Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1901-10-03
UNDER HOT FIRE
SChIey's Attorneys CrOss-Examine
Admiral Evans at Some
Length.
Sticks to His First Story Admits
a Meeting of Officers was Held
on Brooklyn
At Which Orders We're Given in Re.
gard to Attacking the Span.
iSh Fleet.

Washington, Oct. 2.-The Schles
court of inquiry met at II a. m. The
proceedings of the day began as usual
with the recall of former witnesses
who had completed their testimony for
the purpose of making such verbal
corrections in it as they might desire.
General sympathy was expressed on
the part of the members of the court
and those in attendance with Judge
Advocate Lemly because of the death
of his sister. Captain Lemly was pres
ent when court convened but imme-
diately withdrew. Captain Miller,
who commanded the collier Merrimac.
was called for the purpose Of correct
ing the Official record Of his testi-
mony, and then Rear Admiral Evans
was recalled. Mr.. Rayner began his
interrogations by asking him concern.
ing the secret code of signals for com.
municating with the Cuban insurgents
near Cienfuegos. The admiral said
that when Captain Chadwick commu-
nicated this code to him he did not in
struct him to give the information to
Commodore Schley. Mr.. Rayner then
questioned the witness particularly
as to his interviews with Commodore
Echley after the battle Of Santiago.
Yesterday" said Mr.. Rayner, Il
was speaking Of conversation which
thought you had at Guantanamo on
July 5. / find ! have made mistake
about that and it is necessary for US
to repeat my question. suppose you
will answer in the same way"
He then asked: did you have q
conversation with Commodore Schley
on July 4, some time during the
morning between and IL o'clock, on
his flagship at Santiago, in the course
Of which you used language as fol-
lows: Did you know that Jack Philip
Started to run away at the beginning
Of the battle?' and to whicn Commo-
dore Schley replied, You are mistaken
about that, Evans, l saw nothing Of
the kind. The Brooklyn made turn,
and you must see the tactical situation
that made it necessary p"
Evans Says He Never Said It.
81 do not remember OF being on the
Brooklyn on the 4th of July. l think
1t was the 5th at Guantanamo. AS
to the conversation, never said any.
thing to the effect that Captain Philip
had run away or attempted to run
away. On thinking over it last night,
what did occur with reference to the
Texas, think Commodore Schley and
discussed the position of the Texas
when the fight began. The Texas ly.
ing with her head to the east when the
engagement began and she turned
with starboard helm and headed OF in
the same direction as the rest of US.
She fred first with her short battery
and then put her helm to starboard
and headed in the same direction with
the rest of the ships. think that was
the question discussed with Commo-
dore schley, cannot be sure of it, but
that ever intimated that Captain
Philip attempted to run away with the
Texas is preposterous on the face OF
it,
did you have a conversation with
him on the same day at the same
place and at the same hour or at any
place in which you used substantially
the following language: I shot the
bow off the Pluton, the stern off the
Furor, put my helm to starboard and
raked the Teresa and knocked out the
Viscaya?'"
''To the best of my knowledge and
belief, never used such language"
Were not the commanding officers
called on board the flagship Brooklyn
by signal on the morning Of May 20
after the Colon was discovered?"
"They were."
"Can you tell me, or do you recol-
lect, what took place at the conference
of the commanding officers at that
time?"
Commodore Schley was in the cab
in of the Brooklyn when we assembled
and there was a general talk about the
Spanish feet having been located at
in the nature of conference. do not
recollect now that the officers were
asked to express any opinion. l re-
members having had a conversation
with Commodore Schley about the ef-
feet of fighting batteries on the ships.
in which l told him of the experience
we had had at San Juan and expressed
the opinion to him that it was not
worth while to risk ship fighting shore
batteries; that l did not think any
thing would be gained by it. In the
case under consideration the Spanish
ships were present in the harbor. The
were changed and we
would have to take the risk Of the fire
from the batteries in order to get at
them"
Regarding = Plan Of Battle.
II want to call your attention to the
>4port Of Captain McCalla Of the Mar
which says: Commodore Schley ex-
planned to the commanding onicers
that in case the Spanish ships came
out he wished to concentrate the bat