The Portland daily press., 1898-08-12

AMI agreed on neutrality and the estab-
lishment of neutral zone. Soon after
this the Germans advertised for bids for
the removal of "a bridge partially wrecked
by storm. The destruction OF this bridge
wonld give the Germans certain strate-
gicsl advantage. Capt Leary read the
notice, tore it down with his hands. set
guard Of marines and had the fridge
rebuilt by his own carpenters.
A few days later the Germans paid an
other tribute to common humanity. Ihe
crew of the Adler fired two rifle volleys
into canoe party of naked and unarmed
natives. The fact that several of the shots
struck about the houses of foreign, resi-
DENTS only aggravaed the wantomness Oh
an act which Captain Leary characterized
in his report to the secretary OF the navy,
as ga most dastardly disregard for the
safety Of human life as we'll as cowardly
breach of faith and neutrality he
wrote practically the same thing (trans-
lated into only slightly more formal
terlns) to the German captain. 49,
The evening Of November =, 1898, q
runner came from Maa ala informing
Captain Leary that the Germans had
threatened to attack stronghold which
Malta 'afa had established on land under
American protection. The Adler was to
lombard at dawn. Captain Leary quietly
ordered all his officers aboard and, know
ing that if the Germans saw him get
steam up. they would postpone the attack
to some time when the Yankees was I'M
prepared, made use of a trick worth two
Of theirs. He had little anthracite coal
on board, and by carrying live Goals from
his galleys was abba to start, very slowly,
| a surreptitious fire under one boiler after
another. BY midnight he had full steam
up without attracting the attention of
| the German. Then he muffled his anchor
chains All hands were quietly called
| TO quarters at in the morning.
| Suddenly before daybreak, the German
anchors came rattling up. Up came
Leary's anchors silently. The Germans
made a dash for the open. 70 their
was after them. The Teuton turned
toward the threatened fort. The Yankee
darted in between the German and the
shore and kept steadily on. Then Cap:
| tain Leaary cried: "Clear for act1onP,
And his ship was straightway stripped OF
the bluff, The other followed suit and it
looked as if a war with Germany was to
begin then AMI there.
/ Opposite It's destination the German
i ship came to a stop. Leary anchored be-
tween the Adler and the shore Then he
lowered a boat and sent note to the
German captain. The note said:-
I have the honor to inform you that,
having received information that Ameri-
can property in the Latogo vicinity of
Laulii, Lotoanuu and Solo Solo is liable
to be invaded this day, I am here for the
purpose of protecting the same.
For hours the crews stood at their guns
and glcwered, while the German captain
fumed and pondered, knowing that to
fire on the fort he must fire over our little
ship. But fret as he would, he was
afraid to "see'' the Yankees ''raise.
AT length be weakly started on cruise
down the coast. Captain Leary would
not be shaken off. He followed the Ger
man wherever he went; and, finally; he
escorted him back to the harbor, where
both anchored. The king of France had
marched up the hill and down again.
For his determined stand Captain
Leary received personal thanks, high
placs in the regard of his fellow officers
and q gold watch from his native state;
but he had no congressional acknowledge
ment and was not moved up any mum.
bers in the line. And yet the honor or
the country had been in his lonely charge
in mic. ocean; and he had quilted him
like a man-like an American.
Captain Leary was at5srward Tor some
veors commander of the ram Katahdin, a
naval experiment in which he had su-
nreme confidence and in which he was
Willing and eager to engage and sink any
shin afioat. And he could do it, too At
present he is captain of the San Fran
CISCO. the flagship of Comodore Howell's
SQUADRON. Hesis very storage battery
of energy. And some day his chance will
come.