Evening star., 1901-08-02
Vacancy in the Sehley Court of In
quiry Yet Untitled.
LETTER OF REAR ADMIRAL KIMBERLY
Captain Parker Continues His
Search for Points.
LIEUT.. WARD SUMMONED

The Navy Department did not announce
today the successor to Admiral Kimberly
on the Schley court Of inquiry. The de-
partment is awaiting, 1t is believed, an an
swer to communication sent to one of the
retired admirals, and the selection will not
be announced until the department has
definite assurance that the officer selected
can serve. Acting Secretary Hackett to-
day gave out the following correspondence
with Admiral Kimberly, relative to the lat
ter's declination:
WEST NEWTON, Mass, July %, 1901.
Sir: have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of rescript of court of inquiry
which is to convene on the 18th of Sep
tember in which l am named a men,
ber. 1 regret to have to request that 1
may be detached from said duty, owing to
disability from weak heart, and its at
tending complications; being under medi-
cal treatment for the same.
Much to my modification this is the first
department order that l am unable to
honor, during a naval life of ffty-fve
years. l am very respectfully, your obe-
dient servant. L. A. KIMBERLY,
Rear Admiral L. S. ~ Ret.)
JOHN D. LONG,
Secretary of the Navy,
Washington d. c.
Navy Department., Washington, D. c.,
August 2 1901.
Sir: The department is in receipt of your
letter of 10Th July, expressing a regret on
your part at being obliged to ask that you
may be detached from the duty of serving
upon the court of inquiry convened the 18th
OF September next. The department learns
with regret that you are suffering from
weak heart and it's attending complica-
uons, for which you are under medical
treatment. Such being the case the de-
reluctantly cd TO MT
Your request
Your letter continues: Much to my NOR
tification, this is the first department order
that am unable to honor, during a naval
life of ffty-fve years" Let me hasten to
assure you that there Is no cause for NOR
tihcation at this incident. On the con-
trary 1t affords an opportunity of which
the department gladly avais itself to con-
graduate you for a record loyal to the
service Moreover, this record amply justi-
lies the wisdom of the Secretary of the
Navy In assigning to you the grave and
conspicuous duty OF serving upon the
court.
Permit me TO express the hope that your
health will continue to improve so that
in future should less arduous duty be
required of you you may be fully able to
F. W. HAcKErr,
Acting Secretary
Rear Admiral L. A. Kimberly, U. S. N.
Ret.), West Newton. Mass.
Capt. Parker Continues His Search.
Captain Parker, the ex-naval officer who
10 acting as Admiral Schley's assistant
counsel for the purpose Of examining the
official records in connection with the
movements OF Schley's fleet during the
Santiago campaign, continued his work to-
day. 1t is expected that he will complete
his examination before the close of the
department this evening and return home
tomorrow. Captain Parker has been con-
stantiy under the surveillance Of a naval
officer detailed from the bureau of navi-
cation since he began his examination of
the records. AT times the officer detailed
for this service has walked up and down
IKE sentry on guard in front of the
desk at which Captain Parker was work.
ing, and the latter has been so annoyed by
the officers movements that he complain
ed yesterday TO Assistant Secretary Hack
ett. The assistant secretary suggested to
the bureau OF navigation that the officer
detailed TO watch Captain Parker should
refrain from pacing the floor to the lat
yer annoyance A separate table was also
provided for Captain Parker who has here
tofore been using the large desk i'm the
office of Secretary Long.
Lieut.. Ward Summoned
Lieut. III. H. Ward, who compiled the
official dispatches and records published
by the Navy Department in relation to the
Santiago campaign, summoned to
Washington day or two ago to assist in
the preparation Of the case, which is be-
ing prepared by the judge advocate general
for presentation to the court of inquiry.
Lieutenant Ward was one of Admiral
Crowninshield's principal assistants in the
bureau of navigation during the Spanish
war, and for two years after its conclu-
sion. As the official compiler of the rec
ords in question he probably knows more
about them than any officer in the depart
ment Recently he has been on duty at
the Newport torpedo station. Since he
summoned fay
mas occasionally relieved Lieutenant
Barnes in the duty of watching Captain
Parker and seeing that the records are
not tampered with The department makes
no secret OF its purpose in keeping up the
espionage over Captain Parker Precau-
tohs taken in the present case have at
uacted much attention and occasioned
gossip about the department. Assistant
secretary Hackett, however, treats the
Whoic matter as trivial, saying in effect
that Captain Parker is being shown every
possible courtesy, and that only the usual
precautions are being taken in the mat
ter.