The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-28
Dog Incident that illustrates the SEN
timents of Naval Officers in Re-
gard to the Controversy.
INTERVIEW WITH SAMPSON
WHY HE WAS ABSENT WHEN GER
VERA'S FLEET TRIED TO ESCAPE.
Has No Desire to Criticise Schley-
English sound Experiment that
Bears on the Controversy.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.


WASHINGTON, July 27-The demand by
Admiral Schley for court of inquiry to
investigate the truth of Mr.. Maclay's
charges Will bring up the whole Santiago
controversy once more, and probably will
result in keeping that subject before the
public for months to come. Naval officers
have thought for the past year or more
that the time would come when there would
be an official inquiry into the whole San
tiago campaign The most bitter feeling
has existed between the adherents of Schley
and the friends of Sampson ever since the
latter, in sending his celebrated dispatch
TO the Navy Department, ignored his chief
aid in that great naval victory and neg
lected even to mention the name Of Admiral
Schley in his report. Sampson, however,
in an interview printed to-day, says he
does not wish to criticise Schley, and that
he thinks his failure TO properly perform
certain movements was an error of judg-
ment.
Schley is a man who treats everyone
cordially. The bootblack who meets him
on the street and says. Good morning.
Admiral is as courteously treated as the
senator who may do likewise. Schley. IN
other words, is popular idol. He has a
faculty Of making friends. Sampson, on
the contrary, is cold, austere and repellant
in manner. During his service in the Navy
Department proper he was most cordially
disliled by those coming in contact with
him. This feeling not only extended TO
the navy officers, but to civilians having
business to do with his bureau On the
other hand, every naval officer admits that
Sampson is great naval tactitian, and the
strange feature of the present controversy
is that fully 80 per cent. of the officers
who served in the Santiago fleet seem to
uphold the contention of the secretary of
the navy that Sampson is entitled to the
credit for the annihilation of the Spaniards,
and that Schley was merely a subordinate
who is not entitled to any more credit than
Captain Phillip. Fighting Bob Evans or
sells of the fleet. 1t would be safe even
TO go further than this and assert that,
If vote was taken among the officers
who took part in that magnificent naval
campaign as to the relative merits of Dick
Wainwright, who commanded the GlOuces-
ter. and Schley, who was on board of the
Brooklyn, the majority would. be in favor
OF giving the greater credit to the lesser Of
fcer.
The court of inquiry probably will be in
before sufficient testimony can be secured.
Its personnel will give it a better stand
ing, with the public than such courts usual
ly have.
An incident showing the bitterness of ma
val officers OF the Santiago fleet to
the notice of the writer a short time ago.
One of the very best known among them
commanded one of the battleships-gave a
reception to the people of the State after
which his ship is named. During the even
ing this officer entertained a party in his
private room. There were two or three
congressman and some naval officers and
a few others in this ROOM as well as n
black Snaniel he
showed strong evidences Of affection for
the naval officer, and the love was evil
the old salt, "and have a piece of candy .
and with that he threw piece of candy
into the air and the dog caught it, but
came, Drop it; that's Schley's candy. .
The dog Immediately dropped the sweet
morsel and with a look of profound con-
tempt curled his tail between his legs and
SUNK away. Come back said the can
tain, sampson sent you that" At once
the little black animal snapped up the
candy with every evidence of delight The
experiment was made two or three times
Sweets We're placed on the floor and the
dog told that one piece was from Samnson
and the other from Schley He would take
the Sampson candy every time but even
refused 70 smell that which was supposed
10 come from the other naval commander
This only indicates to what extent the feel
ing on one side the other has grown mn
among naval officers.
There probably will be some very imnor-
tant testimony before the court of inoIiirv
and ii may be that some truths concernine
the conduct of the campaign will be
brought out, but whatever the verdict of
the court may be. the controversy is not
likely 10 be settled soon. In fact, Congress
Is 10 take up the subject, and before the
session which meets in December is well
advanced at least dozen attempts will
be made TO secure the appointment of a
special committee who shall go into the
subject fully, and the result will be the
washing of an endless amount of dirtv
naval linen under the dome OF the Capitol