The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-09-12
BEGINS TODAY
SCHLEY COURT OF INQUIRY TO
CONVENE IN WASHINGTON
AT p. NJ.
PROTEST AGAINST HowIsON
COunse' for the officer on T11aI VIII
Request Removal of Member
OF Court on Ground
of Bias.
DECISION is WITH THE COURT

WASHINGTON, Sept. 11.-An the mem
bers OF the Schley court of inquiry are
now in Washington. Everything is ready
for convening the court. The impression
at the navy department now is that the
taking Of testimony will not begin to-
morrow, although that was the original
expectation. A large number of witnesses
are in Washington ready to take the
stand, but formalities are expected to
consume most of tomorrow'S S session.
Although no positive statement on that
point is made, it is gathered from the
attitude of the government officers tnat
they nave no present intention of call
ing Admiral Sampson.
While observing all the forms that are
necessary to maintain the dignity Of the
court, there is no disposition on the part
of its members to try to magnify its i'm
portance by useless ceremony. There
fore, there will be no waste of gunpowder
in salutes nor will the marines be
turned out in state at the navy yard as
the three admirals make their way to
and from the building where the court
will meet Tomorrow they will go to the
yard in plain clothing and thus relieve
the commandant of the necessity of cr-
derlng an official salute. In the commo-
dious retiring room adjacent to the court
room provided for their accommodation
they will array themselves In what IS
known as the naval dress uniform This
is not what is known as special fuII
dress but is very nearly SUCH the main
difference consisting in the elimination
of the cooked hat. Instead Admiral
Dewey and his fellow members will wear
simple naval caps. although in the case
Of officers of their rank the cap is almost
encrasted with gold save on top. They
will wear the naval frock coat and gold
epauletteS and the service sword.
IN UNDREss UNIFORM.
After the first day this uniform Will
give place to the easier though less i'm
preSSive naval undress uniform, divested
IN large part of the heavy gold trimming
OF the dress suit and open, permitting
the wearing of a comfortable blouse
Precisely at l o'clock the members CT
the court will be seated. Admiral Dewey
at the center of table placed cross
wise of the court room. with Rear Ad-
niral Benham on his right and Rear kd-
miral Howison on his left. The witnesses
Will stand at the left end of the table
next to the official stenographer, and the
judge advocate, Capt. Lemly, with So
Icltor F. P. Hanna, his associate in the
case. Will occupy the other end of the
table. A place has been reserved for MIR
Stayton, who is to represent certain ma
val officers not officially named as yet
lie viii not be recognized as counsel by
the court, however, until some of his
clients are involved in the case by the
testimony. The judge advocate first will
address the court and read the precept
under which it is convened. rhe next
step will be the recognition of counsel
by the court, and Capt Lemly then Will
introduce Mr.. Hulse as the official stenog-
rapher.
WILL CHALLENGE HOWISON.
Next will come the most interesting
part of the days proceedings namely,
the challenging by Admiral Schley' 8
counsel of the competency of Rear Ad-
miral Howison as a member of the court.
Trey Will reiterate the charge that Ad-
miral Howison had expressed an opinion
adverse to Admiral Schley, and it Will
be the object of counsel to support this
charge by aftidavits and perhaps by oral
testimony. It Is for the court to say
whether such testimony will be admitted.
The expectation is that an hour. or two
Will be consumed in argument by coun-
sci directed to the two members of the
court whose competency is quoted Ad-
mirals Dewey and Benham then will re-
tire and determine whether or not the
statements presented are sufficient to
make manifest the incompetency of Rear
Admiral Howison.
RESTS WITH THE COURT.
There viii be no appeal from the de-
c1slon of the court on this point Even
the secretary of the navy could not undo
Its work. Capt. Francis A Cook, who
commanded the Brooklyn during the
West Indian campaign, probably will be
the first witness. The headquarters of
Admiral Schley was a scene of great ac-
tVity today. Up to noon five of the wit
nesses named by the admiral had been
IN consultation with Messrs Wilson and
Rayner and had informed them of the
line of testimony which can be expected
from them when called before the court.
They were Lieut.. Edward w Eberle
Lieut.. Albert A. Ackerman, Lieut. John
son and Lieutenant Commander G. r.
Nicholson, all of whom were on the Ore
gcn during the Santiago sea tight-the
last named being the executive officer
of the vessel during the battle-and
Lieut.. Charles Webster, who was on Ad-
nlral Schley's flagship, the Brooklyn
during the fight. A number of civilian
witnesses also were closeted with the
counsel during the morning, but their
names were not disclosed.
This afternoon additional witnesses
We're examined, and Admiral Schley and
his counsel say they are in complete
readiness for the opening of what is
looked on as one of the greatest naval
trials in history.
admiral Schley's counsel during the
evening completed the formal challenge
TO Admiral Howison. This is a very brief
document. and, according to counsel, will
be supported by several witnesses. who
Will be ready to appear tomorrow in
GLIDING Mr.. Frost, of the Boston Record
which printed, the alleged interview of
ACmiral Howison. The names of the 9TH
er witnesses, who are expected by the
S"hley counsel to substantiate the au-
thenteity of the Howison interview, and
who are expected to arrive in the CITY Sv
tomorrow morning, are withheld pend. np
their appearance before the court Coun-
SCI during the evening examined George
4. Graham, of Albany, N. Y, a newspa-
per correspondent. who was on Admiral
Schiey's flagship during the Santiago
campaign, and went over the lines of his
testimony with him.
Bad Fire at st. Johns.