The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-10-23
GRAPHIC PORTRAYAL
Of SCHLEYS
NERVE
He Was SpIashed With Blood
When Ellis Was Shot
Down.
He CALMLY WIPED 1T OFF
And at the Same Time Ordered That
the Body Receive Christian
Burial.
I'M 'ORTANT TESTIMONY BY GRAHAM
A Press representative Pays Tribute to SchIey's
Goodness and GaIlantry and Disputes
incidentally the TesfimOnyof
Lieutenant Potts.
I'M 'ORTANT TESTIMONY BY GRAHAM
(By the Associated Press

NDy IAS <ASoOSidlSu 1881
Washington, D. c., Oct. 22.-The Schley
Court of Inquiry opened today with Lieut..
Wells, who was Commodore Schley's flag
liteutenant during the Spanish war still
on the stand, but he was soon displaced
to allow Yoeman Albert V. Mason, who
had written the Brooklyn's log for the
period covering the Santiago campaign,
to testify. Mr.. Mason explained the eras-
ures in the log entry referring to the
Brooklyn's turn on the day of the battle
off Santiago He was followed by Geo. E.
Graham, who as an Associated Press cor
respondent, was with Commodore Schley
during the entire campaign.
Mr.. Grahams testimony covered all the
important events OF the campaign, espe
cially regarding the bombardment OF the
Colon on May 2S and the battle of July g.
He said that he had distinctly heard Cap
tain Sigsbee telfthe 'Commoddre that the
Spanish feet was not inside the harbor at
Santiago Mr.. Graham also stated that
Admiral Schley had told hi mthat the OBJ
ject of the bombardment of May 81 was to
develop the Spanish batteries. and he said
yards in order to draw their fire.
The witnesses for the afternoon were
Dennis j. Cronin, who was Admiral
Schley's orderly and who testified along
the same lines as Mr.. Graham to the
conversation with Captain Sigsbee; Lieu
tenant Commander VIM. r. Rush, who
said he thought the Viscaya had planned
to ram the Brooklyn; Lieutenant Edward
Simpson who gave a very graphic picture
of the battle of July 3, and Lieutenant
Edward T. Fitzgerald. an assistant en-
gineer, who was on duty in the fire room
July 3, and who testified that an order
had been given early in the action to
stand by for a ram.
RISKING THE SHIPS.
Lieutenant Wells was questioned con-
cerning the department orders concerning
the risking of the American ships to
bombardment from shore batteries.
The first of the orders of this character
stated that "the department does net
wish the vessels of your squadron to be
exposed to the fire of the batteries at
Havana, Santiago, or other strongly forti
fed ports in Cuba" and the others were
regarded as modification of these In tie
last of these, dated May 6, the depart
ment said THE department is perfectly
willing that you should expose your ships
to the heaviest guns of land batteries if,
in your opinion, there are Spanish vessels
of sufficient military Importance protected
by these guns to make an attack advis
able, your chief aim for the present be-
ing the destruction of the enemys princi-
pal vessels"
In repl yto questions by Captain
Lemly, the witness said there had been
no written or printed order of battle,
but that on the day before Cienfuegos
was reached, some special directions
were sent to the ships by the Scorpion.
This was, he said, order No. 8, relating
to signals in case the enemy should be
sighted.
WHY LOG ENTRY WAS CHANGED.
Albert V. Mason was questioned by
Captain Parker and said that he had
been a yeoman of second-clas on board
the Brooklyn and had been the writer of
that ships log. The witness said that
as the log giving an account of the
turn had been at first pre-
pared it read: 1--WE engaged with port
battery at first but just as soon as the
enemy stood to westward we put our
helm starboard at first, then hard aport
so as to bring our starboard battery to
bear and swinging clear of the Texas
fire we stood parallel with and to the
enemy"
This entry had, he said been chang
cd later at the instance of Lieutenant
Hodgson so as to make it read as it
does in the permanent copy, as follows:
AS soon as the enemy stod to the
westward we put our helm aport,
swinging clear of the Texas, ETC."
GEORGE GRAHAM TESTIFIES.
Geo. E. Graham, the Associated Press
correspondent was then questioned con-
cerning the conversation between Com
nodore Schley and Captain Sigsbee on
the occasion of the Captains visit to the
Brooklyn on May 26 and said: After
Captain Sigsbee had reached the quar-
ter deck of the gangway he stopped and
Commodore Schley said to him: Have
we got 'em, Sigsbee?' Captain Sigsbee
said: No. they are not here. l have
been here for week and they are not