The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-28
SUDDEN DEATH OF
CAPTAIN LEARY
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Continued from Page One.)
from the American ship. Soon the Ger
man came to a standstill and a boat
was despatched to ascertain why the
American had not answered the salute.
Upon this, Leary sent back this char
acteristic reply:
THE United States does not salute
vessels engaged in the slave-carrying
trade"
But the most striking incident oc-
CURED when the commander of the Ad-
Ter notified Mataafa, the chief Of the
faction opposed to Tamassee, to
evacuate certain fort under penalty
of being fired upon. Mataafa commu-
nicated with Leary, asking what he
should do. Leary told him to stay
where he was. That night Leary got
up steam, silently raised his anchors
and under cover of darkness contrived to
get into such a position that every shot
fired by the Adler at Mataafa's fort
would have to cross the decks of the
Adams. At daylight he ordered his men
to clear for action. On the Adler the
same thing was done. For awhile the
two ships faced each other with every
thing ready for a fight. Then Leary
sent a note to the commander of the
Adler warning him that no American
property in the neighborhood must be
injured, that he was there to protect
the interests of his countrymen, and
expressing the hope that nothing
would occur to cause a breach Of the
friendly relations between the govern
ments Of Germany and the United
States. Nothing did occur.
For his service in Samoa, it is I'M
officially stated that he was given,
privately, the thanks of a President, a
secretary of state and a secretary of
the navy but no official document of
approval. Indeed his correspondence
when he was beyond reach Of the gov
eminent, was so vigorous that when it
was transmitted to Congress certain
/ sentences were censored, probably for
/ the good Of continued pleasant rela-
| tons with a certain foreign Power. If
either the Adler or the Adams had
! fired on the other, it would probably
/ have brought on war between the
| United States and Germany. 1t was a
tremendous responsibility to put on a
! commander.
! Capt. Leary's administration OF
| Guam was no less picturesque. The
| conditions called for an autocrat, and
an autocrat Leary became. He was
! priest, doctor Judge and emperor. He
/ found the natives living in a state OF
| Acadian simplicity. Capt. Leary made
/ the men and women who were living
! together march .up in droves and gel
married, at the same time issuing q
ruling that no more prOmiscuOus
unions should take place. He also
made the men and women put or
! clothes. The women took kindly tC
! this innovation, and now the fashion
/ is thoroughly established on the isl
and. Ieary found slavery an institu
ton of the island, and this he abol
. ished.
! He enforced throughout the islanC
/ certain health laws which have vastly
/ decreased the rate of mortality. HI
/ imported hens from America and gave
/ them to the islanders and they have
! fourished amazingly and now add t.
the wealth and diet Of the inhabitants
In some mysterious way he cured th'
islanders Of drunkenness and made
q them nav their debts. Industrially h,
revolutionized the island.
Leary's naval career was strenuous
Three times his name was removed
+ from the roster. Twice it was restored
bv the department after thorough in
vestigation and review Of the circum-
stances under which it was removed
once il was restored by order of Con
g gress. That distinction did not hell
I him among his fellow naval officers
He did not get much Of a chance in tbs
war with Spain. Just before the wal
some Of his enemies suddenly discov-
cred that I.eary was color-blind. He
said il was not so. and again he con-
founded his opponents although it took
more than one examination &c
thoroughly establish Leary's conten-
ton. Finally il was established and
he rsssed his examinations for reap
4 pointment as captain with flying col
orr