Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 February 1902 — SCHLEY APPEAL PUBLIC. [ARTICLE]

SCHLEY APPEAL PUBLIC.

Many Points of Importance in Petition to the President. Rear Admiral Schley’s appeal to the President from the findings of the naval court of inquiry has been made public by the Secretary of the Navy. It is a voluminous document, covering sixty printed pages and containing about 30,000 words. The petition itself occupies the first eight pages of the pamphlet. To it are attached exhibits A and B, containing the argument of counsel in support of the appeal nnd a resume of the testimony, also exhibit C, which is a reprint of the bill of exceptions filed with tlie Secretary of Navy Dec. 18. Tlie appeal was turmal over to Secretary Long by tlie President, with instructions that the Navy Department review it and return it to the President with a “comment,” giving the views of the department in tlie premises. Stated briefly, Admiral Schley's,appeal to the President asks that the dissenting opinion of Admiral Dewey be approved, and that the opinion of the majority of the court, wherein it differs from the dissenting opinion, be set aside and annulled. Three general grounds are then set forth in tlie appeal, as follows: 1. That the court erred in the opinion expressed by the majority, the one of ignoring the question of command at the battle of Santiago and for the title of the credit of the ensuing victory. 2. That the court erred in its majority finding, in failure to report on the qties» tion raised on the eighth specification of the precept —“the necessity for. if any, and the advisability of withdrawing the flying squadron at night from the entrance to Santiago harbor,” etc. 3. That the court erred in this majority finding in not agreeing with the presiding officer of the court (Admiral Dewey) in all the views expressed by him in his dissenting opinion.