The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1901-10-25
Fearless and seIf-Possessed.


morning Of May 20.
Fearless and self-Possessed.
In reply to questions by Mr.. Rayner
the witness said he was constantly
with Commodore Schley throughout
the campaign and he seemed thor
oughly fearless and self-possessed on
all occasions. At no time within his
knowledge was the commodore labor
ing under any mental excitement.
The witness was cross examined by
Mr.. Hanna. He told of the meeting of
the flying squadron and the Marble
head while the former was en- route to
Cienfuegos and the signals that had
been exchanged. Respecting the CORE
spondence while the flying squadron
was at Cienfuegos witness said the
letters, as received, were briefed,
stamped and filed.
While the examination was proceed
ing along this line Mr.. Rayner adj
dressed the court, admitting that the
commodore received dispatch No. Z,
known as the Dear Schley" dispatch,
and No. 8, but would not admit dU
plicate No. Z said to have been car
ried by the Iowa.
The witness said that he remem-
bered absolutely nothing of the re-
ceipt of Nos. from Sampson to Schley,
saving that the fleet was at Santiago.
Witness did not remember to have
seen the dispatch introduced by Cap
tain Cotton. This is the dispatch sent
to the Harvard. saying that the Span
iards probably were at Santiago and
the one which Admiral Cotton said
hehad delivered to Commodore Schley
May q. In this connection Mr. Hanna
said that he had not been able to find
the original of this dispatch among
Admiral Schley's papers. He also re-
marked incidentally that there were
others of Admiral Schleys papers
missing.
From cienfuegos to Santiago.
The witness, at Mr.. Hanna's re-
quest, repeated the account of the de-
parture Of the fleet from Cienfuegos
for Santiago. The commodore had
made no special communication to him
that he meant to take his Immediate
departure for Santiago, but that he had
gotten the impression from letters and
dispatches written by Commodore
Schley that it was his purpose to leave
the night they did Mr.. Hanna then
called attention to two letters from the
commodore saying he would not leave
Cienfuegos till the next day. The wit
ness said he did not recall writing
these letters, but thought he had prob
ably done so. He also thought that
there probably were other dispatches
leading to his inference that the
squadron was to leave that night.
styThoro r,o,yct bouo hoor con,othino o.
else,'' he said, "because we did leave
that night instead of the next day"
Mr.. Hanna also questioned LieIten-
ant Wells about the war bulletin re-
ceived from the Adula while the flying
squadron lay off Cienfuegos, saying
that while Cervera's feet had entered
Santiago he had left there later. He
said that the document was in the
shape of small handbill and that evi-
IDENTIFY it had been issued by some
newspaper in that vicinity. He also
said he recalled the paper very dis
it was issued.
Anxious About Coal Supply.
In reply to questions by Mr.. Hanne
witness said that while he could not
repeat actual conversations with Com
modore Schley concerning the retro
grade movement, he was sure that the
movement was made because of the
commodore's anxiety ;41out the coal
supply of the vessels of the fleet. He
knew, said witness, that the Spanish
feet was in the vicinity anu felt that
it was not desirable to meet it with
out an adequate fuel supply.
Among other dispatches read by
Mr.. Hanna and on which witness was
questioned was one dated May % from
Commodore Schley to the navy depart
ment giving information of the cap
ture of the Restormel with coal for the
Spanish ships in the harbor at San
tiago.
In reply to a question by Captain
Lemly, Lieutenant Wells said that
with the Brooklyn headed as she was
and with the harbor trending as it
does it was natural that the Spanish
vessels coming out of the harbor
should face the Brooklyn.
Mr.. Wells was on the stand when