Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1901-10-23
HEEL .SCHLEY'S CASE.
Testimony Before court 81 Inquiry
in His Favor.
Inst OF the Governments Witnesses.
Heard - Officers Of the Brooklyn
Praise the Conduct Of the Adj
Miral Under Fire.

|
| Washington, Oct. A-When Capt. Chad
| wick took the stand on Saturday Mr..
| Rayner formally addressed the court, re-
questing permission to ask the witness
| two questions, which he outlined. He
| called attention to his question put to Capt.
| Chadwick Friday concerning a telegram
| of congratulation which Admiral Sampson
! had sent to Commodore Schley on May %.
He had asked the witness If he remembered
| that message, and the witness had replied
| that he did remember it very we'll, and
| adding: because 1 protested against his
| congra tulations." Mr.. Rayner said that
| this last expression was purely voluntary
! on Capt. Chadwick's part and was not nee
| essary in response to the inquiry. The
questions which he stated to the court were
| as follows:
"First.-When did you first learn of the
existence of dispatch Number 81"
'.Second.-Did you then, in protesting
against the sending of this congratulatory
dispatch, refer to his blockade of Glen
| iuegos in dispatch Number 8?''
| Admiral Dewey stated the court had no
! objection to the questions and Capt. Lem
| ly said he would not object, provided he
could cross-examine on the points raised.
Mr.. Rayner did not concede this right, but
before the point was decided Mr. Rayner
asked his first question, as previously given
| to the court. After reading the dispatch
! in question the witness said:
Il was INFORMED OIL It's puTpOIL d. NAe
time it was sent to the Marblehead.'
Did you see it when it was sent to the
Marblehead?.'
II did not read it,"
when did you first read it?'
Il did not read the original dispatch un-
til the answer was received from Com
modore Schley, brought by the Hawk"
"Was not that on May 26. when your ship
was at point between Havana and Cape
Francis, in the vicinity of Cape Pedras?"
YES"
did you have the blockade of Cierfuegos
In mind when you protested against the
sending of the congratulatory dispatch?'
May I ask if you mean I had that only
In mind?"
81 90 not mean that I mean whether
sou had it in mind at all
II can say I had it partially"
Stanton ON the Stand.
Capt. Chadwick was then excused and
Lieutenant Commander Sidney A. Staun-
ton was called. Before the witness took
his seat Judge Advocate Lemly asked and
received permission to put in as evidence
Admiral SIMPSONS official report made at
Guantanamo Bay, August 3. 1898.
Lieutenant Commander Stanton related
the particulars of his securing informat ton
of the presence Of Cervera's fleet at San
tia5o, at Key West the goth, while the
fleet under Admiral Sampson was there.
ing, May q, the fleet proceeded to the
blockade of Havana, Admiral Sampson be-
ing satisfied that the information concern
ing the presence of the fleet at Santiago
was correct. The admiral accordingly had
called up the Hawk and forwarded his dis
patches to Commodore Schley.
Capt Lemly: Tell the court fully from
what source the information received
concerning the arrival of Cerveras fleet
In Santiago l would like you to identify
the dispatch put into cipher at that time.
to which you refer"
been drawn up by Capt. Chadwick in my
presence is the dispatch known as the
memorandum that accompanied dispatch
Number 81
"Can you give me any subsequent dis
patches or memorandum that passed be-
tween Admiral Sampson and Commodore
Schley in reference TO the Spanish squad
ron being at Santiago?"
Il do not think ! can refer you to any.
After Admiral Sampson heard that the
fleet Of Commodore Schley had not left
Cienfuegos, in other words, after he got
reply from the commander of the flying
squadron, he sent the Wasp, think about
May 2s, to Cienfuegos with an additional
dispatch, but she, of course, did not arrive
there until Commodore Schley had left for
Santiago. and 1 do not remember what
those dispatches were.'
SIMPSONS Dispatch.
After further effort on Mr. Rayner's part
to elicit information as to correspondence
between the two commanders and objec-
ton on the part of Mr.. Hanna to bringing
in DISPATCHES which had no immediate
bearing upon Commodore Schley's con-
duct. Mr.. Rayner said there was no COM
muE!cation between them between May q
and May p. He then quoted the dispatch
OF May q as the first positive knowledge
conveyed to Commodore Schley of the
presence of the fleet at Santiago. This
GisDatch was as follows:
United States Flagship New York. St.
Nicholas Channel, May q, 1S9S.--Sir: Every
report, and particularly daily confidential
reports received at Key West from Havana.
state Spanish squadron has been in San
tiago de Cuba from the 18th to the 25th
instant inclusive, the 25th being the date
of the last report received. You will please
proceed with all possible dispatch to San
tiago to blockade that port. If on arrival
there you receive positive information of
the Spanish ships having left, you will
follow them in pursuit. Very respectfully,
w. T. Sampson"
When 1t Reached schley.
Mr. Hanna: what is the first positive
order?'
Mr. Rayner: MAY o."
Mr.. Hanna: did he receive it on tho
27th:"
Mr.. Rayner: "Ie never received it on the
9th latter being prompted by Admiral
Schley). He got it on June 1O.'
Mr.. Hanna: ''How is it possible then he
can be affected by an order after all that
lapse of timer
Mr. Rayner: "That is just what we want
to prove, that he had no orders except
those contained in dispatches Numbers I
and 81
At one O'Clock the court adjourned until
Monday.
PRAISES HIS CHIEF.
Capt. Cook. of the Brooklyn, Says
SclaIey Was Brave and Patriotic.
WASHINGTON Oct 15-Monday in the