The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-11-05
CORRECTIONS BY SCHLEY
The Morning Session is Devoted to
Listening to Him and
Sigsbee.
rW0 OF ScHLEYS WITNESSES NOT HEARD
The Court Rules That Their Testimony is Not
Material. Hanna in His Argument
Covers Three Specifications
of the Precep..
(By the Associated Press.)

(By the Associated Press.)
Washington, Nov. 4-The Schley
Court of Inquiry reached the argument
stage at the beginning of the afternoon
session today.
The morning sitting was devoted to
listening to Admiral Schley and Captain
Sigsbee, in making corrections of their
testimony which has been given pre-
viously and the introduction by Judge
Advocate Lemly of numerous docu-
ments bearing upon different phases of
the inquiry. Admiral Schley did not
make any material additions to his pre-
vious statements, but devoted himself
largely to the clearing up of ambiguous
parts in hi sevidence.
An effort was made to introduce two
Ecw witnesses who We're expected to
give testimony in Admiral Schley's be-
half concerning the controversy as to
what information Capt. Sigsbee COM
municated to Admiral Schley when he
arrived off Santiago on May, 1S9S One
of these witnesses was Frank b. Rich
ards and the other George Lynch both
respondents who were on duty in Cuba
and in the Cuban waters during the war
with Spain. Mr.. Lynch was on the
press boat Somers N. Smith. and Mr..
Richards on the Premier. They were to
have testified concerning the meeting of
those vessels with the ST. Paul, of which
Capt. Sigsbee was in command The
court however. decided not to hear
them.
The opening speech of the argument
in he case was made in behalf Of the
government by e. p Hanna. assistant
to the Judge Advocate He began his
presentation of the case few minutes
after the court convened at o'clock,
and when the court adjourned two hours
later he had not covered more than
half Of the ground involved in the con-
troversy.
DID NOT THINK CERVERA THERE.
While Captain Sigsbee was on the
stand Mr.. Rayner asked him if he had
megaphoned or otherwise communicated
to the press boat Premier, while off
Santiago, the fact that the Spanish fleet
was not in Santiago The witness re-
piled that he had not done so. although
so If he had thought it proper under the
circumstances of war.
When Captain Sigsbee was excused
Captain Lemly announced that he had
no more witnesses to call. Frank 3.
Richards was then sworn
Mr. Richards stated that he was on
the dispatch boat Premier during the
Santiago campaign and that the boat
was hailed by Captain Sigsbee on the
night of May q or 2S. Captain Lemly
objected to this lire of evidence and the
court ruled that "as the testimony of
this witness is not considered by the
court smaterial to the case the objec-
tion is sustained in accordance with the
courts previous ruling
SCHLEY TAXES THE STAND
Under this ruling neither Mr.. Richards
nor Mr.. Lynch could testify and Ad-
niral Schley took the stand for the pur-
pose of correcting his testimony The
Admiral was suffering from a cold and
shis~',oi was quite hOarse. He began
his corrections with the very first of his
testimony. Most of these corrections
were of typographical errors or the
changing of words to make sentences
read more smoothly.
Referring to his testimony regarding
the reconnaissance of May 81, the Admiral
changed his statement that fifty, if not
more, shells passed over the feet, to
read that "a number of shells passed over
the fleet He also changed his evidence
concerning suspicious movements in the
harbor of Santiago, July ., to read that
before dark | noticed in the harbor a
good deal of smoke coming up
The official record, he said made him
say that he saw the smoke after dark
DISTINCT ATTEMPT no RAM.
Coming to his answer to question in
reference to his order sent below during
the early part of the battle to stand by
to ram Admiral Schley emphasized his
former testimony by stating that there
was distinct attempt to ram on the
part of the Maria Teresa, Admiral Ger
veras flag ship, and the Viscaya." He
also reiterated his confidence in the
Brooklyn's speed by stating that with
one engine and all the boiler power she