The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-09-13
ARRIVE IN WASHINGTON PREPARATORY
TO THE INVESTIGATION.
ADMIRALS DEWEY AND BENHAM
Conference With Judge Advocate
tor the Court Admiral Howison Not
Cook To be Schley's First Witness.
uey General Knox.
ney General Knox.

ing SSplcluUtE -"
members OF the Schley court of In
quiry were at the navy department
this morning. namely: Admiral Dewey.
the president OF the court and Admiral
Benham. Admiral Howison has not
yet come to Washington. Admiral
Dewey was in conference with Judge
Advocate Lemly for some time respect
ing arrangements which Captain Lem
ly has made for the seating OF the press
and spectators in the court room and
as to other details
Unless the presidents condition
should change materially for the worse
the court will meet on Thursday next,
exactly as ordered in the precept, and
the inquiry will begin at once.
1t had been supposed that several
days would De consumed in organizing
the court and in dilatory a~djournments
pending the beginning Of the real work
of inquiry.
The determination of the court, how
ever. is to settle down to work immedi-
ately. If objection is made TO any
member of the court that objection
probably will be disposed of by the
u in short order.
1t was arranged that the sessions of
the court should be held daily from 10
to II o'clock and from 1 to 3 o'clock.
This does not apply, however, to the
time for the assembling of the our
which is fixed by the s~ecretary's order
at 1 o'clock p. m, on the 18th instant.
The regular sessions Of the court will
begin in accordance With the arrange
inert made today at 10 o'clock on the
morning of the second day.
tn aaorlo Mo- rt%I III Orlnr Df THO
department, the court will sit continu-
ouSly from day TO day.
Another officer of the u was ere
ated today by an order detailing Cap
tain Henry w. Carpenter, of the ma
rine corps. to duty as provost marshal
of the court. AS such officer it will be
Captain Carpenters especial province
to preserve order and proper decorum
on the part of the spectators in the
court room. He will also exercise i'm
mediete concern over the small squad
of marines detailed to various duties
in and about the court room.
Captain Francis A. Cook. who COM
manded Admiral Schley's flagship, the
Brooklyn, during the Santiago cam
paign, and Lieutenant Commander
James H. Sears spent practically the
entire day in close consultation with
Admit al Schley's counsel. 1t is under
stood that Captain Cook will be the
first witness to take the stand for Ad-
miral Schley.
Buffalo, September O. Acting Secre-
tary of the Navy Hackett has beer
pressing Attorney General Knox both
by wire and letter to appoint one OF
the assistant attorney generals to as
sist Captain Lemly, the judge advocate
of the Schley court of inquiry, in the
conduct of the case before the court.
The attorney general however, has de-
clined to take a step which he believes
would look like the government prose
cution of the officer under investiga-
ton.
The government in his opinion should
have no part in the inquiry. The in
quiry of the navy department is made
at the request of Admiral Schley and
the government has nothing to do
with it. The president himself recon-
mended Admiral Schley for promotion,
and now for the department of justice
to detail an officer under it to assist In
the conduct Of the case would inevita-
bly, be construed as a desire on the part
of the administration to convict Admir-
al Schley.
The attorney general was sustained
in his position by all the members of
the cabinet whom he consulted. The
whole question was gone over carefully
at a meeting held in the Glenny house,
adjoining the Milburn residence, yes
terday. Attorney Genera Knox wired
his decision to Acting Secretary Hack
htt %<t-