Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 November 1901 — ALL THE TESTIMONY HEARD [ARTICLE]

ALL THE TESTIMONY HEARD

Only the Arguments Remain to Be Heard by Schley Court, TWO WITNESSES ARE BARRED Evidence of Newspaper Men Contradieting Capt. Slgebee Is Declared Not Material by the Court —Will Ena loni Day This Week. Washington dispatch: Two newwitnesses were before the Schley court of inquiry in the forenoon, and both of them were called in the interest of Admiral Schley. They were Frank B. Richards and George Lynch, both of whom went through the Cuban campaign as newspaper correspondents. Mr. Richards was on th» press boat Premier, and testified concerning the interview with Captain Sigsbee, while the latter was in command of the St. Paul off Santiago in May, 1898. Mr. Lynch was on the Somers N. Smith, and was called to relate his recollection of Capt. Sigsbee's communication to that boat, concerning which Photographer Hare and Correspondent Seovel already have testified. The first witness to take the stand today was Capt. Sigsbee, formerly of the St. Paul, who was recalled for the purpose of reviewing his former testimony. Admiral Schley also was called for this purpose, and his statement occupied a good portion of the time of the court. His testimony in chief occupied five days, and as many of his statements were made off-hand there were innumerable verbal changes to be made, as well as some additions. During the day Capt. Lemly submitted for the consideration of the court a large mass of documentary evidence, including Capt. Goodrich’s report concerning cablecutting, made on April 29, 1898; the reports made by Capt. Philip of the Texas, Capt. Higginson of the Massachusetts, Capt. McCalla of the Marblehead, and Capt. Cotton of the Harvard; Commodore Schley’s report of May 30; Capt. Wise’s report of the operations of the Yale off Santiago; the log of the Spanish ship Cristobal Colon; Admiral Sampson's orders to Capt. Folger of the Scorpion, all of the reports of the commanding officers of the .battle of July 3. Commodore Schley’s letter to the senate, one of Capt. Sigsbee’s letters, and also the letter of the secretary of the navy to the senate as printed In executive document C. Admiral Schley took the stand again and corrected his testimony before the arguments in the inquiry were begun. Thus he was the last to testify in the famous case in which the events surrounding the sea fight of Santiago are involved. There has been no change of the program arranged on Friday for the presentation of argument by counsel.