Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-10-24

i-ibut. Il. r. lhrtett EUSiRn w. 4. |
Oronan and Carpenter j.. Fl. Warford,
all Of whom were on the Brooklyn;
Mr.. Hunley, who was chief machinist
on the Texas, and Lieut., 3. W. Wells,
Jr., who was Admiral Sohley's flag
lieutenant
While Ensign Marble was OH the
stand for the purpose Of correcting
his former testimony, he was further
Intercepted by Judge Advocate Lemly
concerning the conversation between
Capt Sigsbee of the st. Paul and Con
modore Sohley overheard by him 1.-THE
witness) when Capt Sigsbee came
aboard the Brooklyn off Santiago, May
26th.
Capt Lemly asked: "May not Capt. |
Sigsbee have said Il have been here |
about n week and have not seen any
thing of them or words to thar effect, |
meaning the Spanish fieetP''
mo, sir. AS remember 1t, he said /,
They could not be here unless knew
ITO whom wsrs these remarks ad-
dressed solelyH We're they addressed
to you at ally"
mo, SIR"
Under the circumstances, may you
not have failed to hear oil that Capt.
SigsbBe sadly"
after hearing the conversation
which | have given, Capt. Sigsbee and
the Commodore walked aft, so ! could
not hear what WINS said, and | went
below. +"
Commander Nicholson Of tho Oregon
was then called, and began his recital
of the story of the battle of July Cd,
which he had observed as navigator of
the Oregon.
Washington, Oct. 18th.
Most OF the witnesses In the Sohley
inquiry yesterday were young officers
who were cadets on the Brooklyn during
tina Cuban cnmpaign. The most inn
portnnt was Ensign Ralph N. Marble,
who was appointed to the Naval
Aoadamy from Minnesota and served
as q cadet on the Brooklyn in 1893.
He said he was in charge of battery
of 5-inch guns on the flagship. When,
on the Goth, Capt. Sigsbee of the st.
Paul came on board the Brooklyn to
report for the scouts TO Admiral Schley,
Cadet Marble stood within seven feet
of the two officers and here heard the
commodore ask Sigsbee. Have wo got
themY" Capt. Sigsbee replied: mo;
they are not in there. | have been here
for a week, and II they were the,e l
should know it. ~
This statement was closely contested
in the cross -axamination, bat Marble
stuck to it firmly Those we're the
exact words to the best OF my recol-
lection,' said the lieutenant.
Capt Sigsbee sailed all around this
point 10 his testimony. 1t is hard to
get a definite idea from his testimony
whether he told Commodore Schley the
Spanish fleet was at Santiago or not.
In one place he said he knew nothing
positively about the Spanish fleet on
the 18th. In another place he said: -
did not say | believed it was not there.
| said ! had not seen it. " Finally
Capt. Sigsbee, before leaving tbs wit
ness stand, dismissed the matter by
saying he did not remember Schley "a
, asking him whether he believed the
Spanish fleet was there Marbles state.
ment is regarded as throwing light on
the motives for the retrograde move.
| ment.
{ Washington, OCT. 10. The leading
, witness before the Court of Inquiry
yesterday was Commodore Schley's flal
| secretary, Lieut.. b, W. Wells, Jr. Hi
confidential relations with the com
mander-in chief Of the Flying Squadron
! together with the fact that he has bee,
9 engaged since the inquiry was ordered
a by Secretary Long in August, In work
ing up the case fer the defence, mari
Q him as one of the strongest witnesse
for the admiral. Mr.. Wells is younj
q man of fine address, clear head ami
apt facility in the art of plain state
% ment He was on the witness stan,
nearly all the afternoon, and withou
i much questioning was allowed to &
forward with comprehensive narrativ
" of the whole campaign. lie told cir
10 cumstantislly the manifold small Incl
N dents which enter into the warp au
g wool of the story, everything that
related being matter OF actual Pei
le sonal knowledge and observation.
10 His testimony was Of value in cleai
4. ing up the identity of the various dir
4, patches and orders which were sent I
Admiral Schley. They had passe
r. through his hands, he had stampe
r. them with the date Of receipt, and /
I'D knew them individually. The 'lo
or dispatch, which Capt. Cotton, wht
On on the stand, said no thought be hs
or delivered, and which Admiral Schlt
lis says he never received, Lieut.. Wells
clared he had never seen.
d, Mr.. Wells testimony also caused
as demand for a number of bluepri
e- charts on which the Naval Intelligen
ce Bureau had placed legend describi
ed the 81 anish batteries, their guns, ian
Ter and effectiveness. These blueprints
saw while or the Brooklyn, but tn
On have now disappeared. The iud
lid advocate, obiecting to the testimo
lat where the original was the best o.
He derce, the defence made a demand
M the original charts Lieut.. Wells "
Ter on the Massachusetts when Commodt
Schley transferred his flag TO that sh
! a and went IN to make the reconnoissan
ore May 3lst
the The vardroum talk which occurred
vas that occasion is likely to come out
,ok his cross-examinatjon next Mond
act lie was on the bridge and the Plato
up around the cunning tower when
ore Commodore, according to the testimt
hat OF Lieutenant Commander Potts,
hat played great nervousness, and mi
any remarks about the white uniforms
he the officers and the danger there was
for being in such conspicuous place.
the Wells said that Commodore Sohley {
I'M played no nervousness so far Rs hs co
sed see, was as cool as ever and that W
art he said about the exposure to fire
D.. in joking way. "Some OF us y
lgle have lodged, but | am sure that
ION commodore did not dodge said
witness,
r, a The first of the oregon's off,
and to testify appeared Yesterday in Ii
era tenant Commander Nicholson. He
the navigator Of the Oregon, and
icer on deck during the battle of July
lore and saw the whols engagement,