Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-09-01
A HERO is H0N0RED
Admiral sehlsy Greeted BY a Vast
Throng At Washington.
be is THANKED BY TIE PRESIDENT.



raj Winfield s Schley reachrd WASH
ington at 40 O'Clock yesterda, after
noon over the Pennsylvania railroad.
He was quickly noticed at mos, OF the
stations along the line, and through
out the trip he was greeted with
cheering crowds When the train
pulled into the depot here, he fonnd a
compact mass of spectators which
filled the depot and overlooked out
into the train shed. The admiral and
Mrs. Schley, when they appeared, were
greeted with cheers and shouts of
"lIurrah for Schley.' Everybody joined
in the shouting, and the depot attaches
crowded about the admiral and in
sisted on handshake. At the gates,
the crowd increased and. amid deaf.
ening cheers, the admiral and his wife,
the former with hat off, passed
through two solid lines of people A
lieutenant and squad OF police with
difficulty cleared passageway to the
carriage which was in waiting.
Through a mass Of vehicles that had
been drawn up by curious drivers, the
hanson pulled into Pennsylvania ave.
nue. and proceeded directly to the
Shoreham hotel. There were groups
of cheerers all the way, and caval-
cade Of cyclists formed voluntary
escort.
The admiral stayed only few min.
utes at the hotel, and then drove over
to the navy department, where, with
out any preliminaries, he reported di.
rectly to Acting Secretary Allen. The
latter accompanied him over to the
white house, reaching there at $3.50.
The president gave him most cordial
reception. The president thanked the
admiral, as he had Admiral Sampson,
for the success Of that memorable en-
gagement Of July 3, and took occasion
to say that 1t was that battle which
brought about the surrender Of Ssnti-
ago. The president thanked him in
behalf Of himself and the nation for
his brilliant services on that day, and
asked him to describe the battle,
which the admiral did at length.
The president then entered into q
discussion Of the work OF the Porto
Rican commission, to which the ad-
miral has been appointed. He went
over with him the general instructions
which will guide the body in arrang-
ing for the evacuation Of the Spanish
from the island and other work. Dur
ing most OF the conference, which oc.
cupied about an hour Assistant Score.
tary of State Moore was present
Many of the friends OF Admiral nd
Mrs. Schley learned of their presence
at the hotel and called during the
evening. Although considerably bet
ter he is not well, and said last night
he expected to leave here to-day to
visit relatives In Maryland, which
probably will consume several days
after which he will 20 to Connecticut
to remain until about time to start for
Porto Rico Some ship other than the
Brooklyn, he said, would be selected
for this purpose, as the Brooklyn was
about to undergo needed repairs.
The admiral during the evening
talked briefly Of some Of the principal
incidents of the fight which led to the
destruction Of Cervera's squadron, and
Of some other important matters Of in.
terest at this time, new features OF
which he said were recurring to him
as time passed by. He said ut is
my opinion that the Spanish admiral
might have escaped with possibly one
or two of his ships had he adopted diff
ferent tactics in coming out of the
harbor. Had he diverted the course
Of his ships, sending some of them
east and Others west, it is my belief
that he might have escaped with one
or possibly two Of the vessels. Such
course naturally would have com.
PEELED US to separate our fleet and
some of Cervera's ships might have
reached Havana"