Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1901-07-26
FOR VINDICATION.
Admiral Schley Will Request q
Court of Inquiry.
The Highest Officers of the Navy WIZ
Likely be Called TO sit in Final
Judgment on the Dispute
Between sampson and
SchleY.

Washington, July 24.-The Wash
ington Post on Monday night tele-
graphed Admiral Schley that in an
editorial it insisted that he owed it
to himself as well as to his friends
to begin proceedings against Mr..
Maclay, the author of the History of
the United States Navy, to disprove
the latter's charges, adding: will
you do this? Please wire statement"
Yesterday it received the following
| telegram:
Great Neck, /. l., July al be-
lieve the first step should be an in
vestigation of all matter by a court,
| then a civil action afterwards. L
am preparing to take this course.
| wv. S. SCHLEY."
The Post, as a result of extensive
| Inquiries based upon the admira's
dispatch, says:
admiral Schley proposes to ask
an investigation at the hands of a
naval court of inquiry and then to
sue Historian Maclay for libel.
His action is the sequel to the
developments during the past week.
when the entire country has been
stirred by the publication of the un-
exampled abuse poured out upon him
in the third volume of +. S. Maclay's
History of the United States Navy,
In which publication Schley is said to
have run away in caitiff flight and
is in addition, denounced as a cow
ard, a cur and traitor"
The Schley court of inquiry will
undoubtedly be one of the most cele-
brated cases in the naval or military
I ~. Al1 trtr h.. hirrtx
rank of the officers involved in the
controversy and the intense public
feeling winch has been aroused will
combine to give to the investigation
a dramatic interest. Nothing has
occurred in Washington for many
years that will compare with it.
The appointment of the court of
inquiry is expected to be made by
Secretary Long, though it would be
in the power of the president to-
make the selection if he choose. This
is hardly likely to occur, however.
Admiral Schley's letter asking for
the appointment of the court, will
be addressed to Secretary Long, who
is his immediate chief. To address
the communication to the president,
ignoring Secretary Long, would not
only be a breach of naval etiquette,
but would be totally at variance with
Schley's careful observance of pune
tilious procedure. The court, there
, fore, will be named by Secretary
Long, unless he shall prefer to refer
the matter to the president.
Mr.. Long has already stated that IL
Admiral Schley requested court of
inquiry he would grant the request,
and has also expressed his willing
ness to personally select the court
J While he has not made any state
ment as to its personnel, there is
every reason to believe that he ia
vors Admiral Dewey and Rear Ad-
mirals Ramsey and Benham, the
two latter being now upon the re-
tired list.
The name of Admiral Walker has
; been suggested, but it is known that
he has expressed views upon the
Sampson-Schley controversy in an
tagonism to Schley and his appoint
ment would, therefore, be seriously
} questioned. 1t is said that Dewey,
: Ramsey and Benham have always
E carefully avoided giving an opinion
as to the merits OF the controversy.
4 All these officers are residents OF
e Washington, although temporarily
t out of the city to escape the summer
n heat, and could be quickly summoned
: to take their places around the table
n of the court.
n Three names are mentioned be-
e cause that number is specified in the
y naval regulations for courts of in
d quiry.
: With respect to the matters to be
y inquired into by the court of inquiry
the Post says that it might be diff
J. cult to state briefly the exact ques-
e tions which will come before the
e court, but that Schley condensed
e them in a letter written to Senator
S Hale, chairman of the senate COM
# mittee on naval Affairs, February 1s,
l. 1899. This letter divided the criti-
e cisms of himself into four heads, AZ
e follows
e First-The alleged delay off Cien-
# fuegos, Cuba.
i Second-The alleged slow progress
toward Santiago from Cienfuegos.
Third-The retrogade movements
on the goth and 27th of May. (This
= refers to the turning of the fleet
IS from Santiago toward Key West.)
u Fourth-The battle of Santiag
a and the destruction ofCervera's fleet
1t 1t is expected, says the Post, that
E. Admiral Schiey in his letter to the
'r secretary requesting court of in
e. quiry, will specify these grounds OF
'e criticism and that Secretary Long
"a will repeat them in his orders assem-
bling the court.
Rolled Down an Embankment.
lie Denver, July 24.-One mile west Of