
Santiago.
Il did not say that I believed IT was
not there; | said | had not seen II"
Did you give him any assurance
which would point In that direction
II made known first my orders from
rhe navy department which stated
that the Spanish fleet was reported to
have arrived there"
Mir. Hanna then read a letter which
Capt. SigsbCe had on May 25 written
to Commodore Schley reporting the
taking of the pilot Nunez from the
Jason and the capture OF the British
steamer Restormel as prize He said
N that letter:
enc news mere. | have seen abso-
lutely nothing Of the Spanish ileet' He
2,400 tons OF coal aboard and said that
the commanding officer had said he
was bound for Santiago.
AR Hanna alsC read number OF
letters, among Them being one from
Capt Sigsbee TO Commodore schley
written from Mole ST. Nicholas, May
20, in which he said to the commo-
aore: do us you are dolng and you
will do right He also informed him
that there were a number OF kilograms
AT the Mole for him, but that none OF
them was urgent. He told the COM
modore that the department expected
him 10 exercise great efforts 10 keep IN
coal.
Mr.. Hanna-I wish TO ask your atten-
ton to the clause. do as you are do
ing and you will do right What was
the flying squadron doing at the time
you wrote that letter?
THAT was based on the tenor of tie
cipher kilograms found at the Mole
from the commander n-chlef and
from the navy department. urging
mat the Spanish squadron be held and
that every effort be made to coal the
ships. At that time the lying squad
ron was off Santiago with the inten-
ton, so far as | know, Of staying, and
| also believed II was the intention OF
Commodore Schley TO coal his ships of
that port. left Santiago on the morn
ing of the day on which that letter was
written. At that time the weather was
very fine, and had twice urged on Com
modore Schley the importance OF TAX
ing advantage OF that particular kind
of weather, stating that it was better
than anything we had had during my
ttay OFF the port
Capt Sigsbee also said that when he |
had boarded the Brooklyn on May |
&c, Commodore Sehley mad told nm |
that lie was bound for Key West ioi
coal,
did he ask you II you Deiieved the
spanish fleet was in the harbor OF san
tiago?
II don't remember mis- putting
question In such terms:
The witness reeaIed sishal from
the flagship az that time asking MN
TO inform sampson una, ohe-ha'i Oh
his sqtadroh IL OUT OF coal
Mr. kayror 'hen questioned ,he wv.
ness, bringing out tne statement lhat
me purpose OF MS snip peihs seht "
NE V'elnl,S Q. se s wa as, u ~ poS pa
slDle' locate 1ne spanish meet re sdiu
mat ne had llrst Seeil lue slanlsn saiis
IN IN" harpoI AZ ean'laSo, put va
wheh ne repo,'eu .ne laot ne iounu Wv
fquadfoh hau aUeauy ihaue 'he uis-
e"Very.
Mr.. Raynor read an extract from
report made by Capt slgsbee saying.
I'm this report off Santiago de Cuba,
made at 10 a. m. May ~, you say:
We were then steaming at full spead |
from Mole st. Nicholas. Hayu, and |