Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-11-09
sCHLEY's FOES AGAIN,
Admirars Case Is Closed and Evil
dence i'm RebuttaI Begins.

Washington, Nov lin the Schley court
of inquiry Thursday number of witnesses
were introduced by Judge Advocate Lemly
to testify in rebuttal of the evidence given
In Admiral Schley's behalf. The court de-
cided early in the day that no witnesses
could be introduced a. this stage of the
proceedings to give testimony on imrna-
teTial points. This announcement was
made in connection with effort to prove
a conversation on board the Massachusetts,
in which Lieut.. Sears, who was Admiral
Schley's flag lieutenant, was reported TO
have said: For Gods sake, don't dscour-
age him (meaning Commodore Schley); it
Is all that we have been able to do to work
him up to this' 1t had the effect of reliev-
ing Lieut. Commander Grant, Lieut.. Com
mandsr Potts and other officers of the
Massachusetts, who had been called to tes-
tify concerning this conversation with Mr.
Sears, which is said to have occurred on
the Massachusetts just before the recon-
noissance of May 81.
On the other hand, the court held that II
was not bound by the ordinary proceeding
in civil issues as to the time when tes-
timony can be taken and that witnesses
might be called or recalled any time for
the purpose of making additions to former
statements, but that none of them could
reiterate testimony previously given. This
decision was rendered on an objection
raised by Mr. Rayner to allowing Capt
Sigsbees to give new testimony when called
as witness for rebuttal purposes.
When the court opened Thursday, Capt
T. S. Borden was called as the first wit
ness of the day, and as the last witness
who was to testify in Admiral Schley's be-
half. Capt Borden is officer in the ma
rine corps and served on the Brooklyn DUR
ing the Cuban campaign His testimony
was, therefore, largely corroborative of
the evidence which has heretofore been
given by others who were on the Brooklyn.
In reply to questions from Mr. Rayner
he said he had seen Commodore Schley
three times during the battle, and that his
bearing was Everything that the officers
and crew could have expected"
Capt. Borden was the last of Admiral
Schley's witnesses, and at IL: rs a. m. Mr.
Rayper announced that the case for the
admiral was closed. The witnesses called
in rebuttal were Capt. Charles D. Sigsbee,
Capt. Francis E. Chadwick, Capt. Joseph
G.. Eaton. Lieut. John H. Roys and Chief
Quartermaster Neil Anderson, all of whom
testified to incidents connected with the
campaign of 1898. Capt. Chadwick in his
statement said that the precautionary dis
patches from the navy department in re-
gard to attacking the Spanish shore bat
teries had not been communicated to Com
modore Schley. This statement is regarded
as of great Importance to Admiral Schley's
opponents, as 1t distinctly contradicts the
admiraTs own statements. Capt Sigsbee
testified concerning his interview on the
Brooklyn with Commodore Schley. Capt.
Eaton was the commander of the dispatch
boat Resolute during the war, and his tes-
timony related largely to events which oc-
Cured just before and just after the battle
on July g. Lieut.. Roys served on board
the Eagle, and his statement bore upon the
Eagles meeting with the Brooklyn when
the latter was en- route to Cienfuegos and
again while the flagship lay off that port
He stated that Lieut.. Commander Souther-
land had asked not to be sent to Port An
tonic for coal and had asked tc be allowed
to coal from the Merrimac. Mr. Anderson
was chief quartermaster of the Brooklyn
during the Spanish war and was at tie
wheel during the battle of July 8. He said
that Commodore Schley had given the or
der of hard aport," but that when the
order was given the vessel was then hard