The age-herald., 1901-09-11
1.-THE SCHI EY= SAMPSON CQ [3:: :$:$E $: s# sa And the Schley Court of Tn


The naval court of+inquiry which will convene in the city of Washington to- morrow will considersand determine one of the most celebrated causes in the mil- itary history of our nation. While courts of inquiry and courts-martial, oftentimes involving officers of high rank, are not infrequent, no one cause ever brought together as many officers of high rank and distinguished position as Will this one. isT&sS
 At the head of the court, as it's pres ident is Admiral George Dewey, the hero of Manila, the highest in rank of all our naval officers. Associated with him as judges in the case are two of the rear admirals on the retired 1ist-Benham and Howison-each of whom served his coun- try well and faithfully for many years. The judge advocate, or governments le- gal representative, will be Captain Lem ", who for ten years has been the chief legal officer of the Navy Department, with the title of judge advocate general, and who, during his active sea service, saw arduous duty. requiring frequent ex- hibitions of personal courage.
 The inquirer in this cause Is Rear Ad- miral Winfield Scott Schley, than whom few officers of the American navy are better known to fame. Admiral Schley' s services to his country during the civil war, in the capture of the Korean forts in 1S71 in the Greedy relief expedition or 1881, as chief of the Bureau of Equip ment of the Navy, in the Gillian imbrog- lio during Cleyeland's second adminis- tration and, latterly, during the Spanish American war, have always been of the kind to win him advancement in the ser vice and to stamp him as man or the grea test bravery and professional efii- cfency Appearing as Admiral Schley counsel will be Hon. Isidor Rayner, at- torney-general of Maryland, Admiral Schley's native State; ex-Judge Jeremiah M Wilson of Washington, who ranks among attorneys as the most effective cross-examner in the country, and Cap tain James Parker, an officer of the old navy, who rose to the rank of lieuten' ant commander during the civil war, ant who a4lerward left the service to entei lfhe legal profession.
 Among the witnesses will be rear ad mirals on the active list and other off cers of the navy, running down to those of warrant rank only. These will in. cltHie W. T. Sampson, who commanded the North Atlantic Squadron during the war with Spain J.. c. Watson, who was selected to command the squadron which but for the conclusion of peace agree ment, would have ravished the coast oi Spain during that war; Fighting Bob Evans, than whom few officers are better known to the American people; Henry c. Taylor, who commanded the battle ship Indiana during the great sea fight off Santiago, and A. S. Barker an officer with a distinguished record. Of captains who will appear as witnesses there are F. E. Chadwick, who was in command of Admiral Sampson's flagship, the New York, during the whole Spanish war Charles D. Sigsbee, who commanded the Inflated Maine when she was so treach- ereusly destroyed in the harbor of Ha. vana Charles F.. Clark, who brought thu Oregon on that great race around tn, Horn from San Francisco to be in at thu death of the Spanish fleet off Santiago /fS A. Cook, who was in command of Ad
 miral Schley's flagship, the Brooklyn during the Spanish war, and Bowman II. McCalla, who, as commander of the 1Marblehead distinguished himself In ca ble cutting exploits on the South coast of Cuba and in the capture of Guantan- amo during the Spanish war.
 Among the officers of lower rank who will give important> testimony are Com mander Richard Wainwright, whose per-
 
 ing the Spanish torpedo boat destroyers Furor and Fulton during the battle off Santiago won the admiration of the en- tire nation, and who is now superintend- ent of the Naval Academy at Annapolis; Seaton Schroeder, who relieved Capt 'Dick" Leary as naval governor of the Island of Guam, and who was the exec utive officer of the Texas during the bat tie of July 8; Lieut. Victor Blue, who da f1,a rIy i,,io md aho 'tiago shortly after the discovery of the Spanish fleet in that port, and Chief Quarterma ster Niels Anderson, who held the helm of the Brooklyn during all of that memorable fight. Beside these there are a host of others--more than 100 all foid-and the list will be increased from time to time as the testimony of others Is shown to be necessary to a complete Understanding of the case.
 The Controversy to Bo Reviewed.
 i, It Is not alone the high rank of judges inquirer and witnesses which contribute to make the approaching inquiry the most memorable in ah our military his- tory The cause itself is one of the greatest on record. It involves not alone the conduct of Admiral Schley during the Spanish-Amercan war. The whole con duct of the campaign which resulted in the discovery and destruction of Admiral Cervera's fleet is to be inquired into. This practically means that one of the >most remarkable achievements in naval Snals Is ito be dIssected by a jury of ex- Xsrts, all the mistakes made brought to Night. and condemnation or censure be- slowed according as the experts who are to judge the case find 1t deserved. The war is, in effect, to be fought over, and the searchlight of publicity and expert Knowledge turned upon the minutest de- tails of the greatest naval campaign of modern times.
 a And then, there are the possibilities of the outcome of the case Where the campaign under investigation termina ted 90 gloriously, 1t Is strange that anybody should apprehend punitive mea sures against any officer participating; yet court martials are not improbable as the result of the investigation about to be made. In addition to the actual incidents of the war there is to be investigated the great controversy which, 1t Is to be hoped, will be settled by this court Dur ing this controversy many officers have said and done things on both sides of the case for which they are blameable, and for which, 1t Is expected. the court will hold them to account. This it may do under the sweeping nature of the pre- cept issued to 1t, and under the order ot the Secretary of the Navy that 1t recom- mend to the department what further steps are necessary.
 F While all of these things are possible under the precept, 1t is not expected that the court will go into the details of the Schley-that is, others will not be made fho Of iof Frt.-