The Dickinson press., 1901-10-05
THE SCHLEY ENQUIRY
NAVAL COURT CONTINUES IN
SESSION At THE NATION.
Al CAPITAL.


Show That Admiral sehley Knew ol
the Presence of cervera's Fleet al
Santiago Before His Retrosrade
Movement to Key West-ofieers
Say He Could Have coaied at Sea.
-. Washington, Sept. 27.-1he Schley
court of Inquiry was in session for
only an hour and three-Quarters, I'D.
journing at 1z:45 in order to permit
its members and others engaged there
to attend the funeral of Judge Wilson,
late chief counsel for Admiral Schley.
Captain Wise concluded his testimony,
Admiral Cotton made brief state
ment on recall, and Lieutenant Spen'
Ger s. Wood, who commanded the dis.
patch boat Dupont during the Span.
ish war; began his testimony. Ma
chinist Gray, who was in charge Of
the starboard engines of the Texas
on the day of the LATHE of Santiago,
also testified briefly. He said that on
the day of the battle the starboard en-
gines were stopped and the machinery
reversed. Captain Wise was Ques-
toned at considerable length as to
what he had done before the arrival
of the flying squadron of Santiago
towards locating Cervera's fleet.
He said that while he had satisfied
himself of the presence of the Span
ish feet he had been content to COM
municate his knowledge to Admiral
Schley through Captain Sigsbee, not
considering it necessary to make d.
rect communication with the COM
mander-in-chief.
Lieutenant Wood gave the particu.
lars of his delivery of dispatches from
Admiral Sampson to Admiral Schley
on May %, while the admiral lay of
Cienfuegos. He said that Schley
seemed very nervous and especially
anxious to know what SIMPSONS In
tentions were.
Washington, Sept. 2S.-In the Schley
court of inquiry letter was pre-.
sented from Rear Admiral Sampson
asking to be allowed to be represented
In the court by counsel, but the court
refused to grant the request.
The principal witnesses OF the day
were Lieutenant John Hood, who
commanded the dispatch boat Hawk
during the Spanish war, and Captain
Bowman H. McCalla, who was
in command of the Marblehead. The
testimony OF both these officers dealt
with the delivery of dispatches from
Admiral Sampson to Commodore
Schley and both related conversations
with the latter. Captain McCalla gave
in detail his part in arranging code
of signals with the Cuban insurgents,
and his communications with them
near Cienfuegos on May "a, 1898, when
it was learned definitely that Ger
vera's feet was not in the harbor
there. Captain McCalla expressed the
opinion that coaling was feasible on
Santiago at the time Schley began his
retrograde movement.
Washington, Sept. 30.-More evil
dence was brought out in the Schley
inquiry to show that many Of the
navy officers under Schley at San
tiago did not cooperate with him in
his direction of the squadron. Cap
tain McCalla of the Marblehead testi-
fed that so far as he knew the code
Of signals agreed upon with the Cuban
| insurgents was not made known to
Schley.
The court heard the testimony of
Lieutenant Commander w. H. H.
Switzerland, who commanded the
Eagle during the Spanish war, and
also that of Lieutenant Carey B.
Barnes. The latter is cipher expert
in the navy department, and his testi-
mony was devoted to showing that
the dispatch from Commodore Schley
- the navy department Of May %,
fkH saving that he could not, much
| b II regret, obey the orders of the
AAgeF ment, as printed in the official
hS4s I, was q correct translation
5A message as forwarded from the
Fla ward at Kingston.
Commander Switzerland explained
the condition of the Eagle during the
campaign and told OF the part that
vessel had played. He said that the
slow progress made In the cruise to
| Santiago was due to the fact that the
| vessel was one-third full of water.
Washington, Oct. Rear Admiral
Evans, who as captain commanded
the battleship Iowa during the Santa
go campaign, waRa witness before the
Schley naval court OF inquiry Monday.
The admiral testified at length, but
no new points were brought out. He
admitted having the code of signals
arranged with the Cuban insurgents
at Cienfuegos, but did not give them to
Schley because he supposed the COM
mander already had them. Concern
ing the famous loop Of the Brooklyn
during the battle of Santiago Admiral
Evans said the Texas was in great
danger from the sudden and unexpect-
ed turn of Admiral Schley's vessel.
In regard to coaling at sea Admiral
Evans said the Iowa could have been
coaled on the afternoon of May 26.
Washington, Oct. 2.-In the Schley
court of inquiry Admiral Evans was
put through a severe cross-examfna-
ton by Schley's attorneys. He ad-
mitted that at the meeting OF May 20
! instructions were given in regard to
attacking the Spanish fleet In case 1t
left the harbor, but he did not consider
| It a plan Of battle Mr.. Rayner then
| questioned the witness particularly
as to his interviews with Commodore
Schley after the battle of Santiago.
The admiral denied having said that
Captain Philip had run away or at
tempted to run away. The witness
said that while before Cienfuegos or
on the way to Santiago the squadron
Pad no orders for battle. The officers
had no instructions as to what to do in
case the enemy appeared. The chief
point in Captain Sigsbee's testi-
| mony was his firm denial Of Admiral
Schley's statement that he (Sigsbee)
informed Schley that Cervera's fleet
was not In Santiago harbor.
Mr.. Dienaide described the loop of
the Brooklyn as seen from the Texas.
Mr.. Becker testified as to dispatches
sent by Admiral Sampson to Com
modore Schley.
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