Bismarck daily tribune., 1901-10-23

with Commodore Schley?'

e. To-
with Commodore Schley?"
"Yes, SIR 's@@2&%& ~ RI
Can you give US that CONVERSE
I AFTER we had reached the quarter
deck from the gangway he stopped
and Commodore Schley said to him:
Have we got them, Sigsbee?' Captain
Sigsbee said: No, they are not here.
l have been here for week and they
are not here"
rs that the whole Of the converse
tion as you recollect? - .>r*t -.
g33"No, sir. We went aft, further back
bn the quarter deck, and he continued
the conversation. Commodore Schley
said: Are You sure they are not in
there?' He said: II have been very
close to the Iarbor entrance two or
three times. Captain Cotton. has been
in and cut cable and they are not
there"
's|You heard Sigsbee say that?"
Eyes, sir; took some part in the
conversation
=. 'Did you record that conversation
and did Captain Sigsbee know you re-
corded it?' q. %$,% IS
Captain Sigsbee knew I was
newspaper man and was there look
ing for information and Captain Sigs-
bee later took a dispatch written by
me and revised by Commodore Schley
He took it aboard his ship and he was
to deliver it to one of the small boats
or else take it over himself"
"And Captain Sigsbee took that dis
patch?'
"Yes, sir. It was open. 1t detailed
the fact that the feet was not there" !"
Bombardment of the Colon.
"Do you remember the reconnofs-
sance on May 81 %. -.
Eyes, sir. I was aboard the Massa-
chusetts."
"Were you present at any eonversa-
tion between Commodore Schley and
Captain Higginson in the pilothouse of
the Massachusetts,
"On the Brooklyn heard that they
were going in to lombard and that the
flag should be transferred. to the Mas
sachusetts. l asked permission to go
aboard the Massachusetts, with the
commodore. He had just given per-
mission to Mr.. McCauley to go and
turning to me he said: 4 do not think
you better go. 1 think you can see it
better from the Brooklyn She was
then coaHng. He further said that
they did not intend to do anything ex-
cept find out what the batteries con
sisted of. 1 kept urging him to let
me, go and he finally consented
'sNow tell me regarding the conver
sation between Commodore Schley
and Captain Higginson."
"There was some discussion about
what the Spanish feet had brought
with them. A report was current that
| they had brought arms and ammuni
! tios for, the defense Of Havana and
| there was also discussion as to
whether they had had time to mount
guns from the fleet The two officers
smoked their cigars and chatted over
it. Commodore Schley said his ides
was to go in about 1000 or $500 yards
and fire simply to draw their fire. Sc
far as I remern Der Captain Higginsor
acuuiesced in that. Later, Mr.. Potts
came in.''s .aas:sss. <s,. -, ~. : ..>5s5.
Were you in the presence OF Com
modore Schley during the whole o.
this reconnaissance of the Massachu
2setts ~ st,>F3 IA! :. ,''Fw.L Z ..pj.5r e.
Only part of the time. At times
was behind the coming tower and he
| was on the other side of it.
t. At this point Mr.. Rayner read to the
witness a portion of the testimony
given by Mr.. Potts, wherein he had re
ferred to the conversation between
Commodore Schley and Captain Hig
ginson as to going in for the bonn
/ bardment and I. asked: Were vol
1 present at that conv versation?''
.No," answered the witness. "Tha
conversation must have been .whe1
they stepped outside the apilothouse
Potts was in there a short time will
u.s." 7 se5&$.2 S3
Did Not Hear schIey Say It. -
7 "Then you don't know anything
4 about the conversation about which
i Potts testified that the commodore
j%said, tGentlemen, We are very con
spicuous objects here let's get out q g
jit?'n as57 ,'.T555gG. }55ss$2ss 93.s gi$
I never heard such conversation
i SIs stood on top of the forward 1S-incl
81 turret. The comm odore called to me
fiSsBoy, that's bad place for you. Stel
lin here, / afterward asked why AM
u he said that the concussion would hur
II me. u had no serious intention of re
Il maining there ~ 4. ~ 45s5s# .5a
twas Potts present at that time q"
/, think he was giving the ranges a
3 the time. 33s b Ss5& %:ze' + a. 5S, I: 81,
4 The witness said he was with tn
Il commodore during the whole Of tn
4 reco connofss ssance and did not hear eithe
pf the alleged cenversati ions. /, F5gE
Is% Mr.: Graham also said that he ha
il not heard Commodore Schley say any
thing about citing the Colon = whIe
HI the eemno lore went aboard the Mas
\ sa chnsetts, May 81, and that he wa
II with the comm odore at tthe time. - n 4
Des scribing the bait lie of July I
q Mr.. Graham said that Comnodor
II Schley had gotten to Ia position i
q int III the coming tower as soon a
& the nose nf the first Spanish ship al
81 paared ss3
Continuing the witness said that y
], the time Brooklyn comp eted her tur
4 and he thought IL the turn had bee
cont ntinuously to the right the thre
leading Spanish ships had emerge
I. |: # from the harbor.
Connfaod dore's Conduct sJui
r,Yfr f,1f Il az III aid ssfo0