The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-15
SCHLEY is INDICATED
SO SAYS MIR. HRYAN IN FORCEFUI
MANNER
Adrlfral Belknap Joins With DEM
ocratic Leader in Commencing
Dewey-EObson Is Nom
CommittaI.
Special to The Globe.

/ Special to The Globe.
CHICAGO, Dec 14.-"Admiral Schley
has been vindieated This is the sum
of the opinion of the finding of the naval
court of inquiry expressed by William
Jennings Bryan, who arrived in the city
today. Mr.. Bryan said:
Admiral Schley was not a coward
The entire court is agreed and explicit
on that point: Admiral Schley is the
hero of Santiago. That fact is estab-
lished by the emphatic utterance of Ad-
mral Dewey, the more important mem
ber of the court The other matters in
the precept passed on by the court are
matters of opinion. No one was as COM
petent to judge what should be done and
how at the time of acting as he who was
there. They are purely matters of opin-
ion. All that Admiral Schley's friends
have claimed has been allowed-that he
is brave man that he won the battle
of Santiago. For himself, he has made
no claims His friends have right to
be pleased" Mr.. Bryan would not say
anything on the subject of a congress
sional inquiry into the Santiago cam
paign. He is here to attend a meeting
Of the trustees of the Illinois college of
Jacksonville.
BOSTON, Dec 14.-Rear Admiral Bel
knap, U. S. N. (retired), who is at head
of the Massachusetts nautical training
school, declined to discuss the finding OF
the court of inquiry in the case of Rear
Admiral Schley at any lengtht when
seen today. He did, however, furnish a
brief statement in writing which follows:
1.-THE pith of the decision in the mat
ter of the Schley court of inquiry is in
Admiral Dewey's finding. AS / recall all
the evidence laid before the court, that
finding is, in my judgment just and
proper
BLOOMINGTON, Ind, Dec, 14.-Naval
Constructor r. P. Hobson, who lectured
here last night in reply to a question re-
garding his opinion of the verdict Of the
Schley court of inquiry, said:
'I ask to be excused. I am sorry that
so worthy an officer and man as Admiral
Sehiey has been thus criticised. 1 am
sure he did his full duty as ne saw it,
for, as / have said, he was a most
worthy officer. / deeply respect not only
Admiral Schley, but each member of the
board who heard the case, but l am in
such a position that canont express my
self as to tbe justification of the court s
finding. 1t is very unfortunate matter
for all concerned
WASHINGTON, Dec. 14.-The secretary
of the navy has before him for review
the report of the court of inquiry in the
Schley case. The question has been rails
ed since the appearance of two reports
in print how far Admiral Dewey, the
president of the court. subscribed to the
opinion expressed in the first report and
in the findings by appending his signature
that signature being required of him ap-
parently by the regulation above alluded
to, regardless Of his individual opinion.
In response to inquiry on this point, the
judge advocate of the navy says:
According to naval practice, Admiral
Dewey, by afixing his signature to the
report of the court of inquiry in the case
of Rear Admiral Schley, expresses full
concurrence in all the findings of fact ana
in all the opinions reached by the court
except those with respect to which he has
in terms signifed dissent in his minority
opinion