Graham guardian., 1899-09-29
AN AMERICAN DREYFUs,

II
American Forerunner of Dreyfas, =
recites the details of case in our
own history IN which Q naval Off
Ger, Urish p. Levy, was made the
victim Of persecution almost as re-
klentless and cruel IS 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 Phila-
delphia in 1892, went to sea when
only eleven years old, and before
he was eighteen had saved sufi-
cient money TO buy 90 interest IN
| o schooner Of which he was made
master. When the war Of 1912 be.
gan he received an appointment as
sailing master in the United States
navy, and, after rendering valuable
service, was captured by the Brit.
ish. 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 lieu
tenants". His application was in
dorsed by Commodore David Por.
ter, Stephen Decatur, John Rodg-
ers and Charles Stewart, and he re.
celved the appointment in spite of
the formidable opposition Of the
line officers, who claimed that
Levy's advancement would be q
wrong to older midshipmen, whose
promotion 1T would retard.
Although they did not succeed
in preventing the recognition of
his services, they rendered his life
miserable for many years by sys-
tematic hostility that was intended
TO overwhelm him with disgi ace
and ruin, "Qstracism, o favoritG
weapon with religious enthusiasts,
was arst tried for the purpose of
forcing the Jew to resign" His
first assignment was to the Frank
lin. Commodore Stewart. The old
frigates and line of battleships car.
ried from four to eight hundred
men, but Lieutenant Levy always
found himself alone, He was al
ways incommunieado. The same
entcontinued when be was
transferred to other ships. Com
modore Lavalette testified at one
of the numerous courts martial 10
which Levy was subjected that
when che joined frigate in the
Mediterranean to which Levy was
attached the only officer on board
who would speak to the latter was
the doctor of the ship" When La.
valette was asked the circumstances
which caused HIM to entertain a
favorable opinion of Levy, he re.
piled that sit was an affair in
which he, Levy, received six or
seven shots in mortal combat with
out returning the FIRE, remonstrat.
ing at every fire with his antag-
onist." As a lieutenant, says Mr..
Morgan, Mr.. Levy spent nearly the
whole of his time either under ar,
rest or under suspension. Ere
quently his enemies were success
ful IN having him sentenced 10 dis.
missal. They always had him in
Coventry, but they never broke
his dauntless spirit or impaired
his patriotism"
How intense and steadfast was
that patriotism Mr.. Morgan illus.
trates by several striking incidents.
In 1927, while serving on the
Cyane in the harbor of Rio de
JAneiro, in helping to save an
American seaman from q press
gang, Levy warded off a blow in
tended for midshipman and re
ceived severe sabor wound. The
Emperor of Brazil learned of the
incident and was go impressed
with his spirit and zeal that he
offered HIM command of a new
60-gun frigate. "Levy thanked
his majesty, but declined the offer,
saying that be 'loved his own SER
vice so well that he would rather
serve in it as cabin boy than as
a captain in any other service in
the world.'"
At q dinner in Paris on the 4th
of July, 1888, at which Mr.. Ewing,
the American minister, presided, |
and General Lafayette was the
guest of honor, the toast "Andrew
Jackson, president of the United
States" was received with Kisses
and groans from some of the
guests, ,whereupon Lieutenant Levy |
struck one of them In the face with
his glove and challenged two
others to duels; the offenders, how |