The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-10-05

oIidH +. Levy, Jew, Subjected to
wrongs and Indignities on Account
or Race Prejudice-a Loyal and Pa
triotic Officer Who Lived to See Him.
self INDICATED and Justice Done.
In the September number of the
Centu'y Nagazisc James Morris Nor
gon In an article IAN American Fore
runner of Dreyfus,n recites the de-
tails of case in our history in which
naval officer, Uriah P. Levy, was
made the victim Of prosecutions al
| most as relentless and cruel as those
to which the French officer now on
trial at Rennes has been subjected in
the last few years. Levy, who was
born Of Jewish parents in Philadel-
phia in 1892, went to sea when Onlv
| / years old. and before he was Is
had saved sufficient money to buy an
interest in schooner. of which he
was made master. When the War Of
1912 began he received an appoint
ment as sailing master in the United
States Navy, and after rendering
valuable service, was captured by the
British. After the return of peace
he applied for naval promotion under
the rule that 'Masters Of extraordi-
nary merit and for extraordinary
services may be promoted to lieuten-
ants" His application was indorsed
by Commodores David Porter, Stephen
Decatur, John Rodgers and Charles
Stewart, and he received the appoint
ment, in spite of the formidable
opposition of the line officers, who
claimed that Levy's advancement
would be a wrong to older midship-
men, whose promotion it would re-
tard.
Although they did not succeed in
preventing the recognition Of his
services, they rendered his life mis-
cradle for many years by system
attic hostility that was intended to
overwhelm him with disgrace aud
ruin. ''Ostracism, a favorite weapon
with religious enthusiasts, was first
tried for the purpose of forcing the
Jew to resign" His first assign
ment was to the Franklin, Commodore
Stewart. The old frigates and line
of-battle ships carried from four to
eight hundred men, but Lieutenant
Levy found himself always alone. He
was always incommunicado." The
same treatment was continued when
he was transferred to other ships.
Commodore Lavalette testified at one
of the numerous cOurtsmartial to
which Levy was subjected that when
che joined frigate in the Mediter
ranean to which Levy was attached
the only officer on board who would
speak to the latter was the doctor of
the ship When Lavalette was asked
the circumstances which caused him
to entertain a favorable opinion of
Levy, he replied that lit was an
affair in which he (Levy) received six
or seven shots in mortal combat
without returning the fire, remon
strating at every fire with his antag-
onist.r AS lieutenant, says Mr..
Morgan, ''Mr. Levy spent nearly the
whole of his time either under arrest
or under suspension. Frequently his
enemies were successful in having
him sentenced to dismissal. They
always had him in Coventry, but
they never broke his dauntless spirit
VI iii pan GU Ills paw
How intense and steadfast was that
patriotism MIR. Morgan illustrates
by several striking incidents. In
1927, while serving on the Cyare in
| the harbor of Rio de Janeiro, in help-
| ing to save an American seaman from
press gang. Levy warded off blow
intended for a midshipman aud re-
| ceiveG a severe saber wound. The
| Emperor Of Brazil learned of the in
cident and was so impressed with his
| spirit and zeal that he offered him
the command Of a new 6O-gun frigate.
Levy thanked his Ma jesty, but de-
clined the offer, saying that he loved
his own service so we'll that he would
rather serve in it as cabin boy than
as captain in any other service in
the world'' AT a dinner in Paris on
the 18th of July, 1888, at which Mr..
Ewing, the American Minister, pre-
sided, and General Lafayette was the
guest of honor, the toast ''Andrew
jackson, President of the United
States" was received with Kisses and
groans by some of the guests, where
upon Lieutenant Levy struck one Of
them in the face with his glove and
challenged two others to duels: the
offenders, however preferred to apol=
ooiZer Several other instances arc
cited showing his dauntless courage,
GOODNESS. determination and patriot
ism. Yet, in spite Of qualities that
should have won for him the admira-
tion and confidence OF his fellow
officers, malice and race prejudice
steadily pursued him. six courts
martial, one court Of inquiry. star
chamber known as the .Shubrick
Board and the board which replaced
his name upon the Naval Register
form part of the extraordinary
official record of Post Captain Levy
The courts nearly always decided
against him, but in several cases
the superior authority Of the Presi-
dent OF the United States interviewed
in his favor. and in one case Com
modore Stewart, who disapproved a
sentence of dismissal from the frigate
United States.
Nevertheless, though promoted to
a post-captaincy in 1874, his enemies
we're strong enough to keep him out
of the service. Years passed and
his application for command were
pigeon -holed. When war with Mex
leo was declared he made piteous
appeals to be allowed to serve his
country. At last, a famine occurring
in Ireland and the Government de-
termining to send a shipload OF pro-
visions TO the sufferers, Captain Levy
applied for command of the vessel,
offering to devote his pay to the char
ity. This request was also ignored
He then busted himself in rehabilita'
tinp Monticello. the home of Thomas