Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-06-19
COMMODORE scHLEY,ss NAME
He is QUOTED as Saying That it Should
be PRONOUNCED as if Spelled "S,y."

He is QUOTED as Saying That it Should
be PRONOUNCED as if Spelled "Sly.'
tNew York Tribunc)
There has been Il good deal of specu
lation. not only in naval circles but
among the public at large, as to the
origin OF Commodore Winfield Scott
Schley's name. BY some it has been
asserted that he is of German descent.
he doughty old hero of the Mexican
war. A little while before Schlev be-
came a commodore he gave Il Tribune
reporter (. talk, which VIII throw light
on the matter.
AT the time when was pulling.
mewlins baby. without a name. or
much more hair on my head than +
have how. said the gallant officer.
piaEfully brushing back the locks
which SO SkiIfuly conceal his bald
mead my parents were. ! suppose at
their wits end to cudgel up some name
appropriate for the marvel of human
excellence they undoubtedly thought
me t" be. The matter did not bother
ne 81 much as il does now, for /
WiSel" refr:iin"d from giving an opinion
on the subject or u, least any that the
ncWsralers would care to publish Al
the time. which vlarks an era in one
life anyway. General Scott was in the
zenith Of his glory ana rotundity. a
physically and popularity He was a
great friend Of my parents. and fire.
utlcntlv called at our house
AS J said, my parents We're cudgcl-
ing their brain to find some name good
enough to tack on such a nlorSel of
humanity as myself. and while in the
midst of tn" counsels one day. the huge
shadow Of Scott darkened the doorway
ard cast its robust shade on me. That
settled it, The circumstance was re-
Gar'l.'h as Il suspicious omen. and forth
With it was decided that was to pass
tlir"ueh life as Winfield Scott Scllley
Nov. for PHYS sake. don't give my
last nam" with Il German accent. It's
pronounced SLY. plain. commonplace.
everyday Sly. That's the way it has
been pronounced in my family as long
as can remember or ever heard Of
nj not much on pedigree searching
too many of my acuuaintHnceS have
stumbled across hors. thieves ana nj
rates to make mo DESTROYS for that kind
of r"croation--hut Schley is an old
Maryland family. though why they
nay" stuck on all those sloppy Dutch
c"nsnnants I can't tell. Eut it's SLY
vas born and it's Sly IN he till my
hair ceases to come out: then YOU can
call me Dinnis if YOU like So long as
! hay" the proud distinction Of drawing
Il comb over my head With n purpose.
shall most distinctly ana positively
object to being called Ptschley or any
her foreign twisting of the name
How q" YOU like the name Of the
famous fighter"
Like it, said the gallant sea dog
Why. | can't say that I ever gave it
much consideration. ] can only say
that soon after became n fun -ncdsed
naval officer the old General gave Il
dinner at the Rrevoort House. on Fifth
avenue. New York. at which he in
viteh all the young men he could find
who had been named after him. Tt
was n great sight. There they We're
several score strong. and there is no
telling how many more might have
been there. had they known of it, ANY
way they had turned out fairly well
ut least. one nf them having become
a general in the United states army