The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-17
HERO SCHLEY'S TRICKS
SOME OF THE NUMEROUS EsCAPADEs
IN WHICH HE HAS FIGURED.
Once Locked Up n Drunken Captain
His Record on the baltimore.



Commodore Winfield Scott Schley. the
hero of the Santiago naval battle and the
rescuer of Arctic Explorer Greedy and the
survivors of his party. was born in 1910 on
a farm situated on the Emmittsburg turn
pike. three miles north of Frederick City.
Md. His father a farmer, was the brother
of Col Edward Schley. Thomas Schley, the
Maryland founder of the family was an AL
satan by descent. Several of Commodore
Schley's uncles won distinction in the Next
war. The hero Of Santiago certainly
comes from family of fighting men. Com
modOre Schley's mother was Miss Virginia
Mcclure. a beautiful woman of Baltimore.
She died d few years after her marriage.
Her husband passed away in Baltimore a
few years ago. Commodore Schley was
named after Gen. Winfield Scott, who often
danced the young hero-to-be on his knee
while visiting his father. with whom he was
on the most intimate terms
AS a boy Commodore Schley was credited
with being more mischievous than any doz-
en- of his playfellows. His mischief was of
an innocent kind, harmless fun being the
principal ingredient. At an early age he de-
veloped a disposition for daring which as
tonshed his old uncles. He was a leader
among his companions, and was always first
Schley remained on his fathers farm until
he was sixteen years old, when he was adj
mtted to the Naval Academy at Annapolis
Shortly before going to school young Schley
worked for eight days in Colonel Schley's
harvest fields, for which labor he received
81. his first earnings. The money, just as
he received 1t. is now in the possession of
his cousin, Miss Laura Schley Chapline,
who prizes it highly. She still resides in
At Annapolis young Schley got into MANY
scrapeS, the most serious of which was the
issuing of a challenge to fight an officer
This was a serious offense. but the incident
was overlooked by President Lincoln. At
school young Schley developed his dispo-
sition for mischief and a reputation
for daring and fearlessness. He did not
graduate with high honors.
During the war of the rebellion Schley
proved himself bold and spirited petty
officer but as he was too young to be trust
cd with any command. he did not get
chance to show the timber of which he was
built. He did succeed, though, in winning
the name of The youngster who was ready
for anything" After the war Schley's life
was full of incident.
THRASHED THE KOREANS.
In 1865 he suppressed riot of 400 China
men on one of the Chincha islands, and
also landed at La Union. San Salvador, be-
cause of an instruction. and took posses
sion of the custom house, to protect Amer
lean interests. In 1871 he landed marines in
Korea and soundly thrashed the natives.
In the latter part of 1878 he captured and
punished the pirates who terrorized the
lower Congo. His daring rescue of Greedy
in 1884 brought him worldwide fame, which
has only been exceeded by his gallant fight
at Santiago that resulted in the sinking of
In 1880 Schley took Ericsson's body to
Sweden; in 1891 he was commander of
marines; in 1892 he went into the lighthouse
service with headquarters at Staten island;
I'm 1898 he made plans for buoying New York
harbor and in 1895 he succeeded Fighting
Bob" Evans as commander of the cruiser
New York.
In 1854. when it was determined that
Greedy was unable to get back Schey was
the first officer to volunteer to rescue the
explorer. Some of the officers protested. de-
claring he was taking too great a risk
There are times when it is necessary to
making preparations. He commanded the
expedition of the Thetis Bear and Alert.
All the world knows how the gallant
Schley brought Greedy and the survivors
of his party back to st. Johns, N. F., in
triumph. For this gallant action Schley was
given COMMAND of the Baltimore The Mary
land Legislature also voted him a gold
watch
About this time there came rumors of a
threatened war with Chile. The Baltimore
was in Chilean waters and there was talk
OF a combined attack on her by two Chilean
gunboats., Two of Schleys marines had
been murdered in the streets of Valparaiso
ana he was longing for vengeance. On one
side OF the Baltimore lay English man
of-war and on the other a German cruiser
Schley requested the commanders of the
ships to move and give him room for action
They reluctantly did so, but battle was
For being too ready to fight SchIey was
rebuked by being ordered into the light
house service. When Schley was placed in
command of the flying squadron, it is said,
he went to President Mckinley and begged
10 be allowed to go and meet the Spanish
fleet. which, it rumored, had started
across the ocean He urged that immediate
In 1868 Commodore Schley married Miss
Mamie rankin AnnQnOHG no
three children-Thomas Franklin. Virginia
and Winfield Scott His daughter Virginia
married Ralph Granville Stewart Wortley
q nephew of the Earl of Wharncliffe Mr.
Wortey is railroad man and fnancier and
resides in New York city.
How Commodore Schley met and sunk the
Spanish fleet at Santiago is a matter of too
recent history to dwell upon. Many are the
anecdotes told of Commodore Schley, for
MANY were he jokes and many were the
escapades he INDUCED in. Notwithstanding
all the stories related about him at different
times in his career. none can be told to his
discredit
AS A AIIDSHIPMAN
In 1869 Schley was a midshipman on the
Niagara when it conveyed the members of
the Japanese embassy to their home The
vessel. on the way around Cape Good Hope.
stopped on the coast of Africa, where the
Japanese bought many monkeys. Captain
Mexican and the officers did not object, for
It was public policy then to crafty every
wish of the Japanese 1t was only. Mid
fancy having the monkeys abo lrd.
The monkeys were allowed to roam about
the deck at will. They were of all sizes
and ages. Several of the big. ring-tailed
monkeys almost lived in the rigging. The
longer the animals remained the greater
grew Schley's dislike for them.
One morning Schley had the early watch
and his gang of men We're scrubbing The
monkeys were full of mischief and bothered
the men more than a little Schley at last
got tired of the monkeys chatter. He or
dered two of the largest ones caught, at
the same time calling for two buckets of
slush. When the monkeys were caught their
tails were we'll CREASED and Schley drove
them off with a ropes end
Up the rigging the monkeys flew. Both
made leap for the lower Studding sail
When they tried to swing by their tails they
slid, shrieking into the sea. The Japanese
rushed TO the deck, demanding that the yes
sci be stopped. but as the ship was going
nfteep knots an hour. ii was out of the
question 10 comply with their request. Sew
eral other troublesome monkeys disappeared
IN the same manner. but only Schey and
his mates knew exactly how.
once while Sehley was doing duty on the
OWasso, the captain, whose name il is not
necessary 10 mention, got drunk, Schley i'm
medlately took II upon himself to arrest his
commanding officer and lock him in his
cabin Shortly after the commander of the
OwaSso was sent for by Captain James AL
len. his senior officer. Schley Immediately
donned his captains uniform and an