The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-11-15
LAST PUBLIC SESSION
AFTER SITTING FORTY DAYS
THE COURT OF INQUIRY
ADJOURNS.
FINAL SPEECH BY LEMLY

Judge Advocates Address In the MAR
an Analysis of Testimony-Does Not
Believe That schley Exhibited Cow
ardice, but Regrets That the Com
modore Showed Unsteadness of Pur
pose in the Santiago Campaign.
Washington, Nov. S.-After sittings
covering 40 days and with a record
which when completed will cover
about 1000 pages the Schley court OF
inquiry~at S:45 p. m. adjourned its last
public session. To Captain S. c. Lem.
", the judge advocate, had been as.
signed the duty of making the closing
argument, and soon after he had com
pleted his speech Admiral Dewey,
bringing his gavel down upon the big
fat table, said: There being no fur
Their business the court is adjourned
AS was the case when Mr.. Rayner
spoke the attendance was large. There
was only one session during the day.
1t began at 2 o'clock and the entire
time was devoted to Captain Lemly's
address. He read his speech in clear
and distinct tones and was given care
full attention. The speech in the main
was an analysis of the testimony, but
occasionally conclusion was drawn
and frequently there was criticism of
the course pursued by Admiral (then
COMMODORE Schley. Towards the
close Of his remarks, speaking Of
Commodore Schley's conduct, Captain
Lemly said:
From my knowledge of the man,
having served under his command on
two cruisers, I have never believed,
nor do l claim from the evidence that
personal misconduct-or, to call a
spade a spade, cowardice-was ex-
hibited by Commodore Schley in any
part Of his career as commander-in-
chief Of the flying squadron. But l
submit with regret that in the passage
from Key West to Cienfuegos, while
at the latter port, en- route to the
southwark of Santiago without settled
destination, in the retrograde move
ment. in the return to the vicinity of
Santiago and in the affair of May 81,
the commodore exhibited unsteadiness
IN purpose and in push and in failure
to obey orders"
The Retrograde Movement.
In the course of his address Captain
Lemly rehearsed the details of the re-
trograde movement, as we'll as those
concerning the delivery of dispatches
by the Harvard. He contended that
the dispatch conveying positive infor-
nation that the Spanish fleet was in
the harbor must have been delivered
to Commodore Schley, notwithstand-
ing his denial, because he considered
1t inconceivable, having it, that Cap
tain Cotton should not have commune
Gated its contents to the commodore.
He quoted in full Commodore Schley's
cannot obey orders" dispatch to the
department on May 81 and comment
ed upon it, saying:
Whether the departments instruc-
lions definitely directed, in positive
terms, that the squadron remain off
Santiago, or whether it's desire that
this hould be done was simply indicat-
ed, appears to me, under all the cir
cumstances. to be immaterial. Dis
obedience of orders may be an imper-
alive and glorious duty, but, if it be
not justified by the facts, it cannot be
condoned by terming it an error of
Judgment. This was not an error of
Judgment, 1t was an error of conduct"
He said the step had been under
taken without sufficient or decisive
steps being taken to ascertain whether
the Spanish feet was actually in the
harbor Of Santiago, leaving the mouth
OF the harbor unmatched and Cervera
free to escape, with the possibility of
his making descent upon our coast
the moral, to say nothing of the ma
terial effect of which it is impossible
to overestimate.
Whatever opinion Captain Sigsbee
and Pilot Nunez may have given the
commodore as to the presence of the
Spanish fleet in the harbor of Santi-
ago the commodore was alone respon-
sible for the retrograde movement.
Bombardment of the Colon.
OF the reconnaissance of May
II Captain Lemly said:
1T has been claimed that the OBJ
ject of this affair of May 81 was to
develop the enemy's batteries and that
this was accomplished. There is,
however, great Zeal of doubt, in
ments made by the commodore, both
before and after the action, as to what
was the real object, whether a recon
noissance or an attempt to destroy the
Colon.
"The defense to the failure to 60 in
closer on May 81 by pleading at this
time the cautionary order of April 6
does not appear to be sufficient, even
nj m in&a
Its contents. The order modifies itself
and from first to last clearly indicates
that our fleet was to be kept for the
Spanish ships"
Discussing the Brooklyn's loop Cap
tain Lemly expressed the opinion.
based upon evidence, that in turning
to starboard when all the other Amer.
lean vessels turned to port, the Brook
Ign endangered not only the Texas,
but other vessels as well. 1t was, he
said, clearly established that the Tex
as stopped and that she reversed one
or both of her engines. The RESPONSE.
bility for this move, he argued, rested
entirely upon Commodore Schley, As
to the commodore's alleged remark
Damn the Texas" he did not consider
II very grave matter.
After adjournment the members OF
the court, Admiral Schley and counsel
fingered for time about the hall in
which they recently have spent so
much OF their time and there were
many affectionate words of farewell
spoken. Admiral Schley as usual was
called upon to receive the greetings of
q number of admirers and 100 or more
people waited at the door of the build.
Ing to bid him adieu.
CUT HIS OWN THROAT,