The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-11-08
ADMIRAL SCHLEY
NOT A COW ARD
LeInly Admits Personal
Bravery Of the Admiral.
C O.U r T ADJOURNED.
Judge Advocate Concluded His Ar
gument in Case.
RECORD is QUITE LENGTHY.
Tie Court May Require Some Time to Report
its Findings-Judge-Ad e-Advocate Submitted
That sch!ey Disobeyed Orders uhd
Lacked Push and Steadfastness
of Purpose-Now in the
Courts Hands.
RECORD is QUITE Lengthy.
(By Associated Prcss.)

(By Associated PrcsS.)
WASHINGTON. Nov. AFTER sittings
covering forty days, and with a record
which, when completed, will cover about
two thousand pages. the Schley court of
inquiry to-day, at 5:45 P. M, adjourned
it's last public session.
To Captain S. c. Lemly, the judse-ad-
vocate had been assigned the duty of
making the closing argument of the case,
and soon after he had completed his
speech, Admiral Dewey, bringing his
gavel down upon the big fiat table, saltl
There being no further business, the
court is adjourned AS was the case
yesterday when Mr.. Rayner spoke, the
attendance was large. There was only
one session during the day; it began at 2
Q clock and the entire time was devoted
to Captain Lemly's address. He lead his
speech in clear and distinct tones, and
was given careful attention. The speech
in the main was an analysis of the testi-
mony, but. occasionally a conclusion was
drawn and frequently there was criticism
OF the course pursued by Admiral SchIey.
NO COWARD.
"From my knowledge OF the man hay-
ing served under his command on two
cruises, have never believed, nor do I
claim from the -eV:dence,sthat personal
mlsconduct-or to calt.a spade a spade,
cowardice-was exhibited by Commodore
Schley in any part of his career as com
mander-in-chief of the, flying squadron
But submit with regret tnat in the pas
sage from Key West to Cienfuegos, white
at the latter port, en- route TO the south
ward of. Santiago without settled destina-
tion.-tn the rerogfade~ movement, in the
return It hess Santiago and in
the affair of May 31st, the commodore ex-
hibited unsteadiness in purpose and in
push and failure to obey orders The
characterization of this conduct is, how
ever for the court
This statement was made toward The
close of Captain Lemly's remarks.
After adjournment. the members of the
court, Admiral Schley and counsel lin
gereu Tor a time about the hall in which
tney recently spent SO much of their time
ana there were many affectionate words
of farewell spoken. Admiral Schley, as
usual was called upon to receive the
greetings of a number of admirers ANA
a hundred Or more people waited at the
door Of the building to bid him adieu.
...@-a+5sN NO ZF0RMALITY.
Captain Lenly used no fornality in be-
ginning his address, but rising quietly
from his seat opposite the president G:
the tribunal began to read. He said at
the outset that his plan contemplated
first, a response to criticisms of Admiral
Schley's counsel, and then presentation
of the subject in hand on an independent
basis. He requested to be corrected if he
should make any errors of fact
Taking up the case with the testimony
concerning the interview. between Admiral
Sampson and Commodore Schey off Key
West, before the cruise to Cienfuegos. he
said:
Senior counsel has indicated to the
court certain considerations which should
be taken into account in giving relative
weight to the testimony of Captain Chad
wick and the applicant relative to the
subject matter of the conversation be-
tween Admiral Sampson and Commodore
Schley at Key West May 18th. In con-
nection with this, the latter's statements
about this matter. made at other times.
should be regarded, and particularly his
statement to the Senate Committee on
Naval Affairs, and the consideration that
at this time neither Admiral Sampson
nor Commodore Schley nor Captain Chad
wick had any notion the Spanish ships
would go to Santiago
LITTLE. LEFT.
.'I ask the court to apply to the appi-
cant as witness, the well-known rule re-
counsel, that where two witnesses testify
with regard to the same matter and one
of them remembers and the other merely
does not remember the circumstances of
the matter, or let us say the converse
ton, the evidence of him who remembers
must be accepted. this be done, then
there is little left of the evidence given
before this court by the applicant par
ticularly upon his croSS-eXaInina ton.
1T has been intimated by counsel that
had the applicant been otherwise ad
yised by Captain SiSsbce. or had be been
in any way advised by Captain Wise. he
might not have undertaken the retro
grade movement. but both OF these Of
f1cerS testify that when they came up
with tho flying squadron the retrosrade
movement was already being made and
Sigsbee has testified that the questions
principally discussed on board the fas-
ship were not OF the whereabouts of the
Spanish fleet, but the question of.coal-
ing. The dispatch sent on the morning
ofsMay eth confirms this witness. With
a purpose so fixed in the Commodore.s
mind, it il: likely that advice on the part
Sigsbse and Wise to remain at San
tjago would have been construed by
counsel in the same manner as they re-
gardsd Hodssor's caution to Commodore
Schley as to the proximity of the Texas.
In ether words it might now be con-
strued as an unsccmIy protest.
DISOBEDIENCEaO OF ORDERS.
As tc. the question of disobedlence OF
orders" said Captain Lemly, counsel
{ has @prcperly stated that a report that
orders would be 1isobeyed should not
constitute sEch5 disobadience Commodore
ScEley'sS conduct IS being gEscruitinized in
the light of tile facts, and not in the
light of theories, concerning mis- inten-
tons. At Copenhagen Nelson eisobeyed
orders and went for the enemy. but the
applicants disobedience. 1t will be shown.
lay in Inactivity in the prese.ce Of the
enemy.
Captain Lemly said My duties here
have been painful, but necessary. In en-