Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1901-12-18
TWO AGAINST HIM.
Majority of Court of Inquiry Finds
Rear Admiral schley Guilty.
Admiral Dewey. However, SuStains schIey's
Conduct and Declares the Victory of
Santiago Belongs to Him Different
Findings of the Trial Judges.

Washington, Dec. 14.-Last night
| Secretary Long was handed the find
ings of the court of inquiry which
inquired into the conduct of Rear Adj
miral Schley during the Santiago
campaign. Instead of che report
there are two. Both are signed by
George Dewey, president. and by
| Samuel C. LemIy, as judge advocate.
This is a form said to be recognized
in all courts of inquiry, the sigma
lures of the other members not be-
ing necessary. But it is explained
that Admiral Dewey signed the Sec
ond report, a minority report, to ex-
press his qualification of or dissent
from the views expressed by the
court, comprising, beside himself, Ad-
mirals Benham and Ramsey, in the
first report. It is said at the navy de-
partment that there will be no fur
Their proceedings in this celebrated
case on the departments initiative.
Secretary Long and Judge Advocate
Lemly positively decline to discuss
the findings in any phase. The secre-
tary will probably append his sigma
ture with the word Approved" to the
whole record. The court itself recon-
mends no further proceedings, owing
to the lapse of time.
Admira1s Benham and Ramsey con-
cur in the first report, which is signed
by Admiral Dewey as a matter OF
form. Admiral Dewey makes a sepa-
rate report, although he agrees with
the findings of facts subscribed to by
the others. The majority report con-
dennis Admiral Schiey on IL points,
while Admiral Dewey sustafns him
in most particulars. The majority
opinion finds in brief that Admiral
Schley should have proceeded with
the utmost dispatch to Cienfuegos
and maintained a close blockade; that
he should have endeavored to have
obtained information of the Spanish
squadron there; that he should have
proceeded to Santiago with dispatch;
that he should not have made the
retrograde movement; that he should
have obeyed the departments orders;
that he should have endeavored to
capture the Span. sh vessels in Santi-
ago; that he did not do his utmost
to destroy the Colon; that he caused
the squadron to lose distance in the
loop of the Brooklyn; that he there
by caused the Texas to back; that he
did injustice to Hodgson; that his
conduct in the campaign was charac-
terized by vacillation, dilatoriness and
lack of enterprise; that his official re-
ports on the coal supply were mis-
leading and inaccurate; that his con-
duct during the battle was self-pos-
sessed and that he encouraged in his
Il l.
and men.
Admiral Dewey in his report says
that the passage to Cienfuegos was
made with all dispatch; that in view
of his coal supply the blockade of
Cienfuegos was effective; that he al
lowed the AduIa to enter Cienfuegos
to get information; that his passage
to Santiago was with as much dis
patch as possible, keeping the
squadron together; that the blockade
of Santiago was effective, and, finally,
that he was the senior officer off
Santiago, in absolute command and
entitled to the credit due for the
glorious victory which resulted in
the total destruction of the Spanish
ships.
representative of the Associated
press conveyed first information of
the findings of the court to Admiral
Schley. He was seated in the public
reception room of hotel chatting
with friends and several newspaper
men and evinced no signs of nervous
ness over the outcome. When the
conclusions of Admiral Dewey were
read to him Admiral SchIey showed
his pleasure, and it was evident from
his manner that he regarded the
statement from Admiral Dewey as a
vindication of his cause.