The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1901-10-25
COURT IN SESSION AGAIN.
The Schley Court of Inquiry Re-
sumes After a Recess Of
Two Days.
LIEUT.. B. w. WELLS, JR., ON THE STAND


schley During the Campaign In
Cuban Waters, and Has, There
fore, Intimate Knowledge of His
SuperiOr's Affairs.
Washington, Oct. 21.--Af,er two
days rest the Schley court of inquiry
resumed its sessions. The court was,
as usual, prompt in beginning the
proceedings, and not only the MEM
bers of the court, but counsel, were
apparently in brighter and fresher
frame of mind than usual. After the
| witnesses of Friday has been recalled
for the purpose of correcting their
testimony, Lieut.. B. w. Wells, Jr.,
secretary to Commodore Schley dur
ing the Cuban campaign, resumed the
testimony which he had begun on
Friday. He testified regarding the
battle of July 3. He said he did not
remember the ranges at which the
Brooklyn fired, but thought LOO
yards was the shortest He described
the turn of the Brooklyn, and the
chase after the Spanish ships. When
the Viscaya ran ashore, the Colon was
about 10000 yards ahead of the
ceased. He said that he had received
orders to get a quantity of rapid
fire ammunition. Owing to the char
ncter of the coast it was expected
that the Brooklyn and Colon would
come to close quarters He was or
dered to have this ammunition ready
to close with the Colon, and give her
a rapid fire when they got close to-
gether. He then described the rest
of the chase and the final surrender
of the Colon. He said he had not
seen the Texas when the Brooklyn
| made her turn. At one time during
| the battle, he said, the Brooklyn
seemed to be alone, engaging three
ships.
When Lieut.. Wells finished his de-
| scription of the battle, the question
| of dispatches was taken up. A num-
| Der of dispatches were shown to the
witness, and he was asked as to their
receipt by Commodore Schley. One
| from Secretary Long to the Ameri-
can consul at Kinkston, dated Wash
| ington, May %, saying that it must
be delivered to Schley at once, and
| informing him (Schley) that, unless
unsafe for the squadron, the depart
ment wished him to remain off San
tiago, and asking if he could not take
| possession of Guantanamo as a coal
ing station; also dispatch from Sec
rotary Long to Capt. Cotton of the
Harvard, dated Washington, May 20,
| inclosing a dispatch to Commodore
Schley, telling him to hold on at all
hazards; that the New York, Oregon
| nr1o ho
also two dispatches from Secretary
Long to the dispatch boat Harvard,
dated Washington, May 80, one in
forming him that the commander-in-
chief had started to join him, and the
other telling him that Sagua, 25
miles east of Santiago. had been re-
ported as a good place to land, from
which il would be easy to reach the
heights in the rear of Santiago, the
witness said had been received on
May 81.
The cablegram from Secretary
Long, dated Washington, May 81, to
the cable office at Mole st. Nicholas,
Haiti, directing that it be delivered
to the next American war vessel to
arrive, and informing Commodore
Schley "that the most absolutely ur-
gent think now is to know positively
| whether the Spanish division is in
Santiago, etc." was shown the wit
ness. He stated that it had been re-
ceived by Commodore Schley on May
80. The Colon had been discovered in
the harbor of Santiago by Commo-
lore Schley on the morning of the
Goth of May.
Mr.. Rayner, at this point, exhibited
a chart upon which there were no
tations regarding the soundings TAX
en- in the vicinity of Santiago harbor,
and the strength of the batteries
there, this information being given as
of date April 5, 1898.
snow, give me the date the navy
department issued the order that has
been referred to in this case about
not gripping ships by the shore bat
teries?" asked Mr.. Rayner.
april 6, 1885," was the response.
Mr.. Rayner asked the witness if he
had any other information in refer
ence to the batteries at Santiago ex
cept that given on the map referred
to. He said the commodore had re-
ceived a memorandum of informa ton
from the bureau of naval intelligence,
embodying about the same facts as
contained on the chart.
Mr.. Rayner-"Am 1 right in saying
that you, perhaps, saw more or as
much as Commodore Schley during
the whole of this Spanish war as any
one else, and came in contact with
him as much as anybody"
81 saw him daily, and all through
each day, generally speaking"
did you see him during the time
of the reconnaissance on May 31?"
"Yes, sir"
"Did you see him frequently dur
ing the day of the battle of July 3?''
NO, sir. 1 only saw him during the
chase of the Colon"
Ibid you see him during any of the
bombardments?"
81 saw him during one of them Elk
actly which one I can not distinctly
} recollect."
, What was his general bearing
conduct and manner on any day In
which there was Q battle or any 9th
sF tims2"