The age-herald., 1901-11-07
Admiral Dewey and Members of the Court Congratulate
 Counsel and Client ScHLEY GREATLY AFFECTED
Mir. Rayner Spoke for Three Hours and Was Listened to With Breathless Interest by
 Great Crowd.

Washington, November 6.-The climax of the Schley court of inuiry came this afternoon when Mir. Rayner, chief coun- sel for Admiral Schley, concluded bril- liant argument of over three hours with . peroration eloquent and impassioned that all within the sound of his voice were profoundly touched. This remark able trial, he said, sought to condemn the msn who had brought 10 successful ter imitation as great a naval triumph as was eyer won In vivid colors he painted the picture of the Brooklyn with Commodore 5ctley on the bridge, nghting the entire Spanish fleet until the Oregon appeared put of the smoke.
 The scene in the court room as he finished was thrilling. The attendance had been large all day, and at the morning session a lady had tainted from excitement. As Mir. Rayner be- gan his euogy of Admiral Schley those In the audience, many of whom were ladies, leaned forward in their seats. The spell of his oratory was over them, and when he described the admirals gallant deeds and the long persecution to which he had been subjected many of them wept. The members of the court displayed evidences of emotion, and Admiral schIey himself was plain ly moved. He sat, leaning back, with his hands behind hls head. His chin twtched, and as his counsel said he could afford to await the verdict of posterity, two big tears rolled down his cheeks. For full thirty seconds after Mir. Rayner closed there was not n sound. Then the tension broke in loud bursts of applause.
 Admiral Dewey after about half min ute, arose to remind the spectators that such a demonstration was out of place. A moment afterward the court adjourned. the judge advocate pleading that he could not well go on today. Then another re- markable thing happened. As soon as the gs1 el fell the entire audience surged for ward to shake the hands of Admiral Schley aud Mir. Rayner. But the oncom- Ing spectators fell back moment as they saw A 1miral Dewey and his two as- sociates move around the table, as if by a common impulse, and congratulate Ad- mil al Schley and his counsel. Even Cap tain Lemly, the judge acvocate, came forward to join in the congratulations Then the public had its inning, and for fifteen minutes after the court adjourned, Admiral Schley and MT. Rayner were kept b1sy shaking hands.
 Mir. Rayner displayed good temper in
 f<.f f1.x Af frxft tl.x officers. and particularly the ranking of ficeIs, who seemed to contradict his client giving them in each case credit for honesty ard purpose. But, with a few he dealt unsparingly Wood, Potts and Bristol he held ap to ,idicule.
 MIR. RAYNoR
 BEGINS ARGUMENT.
 MT. Rayner began his argument at Il :25 a. m. He paid compliment to Judge Advocate Lemly and his assistant MT. Hanna, for the most judicial impartiality in which they have managed this case.
 Mir Rayner made plea for the consid- eration of questions which was at that time Commodore Schley's point of view.
 Let us.' he said put ourselves in his place and see what the circumstances were. We all know what it would have been wise to do."
 Discussing dispatch No ', which is known the Dear Schley" letter. MT. Rayner contended that the order con veyed in that message made 1t incum- bent upon Commodore Schley to remain at Cienfuegos. He declared that this was the key to the whole case and that 1t did not admit of any other construc- ton than that Commodore Schley should remain at Cienfuegos.
 Mir. Rayner in support of this conten- ticn read the departments order to Ad- miral Sampson directing him to notify Commodore Schley by the Iowa to pro- ceed off Santiago. Admiral Schley in- stead of transmitting that order and re- inforcing 1t had transmitted 1t with di- rections to Schley to remain off Cien- fuegos on the ground that holding that port would offer the best chance of cap turing and destroying the Spanish fleet. This modification of the departments or der by Admiral Sampson had been fol- lowed by order No. directing him eff satisfied that if the fleet was not in Cienfuegos to proceed, but cautiously to Santiago
 In this connection MT. Rayner discussed the McCalla memorandum which he said had never been intended for Commodore 6chley but the commander-in-chief at Key West. The memorandum contained not word about the means of com municating with the insurgents
 Order No. 8 upon which the coun- sel on the other side had laid so much stress, he said. but did not permit Com modore Schley to leave until satisfied that the Spaniards were not in Cien- fuegos. If it had reached Commodore Schiey as Admiral Sampson believed 1t would by 2 a. m., April B, he could not have left That dispatch reached Com modore Schiey at 8 m. April 23 and on that day the Adula was sent in
 IMPORTANT FACT
 THAT ADuLA STAYED IN.
 This fact. Mir. Rayner said. he regard ed as one of the most important in the campaign When the Adula did not come out the next day, as her skipped had agreed to do, Admiral Schley was still further confirmed in the belief that Ger vera was in Cienfuegos. T want to say right here" said MT. Rayner. that as bravel a man as McCalla Is and daring anc fearless a soul as he is. he never pretended to land any boats on the Cuban coasts, and he was around there eight days. This is not criticism of him. but to