Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1901-10-22
A CORRESPONDENT
ON The STAND
George Edward Graham Testifes as to a
Conversation between Commodore
sohley and Captain sigsbee off
Oienfuegos.
The SCHLEY INQUIRY
DRAGGING ALONG

ant Wells resumed the witness stand
in the Schley court today and contin-
ued his narrative of the events in the
Cuban campaign under cross exami-
nation by Judge Advocate Lemly and
Mr.. Hanna.
After Lieutenant Wells was excused
Albert v. Mason was called. He was
a yeoman of the second class on the
Brooklyn during the Santiago cam
paign land wrote the ships log. His
testimony related to the log. George
Edward Graham, associated press cor
respondent, was questioned concerning
the conversation between Commodore
Schley and Captain Sigsbee on the oc-
casion Of the captains visit to the
Brooklyn on May 26. He testified:
"Schley said to Sigsbee: Have we got
'em, Sigsbee?' The captain said: No,
they are not here. have been here a
week, and they are not here. We went
aft, further back on the quarter deck,
and continued the conversation. Com
modore Schley said: Are you sure they
are not in there?' Sigsbee said: I have
been very close to the harbor entrance
two or three times. Captain Cotton
has been in and cut the cable, and
| they are not there"
"You heard Sigsbee say that?" Eyes,
sir. took some part in the conversa-
ton
Captain Sigsbee later took the dis
patch, written by me and revised by
Commodore Schley aboard his ship,
and was to deliver it to one of the
small boats or else take it over him
self. 1t was open. 1t detailed the fact
that the fleet was not there
do you remember the reconnois-
sance on May 31?' Eyes sir, I was on
board the Massachusetts,
Were you present at any conversa-
ton between Commodore Schley and
Captain Higginson in the pilot house
of the Massachusetts?'
"Yes, there was some discussion
about what the Spanish fleet brought
with them. The report was current
that they brought arms and ammuni-
ton for the defense Of Havana, and
there also was discussion whether
they had time to mount them, or
whether they had taken any large
guns and mounted them from any
ships in the harbor pi .or to the ar
rival of the fleet. Commodore Schley
said his idea was to go In about 1000
or 1900 yards and fire, simply to draw
their fire. So far as I remember, Cap
tain Higginson acquiesced in that"
between Evans and Schley on July s.
Evans said: "Schley, did you see Phil
ips turn around and run out of the
fght?' The commodore said: NO,
neither did you. He did not run out
of the fight" Evans said: ooh, yes
he did, saw him." The commodore
said: "It was not the Texas at all. The
Texas was in the fight all the time.
The ship you saw turn around was the
Brooklyn"
Dennis J. Cronin, orderly to Schley
during the Santiago campaign, testi-
fled that he was present when Cap
tain Sigsbee came aboard the Brook
lyn on May 26. II heard tn commo-
dore ask Sigsbee something / could
not understand" said the witness,
+" and I heard the captain answer: The
Spanish fleet is not in there In re-
ply to question, Cronin said Schley's
manner on July was such as in
spired the men under him with cour-
age.
Describing the battle of July 8, Gra-
ham said Schley got in front Of the
coming tower as soon as the first of
the Spanish ships appeared.
1.-THE commodore" he said "stood all
the time on the side of the fire, SO he
could see what he was doing. He was
to the men to cheer them up.
When Ellis head was shot off, he
wiped some of the blood from his per-
son and as the men picked up the
body to throw it overheard, while the
rest of us stood Mortified, he calmly
said Don't throw that body over,
take it below and We'll give it Chris
tian burial" when the Viscaya
went ashore, the commodore went in
to the coming tower and called down
the tube to the men below: 'tThey are
all gone but one; 1t all depends on you
boys"
"Did you ever see Commodore Schley
when he appeared to be laboring un-
der any mental excitement?" "Oh, no,
he was jovial and good natured at all
times and I did not observe the least
trace of excitement or anxiety except
at one time. That was when it look
ed as If the Colon might get away. He
expressed fear that that might occur
and seemed much concerned. re-
member, he discussed with Captain
Cook the advisability of stopping to
couple the engines before dark, fear
ing that If it was postponed until
later the Spaniards might get away"
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