New-York tribune., 1897-01-31
OFFICER AND EDITOR AT ODDS.
LIEUTENh Mt COMMANDER KELLEY OBJ
JECTs TO COLONEL CHURCH'S PuBLicA-
TION OF CRITICISMS OF
MAGAZINE ARTICLE.

MAGAZINE ARTICLE
Between Colonel W. c. Church. the Editor OF
THE Army and Navy Journal and i-ieu'enan'-
Commander James Douglass Jcrrold Kelley execu-
tive officer Of the batte-ship Texas variance mas
arisen that may find vent in the law courts were
II not for the serious stand taken oy l'eu,eha"'-
Commander Kelley. many people would ma some
amusing factors in the circumstances thai nave ied
the well-known Naval officer to threaten the equal
" wcll-known journalist with suit Tor noei' ana
to bring him up for discipline before the BOARD OF
Directors of the Players club. OF which both men
members.
Lieutenant Commander Kelley Is frequent con-
ributor 10 the magazines. and has recently written
several articles upon Naval subjects. These articles
have Invariably been followed by humorous criti-
cisms in THE Army and Navy journal by wrlt-
er said to be Naval officer, signing hiTnseh J.
AID Catesby Shelbak." 1t Is however not so
much 10 tAe actual criticisms that Commander
Kelley objects as to the language In which Shell
bak's effusions are couched. Mr.. Kelley asserts
that 1t is both c'lrrilous and hbellous Sheipaks
diction In truth almost outJoshes Josh Biiiings
himself Colonel Church. on the other hand re-
fuses TO see anything more in the criticisms tnan
A little quiet fun at Mr.. Kelley's expense. and Is
apparently inclined to look upon the latters
threats merely an attempt at facetous counter
ing.
few weeks ago Mr.. Kelley wrote an article Tor
"Harper's Weekly" describing the pinishments
that were at one tine inflicted upon sailors In the
Navy. Illustrations of men in double irons. being
Eeel-hauled and 'spread-eagled accompanied the
contribution T. Ap Catesby Shelbak professed to
find personal application in the article and, In his
uitra-phonetic style, protested against the printing
of his '.pctur' Shebak wrote:
Eddter army & navy gurnle, fanny l6 Sir. L. s. s.
I wanter no wot rite exycutiv James of The Texas
has print my petur in Marpus hso weakly nbsr IN
picters Of me bein keelhorled spredegled wot he
I' I no Wv he done H. After detached from the
Texas or rather after the Texas was detached
from me. my leg irons was rove thr9o ! ring
bolt I got the job of ships ritter on the vermont
Wun day Gums James sees me ter work: Me wv.
s both literery now ses te pissIn, nr tho meTrv
catterninetailes believe me- viii rase skwal I'm
your wake kwiker than levanter cud beem-end
Bungaree hooker.
ANT yer wel?" ses -. ,,,o ..o ,.ox
Don't yer understand the langwids of the see yer
wy .knm Off. ses l. i've been anotc man boy for
10 yeres & | never herd no tork like that issept in
Withat he ieered horribly but jest went on ritn.
cos / moo he cudnt do nothin Pretty soon he got
MS LUX Mo here. shelbak. there's sum things witch
mite make the inner feerosserty OF my nacnsr brake rake
Roger on that ship &c be skerSe Of The cese, O.
akin me that kwestyun Is wun Of EN- Have c car. r
now has to makemup. & l cant do that no more
I'm despri You wanter rite out orl you no & hand
you don't II brake loose Trembul"' o
Wei | didn't & now hes begun MS or1ul core3 OF
me & Glass he stand by. There's me
shown up in bubble irons witch wos and me bein
spred egied e. keelhorld witch j wosnt but witch
hes gon do me II he gets a chans Its dredne
& nv hare Is standin end like rills upon pork
fed concubine James Is Turk. ever yures,
r. AP CATESBY SHELBAk.
Ships ritter. L. s. s. Vermont
These remarks Lieutenant Commander Kelley
found extremely offensive and on January 26 he In
formed Colonel Church that he intended TO bring
action for libel and to communicate with the direc-
Of the Players Club to ask them. in the event
of further mention OF me- to put In operation against
you the regulations meant to govern the possible
mutual association OF members OF that club
But whatever may be the measure Of satisfaction
Lleutenan Commander Kelley might obtain In the
law courts, inquiries made yesterday went 10 show
that there Is no rule under which Mr.. Kelley could
arraign Colonel Church before the directors of the
Players Club An officer of.the club said yesterday:
II cannot how, by the widest stretch. Mr.. Kelley
bring Colonel Church into the scope OF the clubs
regulations -
Colonel Church, when seen yesterday at his home.
No 81 Irving Place, smingly deprecated the Idea OF
giving the matter the importance OF public refer
ence. Tho 6hebak letters. he added. were moth
ing than bit Of harmless fun. and II there Is
any In the Navy whose reputation for wit and
humor would have suggested his appreciation OF
them, II is Lieutenant-C mander Kelley. Nothing
PERSONAL was meant and am surprised that Mr..
Kelley should have felt affronted at what was pal
pa bly, only good-natured fun