The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-04
HOT PLACE FOR CHILIANS.
Commodore Schley's Suggestion at
Valparaiso.

Kansas City, July A Kansas man
who saw Commodore Schley every day
for several months, tells some interest
ing things about the American sailor.
At the time the Kansan met him he was
Captain SchIey on the lighthouse ser
vice at Tompkinsville, Staten Island,
the anchorage for naval vessels. Said
the Kansas man, in speaking of Mr..
Schley:
"schIey is one of the most companion
able men I ever met, and one of the
most picturesquely prOfane. had the
honor to report to him every morning
concerning some work L was doing on
the coast. I usually arrived at his Of
fee about 9 o'clock, shortly after Mr..
Schley would make his appearance.
Then he would sit down for a chat. We
talked of everything, except politics, or
rather he did, and an hour and some
times two would slip by. 1 would be
anxious to get to my work but his con-
versatiOn was so generally agreea BILE
that 1 did not worry much. In the
meantime his chief clerk would appear
with a big bunch of correspondence 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 discussing
blue fish or high explosives or electric
ity, for Captain Schley had the best
fund of all around information of any
man of my acquaintance. After the
clerk had fused around for sometime
Schley would turn and look at him.
6 Here's the letters, sir the clerk
would say.
a. Get out of here. you lubber,' the
captain would roar. Damn it, sir,
can't you see Pm very busy? then he
would continue to tell me the proper
way to cook a sea bass or how to lay a
submarine cable.
IAN officer who was with him in Chill
in 1891, when SchIey commanded the
Baltimore, sent to VALPARAISO to settle
the dispute growing out of the shooting
of United States sailors, told me of a
chara cteristic Schley expression used
at the time Several of his marines had
been arrested and thrown into prison.
When SchIey heard of it he cleared for
action and sent word ashore: If those
marines are not on board my ship in
two hours I'll fill hell with Chilians'
'Schley is of the type of old time.
dashing, dare-de sea officer who
make the naval reputation of this coun-
try. He is fiery and fmpetuous and ca
pable of doing brilliant things. 1t is
my opinion, based on some experience
and first rate information, that this
very dashing quality has served to
keep SchIey from his rightful place at
the head of the fleets in Cuban waters.
The administration was afraid of him.
The navy department is extremely eau
tious, and set the brave but very eau
tious Sampson over Schley as a weight
to hold him down. If Schley had been
at San Juan instead of in Hampton
Roads he wouldn't have left the forts
half battered; he would have swept
them off the face of the earth and ia
! ken the chance of being reprimanded
afterWard, and he probably would have
gone into Santiago bay and got Ger
vera. He is the same sort of a chap as
Dewey, but fortunately for Dewey he
was too far away to have his every
movement directed from a desk in
Washington.
You would take Schley to be a sailor
and a commander of men at first sight.
! He is positive and strong in his Ian
| guage; he goes right to the point with
1 quick decision when giving an order and
he is a courteous gentleman in all his
! dealings. I hope he will have the op-
| oprtunity, for L know he will distin-
| guish himself as brilliantly as did
! George Dewey"