Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1901-11-09
FOR SCALEY.
Court and Audience Profoundly
Touched by RaymeT's E|oqusncs

At the Close for Half a Minute There
Was Profound Silence, Then the
Tension Was Relaxed and Found
Vent in TumuIt Of Applause
SchIey and Many Others Moved to
Tears-Crowd Surges Round the
Admiral and His Counsel to Offer
Congratulations, but Respectfully
Give Place to Admiral Dewey and
His Colleagues Who Step Forward
to Offer Theirs-The Verdict - Pos.
terity Will Be SchIey's.
Washington, Nov Tile climax of
the Schlcy court of inquiry came yes er-
day afternoon when Mr.. Rayner. chief
cours / for Admiral Schley, conclud da
bril- ans argument of three hours with
a pcroratiOn so eloquent "Hd impr s.
stoned that all within the sound of his
voice were profoundly touched.
This remarkable trial. he said. sought
to condemn the man who had brought TO
a succt ssful termination as great Il
naval triumph as was ever won. In
| vivid colors he painted the picture of the
Brooklyn with Commodore Schley On
the bridge lighting the entire Spanish
fleet until the Oregon apl cared out Of
the smoke.
The thundcrS of llr Brooklyn music
for the ears of his cOuntrynien, he said,
aroused Admiral Schley's envious foes.
lie pictured the victorious sailor suf-
fcrng aS few have suffered for three
i NJ years. while the fires of pcrsccu-
tion lcapcd around him. and now.
awaiting the hour of his Wind cation in
the verdict of the court
And when ii comes" he concluded,
"hc can. from tie high and exalted po.
stion that he occupies. look down r"cn
his traducc and maligners and Nth
cXutant pride OK, lain: Il care no. for
the vcnomors gossip of clubs, draw.
ing rooms and cliuues ana the pois, ned
shafts of envy and of malice Iawait
under the guidance of divine providence
the verdict of poStcrity'
The scene in the court room as he fin.
| iShrd with these words was thrilling.
| The attendance had been large all day.
AS Mr.. Rnyncr began his eulogy of Adj
mirnl Schlry those in the audience.
many of whom were ladies' leaned for
ward in their seats. The spell of his or
atory was over them. and when he d.
Scribcl the admirars gallant deeds and
long pcls cutiOn to which he had b Ell
subjected many of them broke down
ard wept The members Of the court
displayed evidences of emotion ard Ad-
mirAl Schley himself was plainly moved.
He sat. leaning back, with his hanls be-
hind his head. His chin twitched and as
his counsel said he could afford to wait
the verdict of poStrrity. two big tears
rolled down his checks. He moved I'M
easily to conceal his emotion and. under
the preicnsr OF adjusting his glass $.
! brushed the tears aside. For fully 30
seconds after Mr.. Rayner Il ,S,d TN re
was not sound. Then III" tension
broke in a loud burst of applause
Admiral Dewey. after about half a
minute, arose to remind the spectators
that such Il demonstration was out of
pace. a moment afterward the court
adjourned, the judge advocate pleading
that he could not well go ON.
Then another remarkable thing h"p-
pcnpd. AS soon as the gavrl II Il ecE-
tire audience surgcd forward to shake
tie hands of Admiral Schlry and Mr.
Rayner. But the on-cOming SD n .orS
fell back Il moment as they saw Admiral
Dewey and his two associates move
around tn, table as if by common i'm
pulse and congratulate Admiral Schley
and his counsel. Judge AdvOcu'e .em'y
also came forward to join in the con-
gratnalionS. Then the pubic had its
inning and for IL minutes after the court
adjourned Admiral Schlry ard NJ.
RHynCr were kept busy shaking hards
Mr.. Rayncr's argument consumed thu
wlItle day of the court except for half
an hour nt the opening. which Captain
Parker. his associate counsel, occupied
in concluding.
Mr.. RHynrr took up the specifications
one by on. rcScrving those relating to
the retrOgrade movement until the last.
So far as he was able to do 50 he used
the testimony of the departments wi
ncSScS to prove his contentious With
regard to the retrograde movement.
which he discussed with yr, at,r s.
cations, he adduced in iustticati nm
only all Admiral Schlcy's II aSonS for O.
lieving the Spanish fleet was rot in SAN
lago, but he argued that every officer
charged with the responsibility of COM
mand necessarily must be clothed with
discretion in carrying out instructions.
lie displayed good temper in advcrtirg
IL, no tns OF nf of Ia,
especially the ranking officers VIII,
seemed to contradict his client. Civ
ing them in each case credit for honesty
of purpose. But, with few, he deaf
unsparngly. Wood Potts and Bristol
he held up to ridicule.
Mr. Rayner referred sarcastically t.
the testimony of Lieutenant Bristol. say
ing among otherthingS. Ills vision was
Il divine inspiration. ScAtants ard
StadimetreS, compass bearings. govern.
mcnt measurements and photographic
plates. We're all dim and obscure in com
par;son with the miraculous power of
his unadcd vision which lii up and H.
Illuminated the entire harborS of Ci niue
gos and Santiago with the unrrrng pre-
cSon of the morning sunbeams. Gov
rrnmcnt experts with mathematical ar-
rurary had measured the he ghts Of
MORO castle and Socapa bait, ry. hut
down they went 100 I, ct when they en-
countercd Bristors miraculous eye"
Mr.. Rayner, in discussing the specif-
cation which dealt with the loop of the
Brooklyn on July 3. ard the pc $ ihilty
of colliding with the Texas. sad he
stood upon the testimony of Captain
Cook. who had the best opportunity to
give all the information about the loop.
What might have happened had the
Brooklyn turned to port was purely
matter of conjecture. The turn in the
Neglect Of Wife Felony.