The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-05-21

The captain and his boys are exceed
ingly fond of dogs. and for some years
their great delight was in a magnifi-
cent English setter named Andy, who
was a household pet and constant COM
panion. but early this year the dogs
genial nature underwent a sudden
change. He sprang upon Ralph without
cause and bit the youth severely in the
face. The canine met a just death for
his inexplicable treachery by being
chloroformed to death There are still
ugly scars oil the youths face. and pos
sibly some OF them will never disap-
pear. p
The two daughters of Captain Samp-
sons first wife are married to two ma
val officers, Lieutenant Roy c. Smith
and Ensign III. X. Jackson. The latter
immortalized himself when. serving as
a cadet on one of the vessels caught in
the hurricane that wrecked the several
United States men-of-war in the har
Dor of Apia, Samoe., in 1889, he led
body of seamen to the tops and formed
the famous human SAIL" which pre-
vented his ship from going on the rocks.
For this gallant act young Jackson. who
otherwise would have lost a commits
sion through the lack of vacancy. was
of congress.
The father OF Captain Sampson, nam
ed George. was day laborer. and the
youth helped in the ordinary work of
the little farm. The boy was studious
and engaged the interest of Squire Will
liam H. Southwlck of Palmyra, who Sc
cured from Representative f. b. Nor
gan his appointment to the Naval acad-
emy, which he entered on Sept. "a. 1857.
and was hastily graduated with his
class In 1861. just as the country was on
the verge OF civil war. Promotion was
rapid in those days. and jumping over
the grade of ensign, he was made mas
ter Ca grade since abolished) in August,
1861. On July is. 1862. he was made a
lieutenant and on July 25. 1856. a lieu
tenant commander.
During the war Sampson served on
board the practice ship John Adams and
on the monitor Patapsco. II was on
the latter that he won his first fame.
The monitor was one OF the blockading
squadron off Charleston. The Federal
sailors knew that the harbor was full
of mines. but when on Jan. Is, 1866. or
ders came for the monitor TO go In ad-
vance OF the fleet and pick up and de-
stroy all explosives there was no demur.
Lieutenant Sampson as executive off,
Ger was on the bridge, and. ordering the
marines and sailors behind iron bull
warks. alone on deck. amid shot and
shell from the forts and rain OF bull
lets from sharpshooters, the Patapsco
steamed steadily ahead. A few minutes
later she was rent into fragments BY
giant torpedo. Lieutenant Sampson was
blown into the air and tossed into the
water 100 feet away. with 25 OF the crew
struggling about him. The remainder,
more than TO- had been torn TO pieces.
The nan I'm the water were all rescued.
and the next day Lieutenant Sampson
serenely reported for duty.
In 1867 Sampson was on the flagship
Colorado OF the European squadron.
After service at the Naval academy as
instructor In chemistry he had another
cruise I'm European waters. He was in
command OF the Alert I'm is74-5 and the
Swatara on the Asiatic squadron In
is79-Ss. From 1856 TO 1890 he was su-
perintendent az the Naval academy and
was then In command OF the San Fran
cisco for two years. lie was given a
captains commission on March 20. 1899
From January 1892, until June. isDs,