Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1898-07-28
Sampson and Schley.
Lexington Herald. I

1t has come to be pretty we'll under
stood that there is an old feud be-
tween Commodore Schley and Rear
Admiral Sampson, the two naval Of
flcers just now making history for
themselves and for the country. II
the story that comes from q seaport
in North Carolina be accurate, and
which Is really vouched for by q we'll
known naval officer, whose name Is
suppressed for obvious reasons,
Sampson has held an old grBdSs
as-iost Schley froD' fl'- days they
were young officers IN the Hs,. The
account Of the feud, 30 told BY the
naval officer, was sent tc 4 gentle. n.
In this city.
"When Schley was either an ensign
or q Lieutenant, he was on board ship
with Sampson, then a Lieutenant,
and a difficulty occurred between
them, and ever since a grudge has
ranked In the breast of Sampson"
the naval officers story runs. 1.-THE
difficulty years and years ago orig
mated in this way: One day, Samp-
son, then a Lieutenant, missed some
bananas which he had hung up In
the ship to ripen. He was very angry
over the loss of the fruit and tried to
find the thief. Finally he came to
the conclusion that a certain marine
was the culprit, and sent for him and
accused him Of taking the bananas.
The marine replied Indignantly that
he had not seen the bananas and
that he was no thief. This infuriated
Sampson, who said: Il will punish
you for lying as well as stealing
Sampson sent for the druggist and
gave the poor marine an immense
dose of ipecac.
"Schley was ashore at the time, but
when he returned he saw the marine
suffering. Schley asked Sampson who
had administered the powerful drug
that had caused the suffering Of the
sailor. Sampson told the whole in
cident. The matter so incensed Schley
that he exclaimed: mo gentleman
would treat a poor marine that wayr
And Schley, following the exclama-
tIon, slapped Sampson in the face.
"Then a scene followed. Sampson
demanded satisfaction. Schley re-
minded him that Il was against the
regulations for naval officers to re-
ceive or send challenges to fight q
duel, but added: That need not pre-
vent your getting satisfaction, sir.
We can both resign today and then
fight It out
sampson did not resign. did not
seek satisfaction, and the matter was
apparently dropped there. But 1t
appears that Sampson has never for
gotten the episode, and the sting Of
Schley's slap is still felt.
"Now, years after this difficulty Of
their young days, the matter comes
up again. When the war with Spain
and Admiral Sicard, ow-
ing to illness, had to give up the COM
mand Of the squadron then lying at
Key West, the Secretary Of the Navy
looked around for an officer to take
command. Commodore Watson and
Commodore Schley both outranked
Captain Sampson, and either, appar-
emily, should have been selected to
succeed Sicard, but Captain Sampson
succeeded in getting command Of the
squadron then at Key West, and
was made an Acting Rear Admiral,
and began the blockade Of Havana.
In the meantime, a flying squadron
was organized at Hampton Roads,
and Commodore Schley was then In
Spain. Sampson sailed over to Porto
Rico and bombarded San Juan, and
returned to Key West. In the mean
time, Cervera had crossed the At
lantic and was in the Caribbean Sea.
The administration at Washington
was worried and Commodore Schley
was ordered to take his flying squad
ron and locate Cervera. It did not
take Schley long to locate him in the
Bay of Santiago, where the Spaniard
was bottled up
by this time Sampson was ordered
to Santiago. No sooner had he ar
rived there than he was given author
ity to write one brief order wiping
the flying squadron out Of name and
amalgamating 1t with his own feet.
This act placed Sampson In command
of the combined fleets, and left
Commodore Schley with the power
Of a Captain on bis former nag ship,
the Brooklyn. But NOBODY heard any