The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-15

Schley court of inquiry, Judge Advocate.
Lemly concluded presentation of tessti-
mony fer the government, and the first
OF Admiral Schley's witnesses was intro
duced. Capt. Francis A. Cock, who com
manded Admit al (then commodore)
Schley's flagship, the Brooklyn, during.
the Santiago campaign, and who acted
though unofdcially, in the capacity of
chief of staff for the commodore, was
on the witness stand the greater part of
the day. He was followed by Lieutenant
Commander William F. Fullam, who was
senior watch officer on the New Orleans
during the Spanish war and former
Lieut.. Joseph Beale, who as an officer on
the Harvard translated the cipher dis
patches between Commodore Schley and
the navy department carried by that YES
sci. Among these dispatches was that
sent by Commodore Schley, May 2S, ex-
pressing his regret at not having been
able to obey the orders of the depart
ment and explaining the reason why he
could not do so.
There are some verbal discrepancies
between the original Graft of this dis
patch and the official print of it, and
these Mr.. Beale explained.
Lieut.. Beale was the last of the gov
ernment witnesses, although Capt. Lem
ly explained that he would reserve the
mand that he co So He had no sooner
retired than the first witness for Admiral
Schley was called. This proved to be
the Cuban pilot Eduardo Nunez, VINO
told Schley on May 26, 1893, that he did
not believe the Spanish fleet under Ger
vera was in the harbor at Santiago.
HISTORY OF CAMPAIGN
Capt Cooks testimony was a review OF
the eT1tjrp "a aft ftcr g
beginning with the departure of the flying
squadron from Key West, on May 10, and
concluding with the battle off Santiago
July 5. He said that at Erst it had been
believed by both Sampson and Schley
that the Spanish fleet was in the harbor
at Cienfuegos, and that no information
to the contrary had been conveyed to
Commodore Schley until the arrival of
Capt McCalla. on May "a; that it was
Commodore Schley's expectation to meet
the Spaniards IN the open sea. and his
constant care was to have coal enough
for such emergency. He gave particu-
lars concerning the Fetrograde movement,
and explained the Brooklyn's loop, in
connection wiGh a graphic account of the
engagement of July 8. Asked for an
opinion as to Admiral Schley's bearing
as a commanding officer he said:
81 have always regarded him as an
GER"
The first of the witnesses ca'lsd for the
correction of testimony, when the court
convened, was Lieutenant Commander
Staunton, formerly of the New York, who
made an addition to his statement as to
the first news he received from Capt.
Allen at Key West. on May q, concern
ing the presence of the Spanish fleet at
Santiago The addition was as follows:
ct hot fty11o
from Capt. Allen and reported to the
cornmander-in-chief some time near noon
was not considered sufficient at that
time to cause a change in the plan that
had already been adopted.
Capt. Chadwick also returned to the
stand for the purpose of correcting his
former evidence.
sCHLEY,s CHIEF OF STAFF.
After previous witnesses had corrected
their testimony, Capt. Cook was called.
He was questioned by Mr.. Hanna, ana
responded in clear and distinct tones. He
said he had been at Key West on May
10.
What information did you have at
that time concerning the Whereabouts OF
Cervera's ships?" asked Mr.. Hanna.
INV Impressions now are that simply
from rumors we understood they had lett
the Canary islands and a part of them
had been sighted at Martinique and from
consular information, or perhaps in
formation sent by the Harvard that they
had gone to Curacao. That is all from
impression
Giving the reasons for departure of the
flying squadron for Cienfuegos, capt.
Cook said the squadron had been sent to
that port, ito intercept and meet the
squadron. it having been determined, as
OF a time nv them to
make Cienfuegos their objective point.
He had understood that the Spanish fleet
carried munitions of war for Havana and
it was believed that they would go to
Cienfuegos, because of its accessibility
to Havana.
Capt Cook detailed a conversation be-
tween Commodore Sehley and Capt. Ches-
ter, while the squadron was en- route to
Cienfuegos He said there had been talk
between them of coaling on the southern
coast of Cuba.
FACILITIES FOR COALING.
1.-THE only thing 1 recollect," he said,
was that Commodore SchIey questioned
Capt. Chester very closely as to the IA
cilities for coaling ships on the south
side of Cuba.
DO you know what information was
received?"
''I think they consulted chart at the
time, and something was said about Cape
Cruz. 1 recollect afterwards looking at
the chart there and it did not seem to
be favorable place. know the subject
of coaling was early considered, even be-
fore leaving Key West"
Admiral Dewey: WAS your answer
that Cape Cruz did or did not look like
a favorable place? did not quite under
stand that"
'I said I recollect very well my impress
sions at that time were that Cape Cruz
did not seem favorable place for coal
ing ships from Golfers"
Mr.. Hanna-Perhaps the court woulo
like to hear why you thought so.
'I could not well see how the larger
ships could get far enough in there so
that the golfers would be smooth enough
to go alongside and coal ship"
Capt. Cook recalled the meeting of the
Marblehead with the flying squadron en-
route to Cienfuegos, but could recall only
indistinctly the fact that the Scor-
pio.- .ad delivered to the Brooklyn any
information from the Eagle at thaV me,
'I did not receive any information
he said "and did not consider the Incl
dent important"
OFF CIENFUEGOS.
Co,,f Tt0oIy eo;d tl,o+ ,,,,o,, n ,ri,r{Y,-.