The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1901-12-27
SECRETARY LONG APPROVES
VERDICT OF SCHLEY COURT.
lie Dismisses the Subject and Hopes
the Matter Will BE Dropped-Does
Not Listen to Sampson of SchIey
AttorneYs-Rayner Is Quite Indig-
nnnt.

Washington, Dec. 22.-Secretary Long
has disposed finally of the Sehley case,
so far as the navy department ic con-
cerned, by acting upon the findings and
conclusions of the court of inquiry. He
approves the findings of fact and the
opinion of the full court; he approves
the majority opinion where there is
difference in the court he holds that the
court could not have entered into consid-
Grafton of who commanded at Santiago,
and finally he accepted the recommended
ton that no further proceedings be had.
The secretary also has declined the APP
plication of Admiral Simpsons counsel to
enter upon an inquiry into the question
of command and has notified Admiral
Schley's counsel of shat fact as a reason
for declining to hear them on that point.
Secretary Longs approval of the ma
jority report was as follows:
"The department has read the testi-
mony in this case, the arguments of
counsel at the trial the courts findings
of fact, opinion and recommendation; the
individual memorandum of the presiding
member, the statement of exceptions TO
the said findings and opinion by the APP
plicant; the reply to said statement by
the Judge advocate of the court and his
assistant, and the brief this day sub
mitted by counsel for Rear Admiral
Sampson taversng the presiding mem
bers view as to who was in command
at the battle of Santiago And after care
full consideration the findings of fact and
the opinion of the full court are approved.
AS to the points on which the pre-
siding officer differs from the majority
of the court the opinion of the majority
is approved.
las TO the further expressions if his
views by the same member with regard
to the questions of command on the morn
ing of July 3, 1898, and of the title to
credit for the ensuing victory, the con-
duct of the court in making no finding
and rendering no opinion on those ques-
tons is approved; indeed it could with
propriety take no other course, evidence
ON these questions during the inquiry
having been excluded by the court.
"The department approves the recom-
mendation of the court that no further
proceedings be had in the premises
"The department records its apprecia-
ton of the arduous labors of the whole
court. JOHN ID. LONG,
Secretary of the Navy"
Letters to the AdmiraIs.
The text of the secretary's letter To
Admiral SIMPSONS attorneys and to Adj
miral Schley follows
Navy Department, Washington, Dec.
p, l90l.-Gentemen: In view of the
departments approval this day of the
recommendation of the court of inquiry
in the case of Admiral Schley, that no
further proceedings be had, and of the
TACT that the question of command was
excluded from consideration by the court,
he department will take no action upon
the brief filed by you in behalf of Rear
Admiral William T. Sampson Very re-
specially, JOHN d. LONG, Secretary.
"SIessrs. Stayton Theall, Johnston
Building, New York"
Attorney Rayner Is Indignant
Baltimore, Md, Dec. 2l.-Isador RAY
ner, attorney general of Maryland and
counsel for Admiral Schley, when shown
the decision if Secretary Long today, de-
clared that "the whole proceeding is arbi
trarv End tyrannical" He manifested the
e.eatest surprise and Indignation.