The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-07-30
TO INVESTIGATE CONDUCT OF ScHLEY
AT BATTLE OF SANTIAGO.
MEMBERS OF COURT APPOINTED
Dewey to Preside. with Two
Retired Rear Admirals Associated
with Him-Court to Meet I'm wash
ington September 12th-Proceedings
Of the Court to be Open and Widest
Latitude Given as to Testimony.
Represent the Government.

Washington, July Z0.-The court ol
inquiry. which is to investigate the
controversial points in connection with
Admiral Schley's conduct during the
Spanish war, will be composed Of Ad-
miral Dewey, president of the court
and Rear Admiral Lewis a. Kimber-
ley and Rear Admiral Andrew E. X
Benham.
The court will meet at the navy de-
partment in Washington September
18th. Secretary Long these
facts today. The judge advocate Of the
court has not yet been selected and the
precept to the court. which is being pre-
pared by Captain Lemly, judge advo-
cate general, has not Yet been complet-
ed. The scope of the inquiry will not
be known until the precept and order
for the converting Of the court are is
sued. 1t is expected that they will be
promulgated by the department tomor-
row.
Secretary Long says, however, that
the proceedings of the court will be
open and that the widest latitude Will
be permitted in the matter of witnesses
and that Rear Admiral Schley will be
allowed to be represented by counsel.
The secretary had nothing to say about
the composition Of the court except
hat he thought it spoke for itself and
to express the hope that the members
chosen would be satisfactory to all
concerned. He pointed out that none
of the officers chosen had. so far as he
knew, expressed an opinion concerning
what is known as the Sampson-Schley
controversy. and it was, therefore, to
be presumed that they would enter
upon their work in an impartial and
unprejudiced spirit.
All day Secretary Long was engross-
ed in the consideration of the details
Of the court, seeking particularly for a
suitable judge advocate. realizing that
upon this officer would devolve the
largest measure of responsibility for
the conduct of the inquiry to a sue
cessful issue. It vas thought that such
a man could be found In the person of
Commander John E. Pillsbury, a sailor
who has the brightest reputation pro-
fessionally and is, moreover, regarded
as of a judicial temperament. In fact
it was announced early in the day at
the department hat he had been Sc
lected for h place; but later, on more
mature consideration, his name was
abandoned. 1t was recalled that as
I'll lLS Il ulSOI
Vesuvius he had served under Samp-
son off Santiago. and. moreover, as
equipment officer of the Boston navy
yard, was now again a subordinate Of
the same admiral. In his desire to es-
cape all criticism On the point of his
bias, Secretary Long felt thai these
were reasons sufficient for looking out
for new material and for some man
who was absolutely d~isassociated from
the great controversy in In phase.
Late this afternoon he believed that he
had found such an officer in the per-
son of Captain Samuel G. Lemly, the
judge advocate general of the navy, a
selection calculated. a of the
rank of the officer, to constitute a full
recognition of the dignity n import
ance of the forthcoming court of inquiry
While it cannot be said that the matter
is absolutely settled. Secretary Long
went SO far as to ask Captain Lemly
if he felt free to accept the assignment
if it were offered to him, and it is be-
lieved that Captain Lemly will decide
to answer afffrmatively.
Captain Lemly would feel hurt to
nave it even intimated that he had any
personal feeling whatever in the
Schley-Sampson controversy. In all the
time he has been at the head of the
legal department of the navy his SER
vice, dating back in 1892, he never has
had occasion to pass upon any question