Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-08-24
SCHLEY TAKES ISSUE
Declares That the Navy Department
Misconstrued His Request.
BE DID NOT CHALLENGE HOWISON
Letter Briefly Acknowledged and
Reported to Judge LemIy.
WORK ON WITNESS LIST

Mr.. Hackett, the acting secretary OF the
navy, today received the reply of Admiral
Schley to the letter of the department de-
clining to submit to Admiral Howison for
confirmation or denial the alleged inter
view printed In Boston rejecting upon Ad-
miral Schey.
The reply was Immediately transmitted
to Captain Lemly, judge advocate general
of the navy and judge advocate of the
court of inquiry. Shortly afterward copies
were made for the newspapers and given
out
The letter in full, together with receipt
of its acknowledgment by Secretary Hack
EFT, is follows:
Admiral Schley's Letter.
THE ARLINGTON,
Washington, d. c., August II, 1891.
Sir: 1. have to acknowledge the re-
ceipt of the departments letter of this
date in reply to my communication of the
10Th instant.
2. While 1t is true that one Of my coun-
sci, Captain Parker. in reply to an inquiry
made to him, did give his personal opinion
of the several rear admirals on the active
and retired lists, among whom was Rear
Admiral Howison. / am assured by him
that he believes the Secretary misunder-
stood him that any one Of the officers
named would be perfectly satisfactory to
me. Captain Parkers conversation was
had at time when nothing was known of
the alleged interview as published in the
Record.
g. In my letter Of the 10th instant I ex-
pressly stated my opinion of the high per-
sonal character of Rear Admiral Howison.
and l avoided any expression Of opinion as
to the truth Of the statements made in the
newspaper clipping which l inclosed
1 II with the desire avoid the
cessity of making a formal challenge that
l requested the department to lay before
Admiral Howison the statements that he
Is alleged to have made, and thus give him
the opportunity to take such action his
sense of the propriety of the occasion might
suggest.
s. 1 therefore respectfully state that the
department has not placed the proper con-
struction upon my letter when it treated
it in the nature of a preliminary challenge
for cause. I could not challenge for cause
until l discovered there was a cause. and
the object of my communication, as is evil
dent upon it's face. was to ascertain If
Rear Admiral Howison had made this
statement. You will observe in this con-
nection that in his original statement he
says, Il have made no public utterance
relating to this subject" / submit that
his private utterances would affect his
qualifications as much as his public utter
ances, and my request was only TO have
this alleged interview submitted for his
consideration. Very respectfully.
w. S. SCHLEY.
Rear Admiral u. 8. N.
The Secretary of the Navy,
Navy Department,
Washington, D. c.
Mr.. Hackett's Acknowledgement.
NAVY DEPARTMENT.
Washington. August "a, 1891
Sir: The receipt of your letter OF the 2ist
instant, explanatory of what was designed
by your former letter of the 18th. upon the
subject of the competency of Rear Admiral
Howison to sit as member of the court Of
inquiry convened at your instance. is &C
knowledged. Very respectfully
F. w. HACkET~T.
Acting Secretary, E. P. H.
Rear Admiral Winfield S. Schley L. s.
navy, the Arlington Hotel. Washington,
Admiral schley's letter was referred to
Capt. Lemly as judge advocate of the court
Of inquiry and not as judge advocate gen
eral of the navy. Secretary Hackett thus
emphasized the statement made yesterday
that so far as the department is concerned
the Howison matter is a closed incident
This and all kindred subjects relating to
the court its membership or the Schley-
Sampson controversy in general must here
after be considered by the court, and by the
court alone.
Lemly Preparing Witness List.
Capt Lemly resumed his duties at the
department today and work was begun un-
der his direction In preparing the list OF
witnesses to be summoned for transmittal
to counsel for Admiral Schley at their re-
quest. This list, 1t was stated today, would
be In the hands Of Admiral Schley and his
attorneys not later than next Wednesday.
1t will not be a complete one. however. Tor
the reason that the Judge advocate does
not know the names of all the officers who
are to be called to testify. The matter of
preparing this list was likened this morn
ing to that of compiling a list Of witnesses
to testify In a case being considered by a
grand jury. in that developments may arise
from time to time warranting the presence
before the court OF witnesses whose tes-
timony may have previously not been
deemed necessary.