La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1898-07-09
eoaassopoae sc,slr.
Some Tss,ts - shs osislssAt nsssi
oMess Who b ossag cheaesd
Out Of Nis jwoe Owoo.


A Kansas man who saw Commo-
dore Schley every day for several
months, tells some interesting
things about the American sailor.
At the time the Kansan met him he
was Captain Schley in the light
house service at Tompkinsville,
Staten Island, the anchorage for
naval vessels. Said the Kansas
man, in speaking of Mr.. Schley:
"SchIey is one of the most COM
panionable men ever met, and
one OF the most picturesquely pro-
fame. | had the honor to report
to him every morning concerning
some work was doing on the
coast. l usually arrived 1t his
Office about 9 o'clock, shortly after
Mr.. Schley would make his appear
ance. Then he would sit down for
chat. We talked of everything
except politics, or rather be did,
and an hour or sometimes two
would slip by. ] would be anxious
to get to my work, but his conver-
sation was SO generally agreeable
that l did not worry much. In the
meantime his chief clerk would
appear with big bunch of cores
pondence for the captain to look
over. He would stand around and
cough and hum and haw, and
make all sorts OF motions to attract
Captain Schley's attention, but
without avail. We might be dis
cussing blue fish or high explosives
or electricity, for Captain Schley
had the best fund OF all around in
formation OF any man Of my ac-
quaintance. After the clerk had
fused around for sometime Schley
would turn and look at him.
"'Here's the letters, sir,' the
clerk would say.
".Get out OF here, you lubber,'
the captain would roar. Damn ii,
sir, can't you see I'm very busy
then he would continue to tell me
the proper way to cook sea bass
or how to lay submarine cable.
"An officer who was with him in
Chill in 1891, when Schley com
mauded the Baltimore sent to Val
paraiso to settle the dispute grow
ing out OF the shooting of United
States sailors, told me Of charac-
teristic Schley expression used al
the time. Several OF his marines
had been arrested and thrown into
prison. When Schley heard Of il
he cleared for action and sent word
ashore: If those marines are NOT
on board my ship in two hours IN
fill hell with Chilians.'
"Schley is OF the type of old
time, dashing, dare-deyil sea officer
who make the naval reputation Of
this country. He is fiery and im-
petous and capable OF doing brill
liant things. Ii is my opinion
based on some experience and first
rate information, that this very
quality has served to keep i
Schley from his rightful place at
the head of the fleets in Cuban
waters. The administration was
afraid OF him. The navy depart
ment is extremely cautious, and
set the brave but very cautious
Sampson over Schley as weight |
to hold him down. II Schley had
been at San Juan instead of in
Hampton Roads he wouldn't have
left the forts half battered; heII
would have swept them off the face
OF the earth and taken the chance
of being reprimanded afterward,
and he probably would have gone
into Santiago bay and got Cervera.
He is the same sort of chap -
Dewey, but fortunately for Dewey |
he was too far away to have his
every movement directed from !
desk in Washington.
"You would take Schley to be !
sailor and commander of men ati
first sight. He is positive and
sfron0 in HE lapUn,ga. ~