Arizona republican., 1901-11-07
MANY WOMEN WEPT
When MT. Rayner Pictured the Three Years of Injustice Through Which the Gallant Sailor Had Gone-The Close of the Speech Followed by Thunders of Applause and Torrent of Congratulation.

Washington. Nov. 6-The climax of the SchIey court of inquiry came this afternoon when Isador Rayner chief counsel for Schley, concluded a bril- liant argument of over three hours with peroration eloquent and impassioned that all within the sound of his voice were profoundly touched. At this remarkable trial, he said, 1t was sought to condemn the man who had brought to a successful termina- tion as great a naval triumph as was ever won. In vivid colors he painted the picture of the Brooklyn, with Schley on the bridge, fighting the en- tire Spanish fleet until the Oregon ap- peared out of the smoke.
 The thunders of the Brooklyn, mu- sic for the ears of his countrymen." he said, aroused Schley's envious foes" He pictured the victor1o1s sailor suffer ing as few have suffered, for three long years while the fires of persecu- tion leapt around him, and he was now awaiting the hour of his vindication in the verdict of the court.
 And when it comes," he concluded; ''he can from the high and exalted po- sition he occupies. look down on his traducers and maligners with pride. and exclaim: I care not for the veno- nous gossip of clubs, drawing rooms, cliQues and the poisoned shafts of envy and malice. l await. under the guidance of Divine Providence. the verdict of posterity.'"
 The scene in the court room as he finished with these words was thrill ling. The attendance had been large all day, and al the morning session lady tainted from excitement. As Ray ner began his eulogy Schley, and many of those in the audience. many of whom were ladies, leaned forward in their seats. The spell of the oratory was over them, and when Mir. Rayner de scribed the admiraIs gallant deeds and the long prosecution to which he had been subjected. many of them broke down and wept The members of the court displayed evidence of emotion. and Admiral Schley was plainly moved He sat leaning back with his hands be- hind his head. His chin twitched, and as his counsel said he could afford to await the verdict of posterity, big tears rolled down his cheeks.
 He moved uneasily to conceal his emotion and. under pretense Of ad- justing his glasses. brushed his tears aside For fully thirty seconds after Rayner closed there was not a sound. Then the tension was broke with loud outburst of applause. Admiral Dewey, after about half a minute, arose to remind the spectators that such demonstration was out of place. A moment afterward the court ad- journed.
 Then a remarkable scene occurred. As soon as the gavei fell the entire audience surged forward to shake hands with Schley and Rayner. But the on-coming spectators fell back a moment as they saw Admiral Dewey and his two associates move around the table, as if by a common impulse. to congratulate Schley's counsel. Judge Advocate Lemly joined in the con- gratulations. Then the handshaking began, and for half hour after the court adjourned Schley and Rayner were kept busy shaking hands.
 The closing words of MT. Rayner were as follows: "I now have briefly presented this case as it appears to me in it's general outline. Such trial as this has never, to my knowledge, taken place in the history of the world It seemed to my mind that this case had hardly opened with the testimony of Captain Higginson when it commenced to totter from day to day. Its vision ary fabric dissolved from view when Captain Cook. their last witness, was put on the stand. The entire structure collapsed, and it was when the witnes- ses from our own ships and the gallant
 
 Admiral Schley had narrated their un- vanished tale. that the whole tene- ment, with all it's compartments, from it's foundation to turret disintegrated, and it lies here like a mass of black ened ruins.
 Ut has taken three years to reveal the truth. There is not word that has fallen from the tongue of a single wit ness. friend or foe, that casts shadow of a reflection upon the honored name of the hero of Santiago. He never claimed the glory of that day. No word to that effect has ever gone forth from him to the American people The valiant Cook, the heroic Clark, the la mented Philip, the intrepid and un- daunted Wainwright. and all the other captains, every man at every gun, every soul on board every ship. are equal participants with Admiral Schley in the honor wrought upon that im- mortal day.
 we cannot strike down his figure standing upon the bridge of the Brook lyn There he stands upon the bridge of the Brooklyn. his ship almost alone. receiving the entire fire of the Spanish foe. On came the Oregon, as If upon the wings of lightning. and sped into the thickness of this mortal carnage God bless the Oregon!' was the cheer that rang from deck to deck. On they went, twin brothers In the chase. until the lee gun was fired from the Cris- tobal Colon, and the despotic cclors oi