Evening star., 1901-09-25
ORDERS TO SCHLEY
Admiral Cotton Tells About the De-
livery Of Dispatches.
SHIPS OFF SANTIAGO 1t The TINE
Difficulties of CoaIing Were Dis
Cussed.
IN TEXAS ENGINE ROOM

go on, yet the minds of the principal act
ors were on the kind and genial attorney
who was so lately a leading figure in the
proceedings and whose counsel would
henceforth be missing. The court will adj
journ over the day of Mr.. Wilson's funeral,
but no other delay of the proceedings will
occur on account of his death.
This morning there was the usual num-
Der of photographers at the gate of the
navy yard. and they promptly photograph
ed all whose appearance suggested to them
the probability that they were to figure
IN the inquiry. feature of the court
room during the last few days has been
the presence OF a large number OF persons
from Maryland.
Every afternoon when the court adjourns
there are quite number of people who go
directly TO the depots to take local trains
out of the city.
In answer to question Admiral Schley
stated that since the death of Mr.. Wilson
Mr.. Isidor Rayner would be the leading
counsel In his case and that he would be
assisted by Capt. James Parker of New
Jersey and Mr.. NJ. A. league of Baltimore,
as an expert assistant. Mr. Rayner will
continue to conduct the cross-examination
of witnesses, he has been doing, and the
other gentlemen will continue IN the same
capacity they occupied up to the time of
Mr.. Wilson's death. Mr.. Rayner stated
that II 1t became necessary In the prepa-
ration or abstractiEg of the voluminous
documents in the case TO employ assistant
counsel. or If he should be unavoidably
absent at any time. that proper arrange
ments will be made for that purpose.
Numerous Charts on Hand.
The wall back Of the court was adorned
today with a chart on a large scale, show
ing the ground site of the battle off Santt-
ago July 3. The southern coast Of Cuba
in the vicinity of Santiago was plainly
marked and the points at which the Span
ish ships went to the bottom or to the
shore were all Indicated in plain lettering.
There were also a number of transparent
charts, which had been prepared over
night. sitting about IN the rear of the
room, and which were intended to Illus
trate various phases of the Santiago cam
paign. All these had been prepared with
view OF expecting the work of the court,
and all were on large scale.
Commander Heilner was asked to verify
the report of his testimony taken on a
previous day. He suggested numerous un-
important corrections of the testimony.
In the Engine Room of the Texas.
Mr.. A. B. Claxton, machinist, first class,
on the Texas during the battle off Santi-
ago July 3, was called to testify concern
Ing the stopping of engines on the Texas
at the time Of her encounter with the
Brooklyn He was on duty in the engine
room throughout the day of the 3D. except
when he was relieved on account of the ex-
cessive heat and allowed 10 go above to the
ventilatOr. He testified to signals for stop
ping and backing the engine, and also said
the port engine was stopped, Commander
Bates, the chief engineer, having testified
that the starboard engine was stopped but
he was not sure about the port engine
Mr.. ClaxtOn said that the engine indi-
Gator had called for full speed ahead early
IN the morning, which had. within an hour
after the beginning of the action, been
changed to full speed astern" To his
knowledge there had been no signal for
tn" reversal of the engines. He said that
ne had been excused from service in the
engine room, but still he knew that the
engines were reversed for about two min
Utes-
What was the next change made in the
Indicator Of the port engine of the Texas?"
he was asked.
Full speed ahead
What was the next after that?"
There was no other order given for
some time afterward."
When was a further signal received by
the Indicator and what was the signal?''
Within the first hour of engagement the
direction war changed to full speed
astern."
Can you not give an estimate Of the
time when the signal was given for full
speed as.ern. and how long after the be-
ginning of the action?
II could say within the first hour"
Was there any other signal given during
that watch within your knowledge for the
port engines TO reverse?''
There was none to my knowledge"
You were on duty IN the port engine
room throughout that day, were you not9"
''CG and on, sir.
S Where els else were se. you on duty. If any
Il was excused for time on account of
the heat"
AS a matter of fact. were the engines
reversed?'
They were. for about two minutes
Mr.. Claxton was not questioned by Mr.
Rayner.
Rear Admiral Cotton Testiaes.
Rear Admiral Cotton. now commandant
of the Norfolk navy yard who commanded
the auxiliary cruiser Harvard during the
Spanish war. was the next witness He told
of meeting the flying squadron under Com
modore Schley off Santiago May 27. 1898.
and said that on that date he had delivered
dispatches to the then commodore from
Admiral Sampson and the Navy Depart
ment. He had, he said, boarded the Brook
lyn about 1870 o'clock, The weather was
then moderate and he had no difficulty In
going aboard the Brooklyn from his boat
He had worn his sword.
What conversation took place between
iemIy.
1T will be impossible for me to state
the entire conversation" the witness re-
piled. 'I was on board generally speaking
from about half-past 10 to about noon
The conversation naturally covered a very
wide range, the most important part of
which was. of course relative TO the dis
patches 1 had delivered
What was said about the dispatches?' o.
Discussed COaling Possibilities.
II delivered to Commodore Schley the
original cipher In which the dispatches had
been received by me at st. Nicholas Mole
together with translations Of those dis
patches made by Lieut.. Beall OF the Har-
ward 1 handed them personally to him in
his cabin In the order of their date He
received them, read them and commented
in general way upon their purport; spoke
of the difficulty he had had in getting coal
on board his ships while at Cienfuegos
and subsequently prior to the date of which
] am speaking, May q. and said II had
been an almost impossibility to get coal
on board on account of the weather. He
questioned reIatiye the pracfieahilifv