Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-01-25
THE PRESIDENT TO DECIDE
Admiral Schley's Appeal Delivered
to Mr.. Roosevelt.
A COMPREHENSIVE DOCUMENT
Admiral's Counsel Have Prepared an Ex-
haustiye Review Of Findings Of the
Naval Court of Inquiry.

Naval Court of Inquiry.
Washing ton. Jan. % President
Roo sevelt was yesterday presented
with the written ppeal of Rear Ads
miral Winfield s. Schley. prepared By
Isidor Ravner, of Maryland The Adj
miral 8 appeal Is an exhaustive review
of the proceedings of the Court OF In
quiry, with an argument in favor of
the admission of certain testi mony
which. it is claimed. did not receive
due weight by the conrt.
The President declined to make
public the nature OF the appeal, and
Admiral Schley would have rendered
himself subject to court-m artial for
violation Of the naval regulations had
he authorized its puollcat' on without
the Presidents sanction. The case
is now full before the President. who
will not take an action upon the APP
peal until he has given the argument
close attention and has referred to At
torney- General Knox the points OF law
involved for decision.
The extent to which the President
will inv astigate the circumstances Of
the Sampson -Schley CONTROVERSY, the
accusations made nv Maclay, and the
nature of the testimony taken by the
court, as we'll as the weight given
1t by the board of which Adml-
raj Dewey was president. will proba-
bly, surprise those who had believed
he would not repor. the case.
1t is stated on excellent authority
that the Praisdent will handle the
case in his characteristic manner, be-
ing uninfuenced by the findings of
the court or the acton of Secretary
Long, and will announce his decision
as a result of his own personal inves-
tigation examination and study OF the
case in every essential particular. In
pursuing this course the President
has informed Secretary Long that no
reflections is intended upon the Navy
Department. and that he viii deal
with the appeal as though the case
had never reached the stage OF court
of inquiry or receivd attention from
any of the executive departments.
While it is known that the Presi
dent is probably inclined toward the
Sampson side of the controversy it is
recognized that in flowing Admiral
Schley to appeal after the Navy De-
partment had disposed of the case he
has shown a desire to act independ
eutly of all past action on this matter
and to settle finally as far as the ex.
ecutive and administrative branches
of the Government are concerned. the
rights and wrongs in the pending con.
troversy.
1t Is claimed that the President is
influenced by no political motives and
has solely in view desire to grant to
Admiral Schlev every right he is en-
titled TO under naval regulations A
decision NAV be delayed in viex of
the enormous amount OF work the
President has before him. He does
not intend to act hastily.
In the argument presented Mr.. Raw
ner amplities that presented to Secre-
tarv Long before final action was
taken on the courts findings, hut III
addition he goes at great length into
citations of law bes ring on certain
features of the testimony. in all at
tempt to prove that the court failed
to give Admiral Schley the benefit of
testimony which he claims was
strongly in his favor The argumnt
lays special stress upon the fact, as
alleged. that Admiral Schleys most
important witnesses gave testimony
which the court clearly failed TO con-
slider, and accepted only the state
rnents of those whose testimony fenn
ed TO combat that of Cook and Clark