The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-10-24

Notwithstanding that Mr.. Rayner
objected, the question was admitted,
and the witness answered that he was
not nervous.
A similar reply was made to a ques-
ton as to whether the commodore was
excited.
during the battle of July 3, the witness
said:
Il saw the Brooklyn receiving ana
turning all the fire of the two leading
ships with an occasional shot from the
Colon. 1 was in a position to see a
flash, and shortly afterward the fall of
the projectile and these showed that a
! large proportion was about the Brook
lyn- The Colon evidently was using
smokeless powder ana was not able to
tell SO we'll where her shots fell The
witness said he was satisfied that the
fire from the Brooklyn set the Viscaya
on fire and caused her to run ashore
There was no other American ship
within range of the Viscaya at that
time he said. The Maria Teresa, the
witness said was driven ashore by the
concentrated fire of all the ships of the
American fleet. The Oquendo was SO
far in the rear he could not estimate
what vessels caused her destruction In
response to a question by the court
Commander Harlow said that the Vix-
en- was able to maintain the standard
speed of 8 knots an hour while with the
fleet in the voyage from Cienfuegos to
Santiago. He also said in response to
a question by the court, that with
searchlights the Vixen was near enough
to the mouth of the harbor at Santiago
to see the enemy's ships in case of an
effort at escape
The court also asked: 'Were there
any vessels of our fleet between the
Brooklyn and the Spanish vessels at
any time prior to the turn made by the
Brooklyn
mo, L should say there was not
The witness also said that he did not
consider that the Texas was near
enough to the Brooklyn at the time of
the loop to render a collision liable an1
that he thought the Viscaya made an
effort to ram.
CLARK ON THE STAND.
Lieutenant Harlow was then excused
and Captain c. E. Clark of the Oregon
called.
Captain Clark described the chase
after the Spanish ships on July and
said he was afraid at one time the Ore
gon would have to sustain the con-
centrated fire of several of the Spanish
ships. Just then the smoke lifted and
he discovered the Brooklyn. She was
we'll forward of our port BEAM" he said
"and broadSide of the enemyS fleet. The
two vessels retained their relative posi-
tionS approximately to the end of the
battle the Brooklyn steaming near
straight ahead / should judge and en-
gaging any and all of the Spanish ships,
the Oregon endeavOr1ng to come to close
action with the sternmost one and when
she was driven out of action, we kept
on after the next one"
Captain Clark described conversa-
ton that occurred in the cabin of the
New York after the battle of July 3, be-
tween Sampson, Schley and himself A
strange vessel had been sighted and it
was believed to be a Spanish war ship.
Admiral Sampson told the witness that
he would have to go after her and the
witness, thinking the stranger was a
Spanish man of war, suggested that the
Brooklyn accompany the Oregon. Then.
thinking that he had been too forward
in making suggestions to admiral
and commodore he turned to Commo-
dore Schley and said: I'VE knocked out
several vessels this morning and can
knock out another one, can't we ?''
Certainly we can. come on said
Commodore Schley- The witness said
the commodore was cheerful and seemed
to have approved his suggestion that
the Brooklyn accompany the Oregon