The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-07-26
LONG NAMES THE
COURT OF INQUIRY
Admirals Dewey, Kimberly
and Benham Chosen.
THEY WILL MEET IN
WASHINGTON SEPT. u
Captain Lemley is Selected as
Judge Advocate General.

| Washington, July 25.-The board of in
| quiry which is to investigate the con
| troversiaI points IN connection with Ad-
| rniral Schley's conduct during the Spanish
| war, viii be composed Of Admiral
| Dewey. president Of the court and Rear
| Admirals Lewis A. Kimberley and An
| drew z. X. Beuham- The court viii meet
| al the navy department in Washington.
| Sept. u.
Secretary Long announced these facts
| today The preCept to the court which
| is being prepared by Captain Lemley. tho
| judge advocate general, has not vet oeel
! completed. The scope of the inquiry viii
| not he known until the preCept and order
for the converting Of the court are is
| sued It is expected that hey viii be-
! promulgated by the department tOmOr-
| Secretary Long saws. however. that the
| proceedings of the court viii be open and
! that the widest latitude VIII be per
/ mitted IN the matter OF witnesses, and
that Rear Admiral Sch1ey viii be al
| lowed to be represented 10y counsel
| The secretary had nothing 20 say about
! the composition Of the court except that
/ he thought 1t spoke for itself and TO eX-
| press 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 ne knew. eN-
/ pressed an opinion concerning what is
| known as the SampsOn-SChley cOntrO-
/ versy and ii was therefore 10 be pre-
| sumed that they would enter upon their
work in impartial and unprecedented
The members Of the court are distinct
| lively fighting men. Each has been con-
nected with a celebrated event in naval
| annals. Of Admiral Dewey. the hero OF
| the battle of Manila bay. it is unneCes-
| Sary to speak His record IS familiar to
| all. His associates. Rear Admiral kim
/ berley and Rear Admiral Benham, are
| both retired officers.
Have Brilliant Records.
The former was retired i'm 1892 and the
| latter in 1894. Admiral Kimberly Is u
years of age and Admiral Benham So.
Each saw about fOTty-five years of act
| i've service Both had fine records dur
ing the civil war The great event with
which Admiral Kimberly's name IS as
SOCiated is the destruction Of the Ameri-
can fleet in the harbor Of Apia. Samoa,
during the terrific hurricane which Oc-
CURED there in 1889 Admiral Kimberly
had been sent to Samoa at the head OF
an American squadron during the trying
period OF our negotiations with SIe5 many
there and had conducted himself before
the storm with marked dignity ana
ability When the hurricane occurred
his entire squadron was wrecked. The
Vandalia and Trenton were completely
destroyed and the Nypsic was cast
ashore. The story of that great disaster
and the lherOism displayed by the AMER
can officers and men under the direction
of Admiral Kimberly thrilled the whole
world and made an impression never TO
be forgotten.
part at Rio Janeiro, during the great ma
val revolution in 1884 the particulars OF
which were recOunIed IN these dis
patches a few days ago
All day Secretary Long was engrossed
in the consideration of the officials OF the
court, seeking particularly for a suitable
judge advocate 1t was thought that
such a man had been found in the per
son of Commander John r. PiHSbury. a
sailor who has the brightest reputation
professionally and is moreover regarded
as of d judicial temperament In fact.
it was announced early in the day, at
the department, that he had been Sc
Iected for the place.
But later on more mature cons10eTa-
ton, his name was abandoned It was
recalled that as commander OF the dyna-
mite cruiser VeSuVluS. ne had served
under Sampson off Santiago, and more
over, as equipment officer of the Boston
navy yard, was now again a. SubOrdinat7
of the same admiral In his desire to
escape all criticism on the point of bias.
Secretary Long felt that there were rea-
sons sufficient for looking for new ma
terial and for some man who was aDSO-
lutely disassOciated from the great con-
trOVeTSy in any phase
Late tonight he decided that he had
found such an officer. In the person of
Captain Samuel c. Lemley. the Judge
advoca te general of the navy. a selec-
ton calculated, because OF the rank OF
the officer to constitute full recognition
of the dignity and Importance OF the
forthcoming court Of inquiry. While It
sOlutely settled. Secretary Long went 50
far as To ask CAPTAIN I.emlev if he felt
free to accept the assignment II il was
offered to him. and it is believed that
Captain Lemley viii decide to answer
affirmativeiy.
Captain Lemley would feel hurt to have
il even intimated that he had any per
s0nal feeling whatever in the Schley-
Sampson matter In All the time ne mas
been at the head Of the legal department
of the navy his service dating back to
1892. he never has had occasion to pass
uDon anv question that involved either
Sampson OF Schley in any personal as
pect- He has known both men, Schley
better than Sampson perhaps. He was
one of Schleys personal friends when ne
(Lemiey) was IN active line service. He
Greedy relief expedition and he rendered
valuable services to him on that coca
sion. which service the senior officer
recognized
Friend Of Sampson, Too.
On the other hand Captain Lemley
navy department when the admiral was
at the head Of the ordnance bureau and
they thus were thrown into close con-
tact in a business point of view for sew
eTaI years Captain LeEnley was judge
advocate Of the jeanette court OF in
The precept to the court probably viii
be issued tomorrow. 1t promises to be
rather extended statement OF the scope
Of the inquiry compared with such dOcu-
ments in less important cases 1t viii
define the scope of the inquiry. bUU
turn an opinion or simply to ascertain
the facts, Secretary Long thus far de-
clines to state. The precept viii contain
the detail Of officers, who cannot be
said to be officially appointed until 1t Is
Rear Admiral Schley was not formally
notified today by the department Of the
officers who will decide his case. but
he precept viii be sent to him and IL
will constitute his Official notification. Mr..
Long did not formally notify the off
GERS who have been chosen to constitute
the court of their selection and he was
disappointed 10 learn from the AssO-
ciated Press dispatches that Rear Ad-
miral Kimberly would ask 20 be relieved
from the detail on account Of III health
He said that Admiral Dewey with whom
be had consulted. had expressed the
opinion thar Admiral Kimberly health
would permit him to discharge the du-
les which he viii be required 20 perform.
Should ne decline. the secretary viii
Get one of the other retired adimrals to
AXE his place Rear Admirals Luce
Ramsay. Jouett. Gherardi and Walker
ire some of the names that have been
advanced for considera ton.
MOVE AnATrSn MAcTAY