The Washington times., 1901-11-04
ARGUMENT SOON TO BEGIN
Taking of Testimony at the Court
of Enquiry Nearly Over.
Admiral Dewey and His Colleagues
to Consider the Evidence Mt Secret
Srssions-Incidcuts of tie Hear
inE-Wnny women in Attendance.

SrSSiOns-lncidcUts Oi tit bfhT-
ing-Wnny women in Attendance
The Court Of Enquiry has been pracd-
cally clnsod-"alI except the shouting, as
some one in the court room said with ref
eronce to the final arguments. When the
legal representatives Of Admiral Schley
and the Navy Department have finished
telling Admiral Dewey and his two assoc
ciates what they regard as proved, pro
and con. the Court viii begin its secret
sessions 90 review the testimony and pre-
pare the report of its finding and opinions.
The Court has rented rooms for this
purpose in the John Il. Mclean Building,
near Lafayette Square. Admiral Dewey
indicated Saturday when he left the White
House after paying mis- respects TO Prcsi-
dent Roosevelt, that the Court would eX
press its opinion fully on every point in
the precept, because he thought the coun-
try was entitled to know what the reasons
for these opinions We're. 1t IS therefore
unlikely that the Court viii make report
until several weeks after its secret meet
ings begin.
In the period OF more than six weeks
that the Court has been holding regular
sessions. some interesting things have
happened, which, for one reason or an
other. have not found their way into the
news reports Of the Enquiry. Naturally
case of such remarkable character must
have been marked by many incidents that
threw sidelights on the proceedings and
We're appreciated by those in attentanca.
one OF the most striking things about
the Courts sessions was tie preponder-
ance of women spectators. They Outnum-
bered the men five to one, and this Is
very conservative estimate Most Of the
We men were regular attendants. They
came every day that the Court sat ana
showed keen interest in the procee linss.
Are you for Sampson or Schley2'' was
the way they put it when they met in the
court room for to most Of them the En-
quiry was merely to determine whether
one or the other of these officers deserved
the credit for the victory over Ceryera' 5
fleet.
But there were other women who came
daily-some Of them wives of naval Of
fcers and some whose interest did not
arise from any connection with the ser
vice-vno were familiar with the main
points, and could discuss intelligeutly the
issues that had been brought up before
the Enquiry began, and those that de-
veloped out OF the evidence.
one Of the interesting things was the
hour-from l until o'clock in the after
noon. In the first few days they found
that the eating places near the Navy
Yard were not satisfactory. Then they
began to bring lunches with them. and
for an hour every day the Court was in
session tn big court room had the ap-
pearanoe Of a Sunday school hall with q
church sociable going on. And while they
ate they talked about Sampson and
Schley, and the Schley Enquiry general
ly, discussing intricate legal points, and
the effect of the evidence in a most know
ing way.
The opinions Of the ladies' on the per
sonal appearance and characteristics Of
persons connected with the euGuiry-par-
ticularly Judge Advocate Lemly. his as
sistant. Mr. Hanna, Admiral Schley and
his counsel, Mr.. Rayner and Captain Par
ker-usually correspond to their views
to the propriety or impropriety Of Ad-
miral Schley's conduct in the West Indian
naval campaign.
But there never was any dispute among
them over the appearance and the man
ner and bearing Ito quote phrase used
frequently in the proceedingsl-of An
miral Dewey EIis es.-@i--.-7rryss ana cOur-
tesy won him the admiration Of the wo-
to see the Court in session. His pleasant
ways and his informal, yet direct manner
of tTanSaCtug business, did much to re-
iieye the tedium Of the proceedings Many
an officer called as a witness went out
Of the court room with his face wreathed
in smiles over some kindly personal re-
mark Of the President of the Court
When an officer had finished giving his
testimony he either bowed or sallted be
fore Tetir ny. Admiral Dewey and his col
leagues always bowed in return. and Ad-
miraI Dewey usually added suaycly, good
day" Occasionally to some officer whose
family ne knew, he would give a polite
message. Remember me 10 Mrs. Brown
or it might be Mrs. Joues. he would
say and the officer would look as pleased
as he did on the day he received his first
commission.
Little groups Of people waited at the
navy yard gates every morning to see
the members of the Court ana Admiral
Schlcy arrive. Admiral Dewey usually
came In a phactOn, which he drove him
self. He brought his luncheon in a little
wicker basket. Admiral Schley came and
went in the street cars. He always had
to shake hands with people who met him
a he w 'ked from the car to the court
room. Katie, the bu2nboat woman, who
has been selling dainties to the blue
Jackets al marines at the yard since
civil war days. grabbed him by the hand
one day. Three cheers for the Red,
White and Blue" she cried amid uproIr-
ious laughter from the marines at the
navy yard entrance.
Most of the women who came to the
Court wanted to shake hands with Ad-
miral Schlcy II they were timid about
approaching the admiral always relieved
their embarrassment and soon st them
at their ease. His reputation for gal
lautry and his fOndncss for aphOTism
were illustrated at these times. When
the Court took a recess for luncheon or
To consider some law point raised by the
attorneys Admiral Schley would 60
among shr audience and hold "a lcyee.
a pretty girl crasped his hand on one Of
these occasions, a--d said earn tStly-
Admiral, am so gtad to see you. m
from Maryland. too "Ah. my dear
young lady" was the response, let us
not forget that we are all Americans.
Il was only the other day that Admiral
Schicys gallantry tOTard the tai- sex
was again illustrated. Two girls finally
mustered up courage enough 20 ap-
preach him. one introduced herself ana
then prosecuted her companion as Miss
Sweet" ~ hat rs the name asked the
admiral Sweet said the biushinG
girl "Oh, how appropriate said the
commands of the Flying Squadron.
There was very little amusement afford
ed the spectators during the taking OF
testImon,-. Mr. RayucT won most Of the
laughter by his iruuical remarks in the
arguments that occurred frequently.
Captain Lcmly, short fat. and wearing
whislers and eyeglasses. has been a
popular subject for the cartoonists, and
nobody has enjoyed the sk' trh5s more
than h.
.-roNr1 1TnunrOc