Evening star., 1901-09-10
TO AID JUDGE ADVOCATE
e. r. HANNA, SOLICITOR OF THE
NAVY DEPARTMENT, DESIGNATED.
VIII Participate I'm the Schley Court
of InQuiry-Commander Sharp
Sees Captain Lemly.

At the special request of Captain Lemly,
Judge advocate of the SchIey court of in
quiry, Mr.. Edwin p. Hanna, solicitor OF the
Navy Department, has been detailed TO
assist him in the conduct Of the case OF
the government in that investigation. Cap
tain Lemly has been perfectly willing all
along to discharge the duties OF judge aovo-
cate unaIded but some OF the other ON
cials Of the Navy Department. including
Acting Secretary Hackett, have taken the
ground in view OF the formidable array of
counsel retained In the interests OF Admirai
Schley. that IL was advisable that he
should have good legal assistance. The
original plan was to have one OF the as
sistant attorneys general detailed to that
duty, but Attorney General Knox opposed
that course on the ground that It might
give the impression that the government
was prosecuting an officer who had sim
ply asked that his official conduct pe IN
vestigated. The naval officials accordingly
abandoned the plan of asking for OUTSIDE
assistance and on the recommendation Oh
Captain Lemly assigned Mr.. Hanna as his
assistant
Mr.. Hanna combines the qualities Of q
good civil lawyer with a knowledge OF
maritime and naval law so comprehensive
as to make him better fitted than any one
in the employ Of the government to under-
take a task of the magnitude OF TINS now
placed upon him. He is an alumnus OF
Michigan University, Ann Arbor, Mich, and
has spent the best part of his life IN the
service of the government. he came 10
Washington young man ana was pfiFate
secretary in turn to Secretaries Teller and
Lamar of the Interior Department he
studied law in Washington and took his
degree from Columbian University, pelng
the honor man Of the class of 1888. After
graduation he went to Kansas and spent
some time there in the practice OF civil
law. He returned to Washington about
ten years ago and became attached TO the
office of the judge advocate general OF the
navy in the capacity Of law clerk In this
place he became perfectly acquainted with
the peculiarities of naval Jurisprudence,
and to his skill is owing the success which
has attended many. OF the government
with which the Navy Department has en-
barked upon vast contracts attending the
reconstruction Of the navy.
Mr. Hanna has been the principal re-
lance of Captain Lemly, and has always
been called upon to discharge the official
duties of the judge advocate general of
the navy in the absence Of that official.
Particularly Of late has he held that post.
and he was designated by the Secretary Of
the Navy to act as judge advocate general
while Captain Lemly was engaged in the
Schley investigation. Now that Mr. Hanna
has been called upon to associate himself
actively with Captain Lemly in the in
quiry, the duties of judge advocate gen.
eral have been transferred, by special
designation, to Mr.. Pickens Nagle, the
present chief clerk of the judge advocate
generals office.
Commander Sharp at the Department.
Lieut.. Commander Alex. Sharp, who was
In command of the Vixen during the West
Indian campaign, and whose notes on the
battle of Santiago bay have been said to
conflict with those of Lieut.. Harlow, was
at the Navy Department this morning, and
spent some time in conference with Judge
Advocate General Lemly.
Ensign George b. Rice. who was in
charge of the Brooklyn's after-turret dur
ing the battle Of Santiago, was with Ad-
miral Schley's counsel during the day, and
went over the line of testimony he will
present before the court.
Commander George w. Baird has pre-
sented to Admiral Dewey. as president Of
the court of inquiry, handsome gavel
made from a piece of teakwood taken
from the captured Spanish cruiser Reina
the gift with thanks. 1t will be used dur
ing the sessions of the court.
Captain Francis A. Cook. who command
ed Admiral Schley's flagship, the Brook
lyn, during the Santiago campaign, and
Lieutenant Commander James H. Sears
were in close consultation with Admiral
Schleys counsel yesterday. 1t is under
stood that Captain Cook will be the first
witness to take the stand for Admiral
Schley.
Ensign Rice this afternoon will be exam
ined by Mr.. Rayner and Captain Parker Of
counsel for Admiral Schley. Ensign Rice
was summoned here from Manila: arrived
in San Francisco a week ago and at once
started across the country. He Is one Of
the witnesses called upon the suggestion Of
Admiral Schley's counsel.
Mr.. Jere Wilson went to New York last
evening and will return tonight