Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1901-11-01
NEWS IN GENERAL
scHLEY COURT OF INQUIRY

examination of Admiral Schley began
Yesterday before the court OF inquiry
and hardly more than t. I'd ~ the
ground was covered when the court
adjourned at 4 o'clGck. Admiral Schley
concluded his direct examinations
which continued only about ten nm
utes after the court convened In the
morning with a statement OF the Ell
feet of the fire of the respective fleets
at Santiago, showing that so per cent
of the hits suffered by the enemy
was scored by the Brooklyn's five
inch guns, while his ship received ~
per cent of the hits from the span
ish ships. Captain Lemleys cross
examination was very searching. Adj
miral Schley, however. appeared TO ne
unruffled throughout the examine
ton. frankly admitting on several
occasions that he could not remem-
Der little details after the lapse OF
three years One line Of inquiry
which the Judge advocate tried to
press to show that Admiral Schley
did not proceed with dispatch from
Kew West to Cienfuegos by attempt
ing to contrast the speed made be-
tween Charleston and Key West with
the time between Ney West and Glen
fuegos was curtailed by the court
which confined the questions to the
,lme subsequent to May -. the day
on which the flying squadron left
kew West. The Judge advocate in his
cross-eXamination Gwelt upon the in
terview between Admiral Sampson
ard Commodore Schley at Key West
before the departure of the flying
squadron. at which the latter testi-
fed that Admiral Sampson instruct
ed him not to expose his SHIPS TO
shore batteries until the Spanish
fleet had been destroyed, on the fact
that Admiral Schley issued no writ
ten order of battle, on the question
of coaling off Cienfuegos. and the
steps Schlev took there to ascertain
the presence of the Spanish fleet.
Washington Oct. 30.-The cross
examination of Admiral Schley was
continued throughout the session Of
the court of inquiry yesterday. The
progress made was exceedingly
slow Practically the whole day
was consumed in questioning the ad-
miral about the cruise from Glen
fuegos to Santiago, and the motives
and influences that governor him in
turning back after his squadron had
arrived in the vicinity of the latter
port. This latter branch of the
cross-eXamination had not been con-
cluded when the court ad journed.
The blockade at Santiago, the recon
naissance on May 81 and the battle
of July , still remain to be covered.
1t is hardly probable that the judge
advocate can conclude before adj
iournment tomorrow. After he has
| finished a number of questions pre-
pared by the members Of the court
will be submitted.
! The Judge advocate in conducting
| the cross-eXamination used Il care
! fully prepared typewriter list of
ques tons. They called for compare
| son Of statements Admiral Schley has
made, either in his direct testimony,
or in his communication to the SEN
| ate or his dispatches to the navy
| department., with the testimony Of
witnesses who have preceded him,
and the logs and signal books of the
other vessels of the fleet. The ques-
| tons were not asked in chronological
order, but jumped from one subject
to another and from one stage of
the campaign to another. Through
! out the strain to which the witness
naturally was subjected, the admiral
retained his customary comPosure.
Washington, Oct. 31.-The long or
deal to which Admiral Schley has
been subjected since Monday morn
ing ended yesterday afternoon, when
his croSs-examination was concluded
and he was allowed to leave the wit
ness stand.
When the Judge advocate finished
the cross-eNamination, shortly after
3 o'clock, the court propounded to
the admiral thirty-four questions
prepared by the members of the
court. These questions touched many
points Of the campaign OF the flying
squadron, but mainly conferred about
the difficulties encountered in coal
ing and the reasons for the retro
grade movement. Not one of them
related to the battle of Santiago. The
| Judge advocates cross-eXamination
Yesterday covered the retrograde
movement, the reconnaissance of
May 81, the loop Of the Brooklyn and
the alleged colloquy with Lieutenant
Hodgson about the Texas.
One of the most interesting feat
ures OF the day was the development
of the fact that the report Of the
battle written by Admiral schley
July 6, 1898, was not the original re
port. ...a
The original report never has been
published, and in accordance with a
previous decision, the court yester-
day declined to allow it to go into
the record. Admiral Schley was al
lowed to explain, however. that Adj
miral Sampson declined to receive
the first report because he did not
| mention the presence of the New
York. II felt that the victory at
tnat time said Admiral Schley. in
explaining the matter. was big
enough for all. and / made this
/ change out of generosity and because
| ! knew if the New York had been
present she would have done as good
work as anybody else"
| Isothas Narrow Escape.
Pretoria, Oct. 3O.-Commandant
General Botha's recent escape from
the British columns pursuing him
was a close affair. Major Relning-
ton marched on the commander-in-
chiefs quarter at night. only to find