Evening star., 1901-11-06

1 MAJ OF II, tNS cOmmOUOre was entitleu 10
| have that denial published. And then when
Hodgson wanted the commodore to publish
his letters to extricate him from his difficult
| ty the commodore knew that he had never
had that conversation and at that time the
present court of inquiry had been ordered
and it would not have been right for the
commodore to have published those papers.
Mr.. Rayner went on to say:
'The trouble about all this is that the
New York Sun was taken too seriously.
| Never quarrel with a newspaper unless you
own one Yourself Never interfere with the
liberty Of the press. 1t will be ali right
| when you die. They will all be with you
then. Seven cities claimed great Homer
dead through which the living Homer beg
ged his bread I am the friend of the
American press. and if 1 had had the op-
portunity of consulting with Mr. Hodgson
| l would have said to him. BE little care
ful how you converse with an enterprising
| newspaper reporter and be extremely care
| ful not to qualify any statement he may
! charge You with having made, no matter
| how innocent you may be- 1t was a case
| OF confding innocence upon the one side
| and business enterprise upon the other
| There are hundred idle charges that you
| could bring against Admiral Schley or any
| one else If You raaSack and pillage our ca
| reers. Upon this specification 1 desire to
| say that the whole controversy had passed
| into history long before the specification
| was framed; that both of the parties to it
| were satisfied; that the honor of the navy
| Is not in the slightest degree involved and
| the unblemished honor of Admiral Schey
| not sullied in single place, but standing
out here. as it is upon every other occa-
| sion, in bold relief upon a high and isolated
| spot where he can look down with absolute
disdain upon the petty clamor that is surg
| ing in vain against the reputation he has
made"
Mr.. Potts Testimony.
| The first specification was taken up next
| by Mr.. Rayner. II come now" he said
ito Mr. Wood and Mr.. Potts: Potts and
Wood and Wood and Potts" Uaughter)
He said the question had been asked re-
garding the bearing of Admiral Schiey of
many witnesses. He did not know why
| this question had been asked, but 1t had
been. The question had been asked Of Ad-
miral Higginson, he said, and was an
sWered not to the satisfaction of the judge
advocate, who asked it. He read this ques-
! ton. which said: Describe definitely his
address and manner at this time," and the
answer had been: His manner was that
! of the commander-in- chief" ''This did not
suit remarked Mr.. Rayner
When Potts was on the Massachusetts"
he continued. 'let us see what he said
about it, and also Mr.. Wood"
He referred to the testimony of Mr. Wood
and read: He impressed me being very
nervous. He would get up and walk around
and then come back and sit down" The
way in which Mr.. Rayner emphasized these
words caused more laughter. Continuing,
he said
1T was noble thing to get up and walk
around and come back and sit down in this
way. But now let me read you what Mr..
Potts said (reading): His bearing was that
| of man who was suffering under extreme
mental excitement; of one who had dis
agreeable duty to perform and performed
it reluctantly, and tried to get through
with 1t as quickly as he could" " Mr.. Ray
ner continued:
Il think 1 would strike that out of the
record 1t ought not to go in. But Potts.
too, has gone down into history
re hoH hfv,,on rr-sfh
renown. His name will echo through the
ages of undying fame. When Manila shall
be forgotten and Santiago will be buried
| in oblivion, the name of Potts shall live
Upon the plains of Bosworth field Richard
proclaimed that Shadows tonight have
struck more terror to the soul of Richard
! than could the substance of ten thousand
soldiers armed in proof and led by shallow
Richmond The shadow of Potts has
struck more terror to the souls of admirals
and commodores and captains than could
the substance of ten thousand sailors.
Whenever an admiral or a commodore or
captain is engaged in the carnage of mortal
conflict, beware of Potts. Beware of your
looks. Be careful how you walk. Be care
full how you sit down. Be reserved and ret
icent In your speech. Model your entire
course and conduct of action according to
Potts. that precocious child Of the kinder
garten, who confesses that he was always
scared when he was in battle, but who, un-
fortunately, was never engaged in any bat
tie sufficient enough even to arouse his
timidity."
Judge Advocate Indignant.
At this juncture the judge advocate
jumped to his feet, his face flushed with
excitement and he declared vehement!y:
Il think that counsel ought to be inter
rupted if he does not abide by the facts.
Mr.. Potts has never said that he was al
! ways scared in battle. He is an officer of
ability and high standing, and his reputa-
ton ought not to be attacked in this way"
Mr. Rayner: But he.did say it,
| Continuing. the Judge advocate said there
| was difference in the way evidence could
| be stated, little changes making 1t entirely
| different. "and 1 say that this is not the
| only occasion that counsel has done this in
| his argument continued the judge advo-
| cate. He has misstated evidence here to-
| day. and I think he should be compelled to
abide by the facts and not reduce the repu-
| tation of an officer"
Mr. Rayner: And you have no right to
reduce the reputation Of Admiral Schiey."
He then produced the evidence in which
! asked the judge advocate if that suited
him. The judge advocate replied hotly:
mo, it does not
Continuing. he said that he was present
| it was his duty and he had been ordered to
come, and he charged Mr.. Rayner as being
utterly unreliable in his statement of facts.
Mr.. Rayner:: You are not only unre-
Mr.. Rayner, continuing, said that he ap-
preciated fully the position of the judge
advocate in this trial, and he could not
have spoken in kinder terms Of him than
he had done in connection with his conduct
Of the case He said the judge advocate
had held the position well and faithfully,
Admiral Dewey here interrupted and re-
| marked: THE court, of course. will read
all the testimony that has been given We
are not guided by what counsel is saying,
but by the testimony here. We know that
Lieut.. Potts said that he was scared, and
also that counsel did enlarge little bit
upon it."
The judge advocate-"I am sorry that 1
made the remark. I only wanted to call
attention to the manner in which counsel
| was presenting evidence.
Mr.. Rayner was then allowed to continue
his argument.
The Fifth Specification.
He had come now, he said. to the last two
specifications to be considered These were
the fifth and the fourth. He would take
up the fifth first, the one regarding dis
obedience of orders He asserted that there
was no disobedience Of orders on the part
of Admiral Schley, and that, under any