The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-26
DEWEY AT HEAD
HERO OF MANILA BAY WILL PRE-
SIDE OVER SCHLEY COURT
OF INQUIRY
NAMED BY SECRETARY LONG
Rear Admiral Kimberly and Rear
Admiral BenhHm to Be Dewey'H
Associates on the
Court
LEMLY IS JUDGE ADVOCATE

LEMLY IS JUDGE ADVOCATE
WASHINGTON, July 25.-The board
| Of inquiry which is TO investigate the
controversial points in connection with
Admiral Schley conduct during the
| Spanish war will be composed Of Admiral
| Dewey, president of the court and
Rear Admirals Lewis A. Kimberly and
Andrew q. K. Benham. The court will
meet at the navy department in Wash
ington Sept. II. Secretary Long announc-
ed these facts today. The proceedings
| of the court will be open. and
the widest latitude will be permitted in
| the matter of selecting witnesses. Rear
Admiral Schley will be allowed to be
represented by counsel. The secretary
| had nothing to say about the compost
| ton OF the court except That he thought
| 1t spoke for itsen, and to express the
! hope that the members chosen would be
satisfactory to all concerned. He point
! ed out that none of the officers chosen
! had, so far as he knew expressed an
opinion concerning what is known as the
Sampson-Schley controversy, and It was
| therefore to be presumed that they would
enter upon their work in an impartial
and unprejudiced spirit
PERSONNEL OF THE COURT.
The members of the court are distinct
lively fighting men, Each has been con-
! nected with celebrated event in naval
annals. or Admiral Dewey, the hero OF
Manila bay, it is unnecessary to speak
! His record is familiar to all. His as
sociates, Rear Admiral Kimberly and
Rear Admiral Benham, are both retired
! officers.
The former was retired in 1892 and
the latter in 1894 Admiral Kimberly Is
seventy-one years of age and Admiral
| Benham sixty-nine years. Each saw
| over forty-hVe years Of active service
| Both had fine records during the civil
war. The great event with which Ad-
| miral Kimberly's name is associated is
| the destruction of the American fleet in
| the harbor of Apia, Samoa, during the
terrific hurricane which occurred there
in 1889. Admiral Kimberly had been sent
/ to Samoa at the head Of an American
/ squadron during the trying period of our
negotiations with Germany there. and
had conducted himself before the storm
with marked dignity and ability When
] the hurricane occurred his entire squad
ron was wrecked. The Vandalia and
/ Trenton were completely DESTROYED and
the Nipsic was cast ashore The story
OF that great disaster and the heroism
! displayed by the American officers and
, men under the direction Of Admiral Kim
| berly thrilled the whole world and made
an impression never to be forgotten.
Admiral Benham played dramatic
! part at Rio de Janeiro during the great
naval revolution in 1884, the particulars
Of which were recounted in these dis
patches a few days ago.
| All day Secretary Long was engrOssed
/ IN the consideration Of the details Of the
court, seeking particularly for a suitable
! judge advocate, realizing that upon this
oIflcer would devolve the largest measure
OF responsibility for the conduct Of the
| inquiry to a successful issue 1t was
thought that such a man had been found
! IN the person Of Commander John E,
Pillsbury, sailor who has the brightest
! feputation and is moreover regarded as
! or a Judicial temperament. In fact, 1t
was announced early in the day at the
! department that he had been selected
for the place. But later, on more mature
| consideration, his name was abandoned
| IL was recalled that as commander of the
| dynamite cruiser Vesuvius he mad served
under Sampson off Santiago, and as
equipment officer Of the Boston navy
yard was now subordinate of the same
! admiral.
LEMLY JUDGE ADVOCATE.
In his desire to escape all criticism on
the point of bias, Secretary Long felt
| that these were reasons sufficient for
looking out for new material and for
! some man who was absolutely disasso-
ciated from the great controversy in any
| phase. Late today he decided that he
| found such an officer in the person Of
capt. Samuel c. Lemly, the judge adyo-
| cate general of the navy, a selection cal
! culated because of the rank Of the Off
| Ger to constitute a full recognition OF
the dignity and Importance Of the forth
| coming court OF inquiry. While it can
not be said that the matter IS absolutely
settled, Secretary Long went so far as
10 ask Capt. Lemly If he felt free to ac-
! cept the assignment If it were offered to
him, and it is believed that Capt. Lemly
VIII decide to answer affirmatively.
Capt. Lemly would feel hurt to have It
even intimated that he had any personal
! feeling whatever in the SchIey- Sampson
controversy In all the time he has been
at the head Of the legal department Of
! the navy, his service dating back to 1892
he never has had occasion to pass upon
any question that involved either Samp-
son or Schley in any personal aspect. he
! has known both men, Schley better than
| Sampson, perhaps. He was one Of
/ Schley's personal friends when he, Lemly
was in active line service. He accom-
] panied Schley on the famous Greedy re-
! lief expedition and rendered valuable
services 70 him on that occasion which
service the senior officer recognized.
KNOWS BOTH OFFICERS.
On the other hand Capt Lemly has
known Sampson officially in the navy de-
paItment, when the admiral was at the
| head Of the ordnance bureau and they
thus were thrown into close contact in a
| business point Of view for several years
| Meanwhile, the clerical force Of the
/ judge advocates department can prepare
the mass of documentary evidence neces-
| sary for use before the court and wit
| nesses at distant points may be sum-
moned. Under the ordinary rules OF
! practice the Judge advocate of the navy
Is called on to review the proceedings OF
court-martials and courts in inquiry. Sec
retary Long has promised Capt Lemly
that If he acts as judge advocate Of the
| Schley court he will be exempted from
the duty Of reviewing the proceedings.
Capt. Lemly was Judge advocate Of the
Jeanette court Of inquiry.
The precept to the court probably viii
be issued tomorrow. It promises to be a
rather extended statement Of the scope
Of the inquiry compared with such dOcu-
ments in less important cases. 1t VIII
define the scope of the inquiry. but
whether 1t will direct the court 10 return
an opinion or simply to ascertain tho
facts. Secretary Long thus far declines
to state.
KIMBERLY MAY BE RELIEVED.
WEST NEWTON. Mass, July 15.-Rear