The Monticellonian., 1901-10-25
C0jRI IN SESSION AGAIN.
The Schley Court of Inquiry Re- Sumes After a Recess of
 Two Days.
LIEUT.. B. W. WELLS, JR., ON THE STAND
He Was Secretary to COmodore Schley During the Campaign in Cuban Waters, and Has, There fore, Intimate Knowledge of His SuEeriUr's Affairs.

Washington, Oct. 22.-After two daEs rest the Schley court of inquiry reSaued it's sessions. The court was. as usual. prompt in beginning the proceedings, and not only the mem bers of the court, but counsel, were apparently in brighter and fresher frame of mind than usual. After the witnesses of Friday has been recalled for the purpose of correcting their testimony, Lieut.. E. W. Wells. Jr., secretary to Commodore Schley dur ing the Cuban campaign, resumed the testimony which he had begun on Friday. lie testified regarding the battle of July ,. He said he did not remember the ranges at which the Brooklyn fired, but thought HOO wards was the shortest. He described the tRfn of the Brooklyn, and the chase after the Spanish ships When the Nlseaya ran ashore, the Colon was aboGt I0,000 yards ahead of the Brooklyn, and for a time firing ceased. He said that he had received orders to get quantity of rapid fire ammunition. Owing to the char teter of the coast il Was expected that the Brooklyn and Colon would come to close quarters. He was or i deFed tG have this ammunition ready to close with the Colon. and give her rapid fire when they got close to- gethef He then described the rest of the chase and the final surrender of the Colon. He said he had not seen ;he Texas when the Brooklyn made her turn At one time during the b. tie, he said, the Brooklyn seemed 10 be alone, engaging three ships
 Hten Lieut. Wells finished his de- ser ptidH of the battle, the question ot dispatches was taken up. A num- Der of dispatches were shown to the witness. and he was asked as to their receipt ny Commodore Sehley One from Secretary Long to the Ameri- can consul at kinkston, dated Wash ingten May 2s, saying that it must be delivered to Sehley at once, and informing him (Sehley) that, unless unsafe for the squadron the depart ment wished him to remain off San tiage. and asking if he could not take l possession of Guantanamo as coal ing station; also q dispatch from See rctary Long to Capt. Cotton of the Harvard, dated Washington, May 29, l inclosing q dispatch to Commodore Sehley. telling him to hold on at all 1 hazards; that the New York, Oregon and New Orleans were on the way; l o1. Long to the dispatch boat Harvard. dated Washington, May 30. one in forming him that the commander-ip- chief had started to join him, and the other telling him that Sagua 9 miles east of Santiage. had been se- ported as good place to land, from which it would be easy 10 reach the heights in the rear of Santiago. the witness said had been received on May B.
 The cablegram from Secretary | Long. dated Washington. May 27, to the cable office at Mole St. Nicholas, 1 Haiti, directing that it be delivered to the next American war vessel to arrive, and informing Commodore Schley that the most absolutely ur- l gent think now is to FnoW positively whether the Spanish division is in Santiago. etc." was shown the wit. ness. He stated that it had been re- ceived by Commodore Schley on May 30. The Colon had been discovered in the harhor of Santiago by Commo- lore Schley on the morning of the 29th of May.
 NIT. RaYner, at this point, exhibited q chart upon which there were mo- tations regarding the soundings talk en in the vicinity of Santiago harbor, and the strength of the batteries there, this information being given as of date April 3. 1898.
 Now. give me the date the navy department issued the order that has been referred to in this case about not crippling ships by the shore bat teries?' asked Mir Rayner.
 April 6, 1898. was the response.
 Mr Rayner asked the witness if he had any other information in refer ence to the batteries at Santiago eN- cept that given on the map referred to. He said the commodore had re- eeiyed memorandum of information from the bureau of naval intelligence. embodying about the same facts as contained on the chart.
 Mr Rayner-'Am 1 right in saving that you, perhaps, saw more or as much as Commodore Schley during the whole of this Spanish war as any one else, and came in contact with him as much as anybody?"
 T saw him daily. and all through eaen day, generally speaking"
 Did you see him during the time of the reconnaissance on May 31?Y
 "Nes, sir
 Did you see him frequently dur ing the day of the battle of July 3??'
 No. sir. I only saw him during ihe chase of the Calon.'
 Did you see him during any of the boubardments? ?''
 eI saw him during one of them. Ex- actly which one l can not distinctly recollect."
 What was his general bearing conduct and manner on any day in which there was battle or any oth CT time2"