The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-26
CAPTAIN OF THE INDIANA.
Anecdotes Told About
This Popular Omcer.


This Popular omcer.
Washington Letter in New York Times.
The peculiarities of Capt. "Bilr' Emery,
now commanding the Indiana, are fruit
full source OF gossip In the navy. A pluck
Ter, more determined. more positive man
never lived, yet he appears to mankind as
a languid swell. He lives in handsome
house In the most aristocratic quarter of
Washington. On shipboard he always wears
white gloves. generally kid, and 1t is
noble sight to see the captain, spick and
span. with one white hand thrust in his
breast, surveying operations while every
one around him is as grimy as sweep.
1t is recorded of Captain Emery that one
day he walked into the bureau of naviga-
ton in search of an officer there. The
young officer in charge said that Captain
Blank had just gone out.
"Oh. dear me- 1 am very sorry for that"
said Captain Emery. placing one beringed
hand on his breast and speaking in the
slightly affected manner peculiar to him.
do you think he has gone to the club?'
Yes, sir" said the lieutenant, SCI know
he has. Just as he was going out he said
he was going there
"Oh. indeed, do you think I could catch
him IL walked up in the direction Of the
club?"
IT think so, sir
"You are sure he went there?" said Cap
tain Emery, turning to go.
There's no mistake possible. sir. He
told me just as he went out that he was
going up to the Army and Navy Club"
Captain Emery was in the act OF going
out. AS he heard these words he paused,
turned around, and said in perplexed
manner:
90
thought you said he had gone TO the club"
For Captain Emery there was only one
club, and that was the swell Metropoli-
tan Club. which has just refused to admit
President Roosevelt.
So much for one side OF the character of
the captain OF the Indiana. Lest any over
hasty reader should misJudge the captain,
here Is another story, equally well anthem
When the Petrol, Captain Emery COM
manding, was In Asiatic waters. the Amer
lean officers foregathered on an occasion
with the officers of the flagship of q Rus
sian feet which was also In those parts
The Russians amiably endeavored to fill
the Americans as full of things to eat and
drink as possible. and In due course II fell
10 the Americans to return the compliment
The Russians came to the Petrol, and the
Americans outdid their former hosts. In
fact plentiful was the good cheer that
when the Russians started to leave one or
two of them were not quite sure whether
they were going or coming.
a
happy condition, stumbled and came near
going over the side head first. A young
American paymaster, Bowen by name,
reached out and caught him. The over
stimulated Russian, too far gone to under
stand the motive for the kindly action,
construed Il as an assault, drew knife
breast to waist. But for q backward step
something else besides the uniform would
have been slit.
The American sprang forward, but their
friends separated the two men, and the
Russian was hurried aboard his ship. The
friends OF the young American officer be-
gan 10 give him bad advice. They told him
that as he had been insulted In the pres
ence of all the Russian officers, those off,
GERS would certainly regard him as cow
ard unless he sent challenge
The paymaster was a good deal troubled.
He knew IL was against the regulations to
fight duel. and he might be dismissed
from the navy. AT the same time he did
not want TO be regarded as a coward and
the Russians might think that pleading the
regulations was mere excuse. In the
morning, still undecided, he determined to
take the captains advice.
He went to the cabin and found the cap
tain spick and span as ever. He told the
whole story, and asked for Emery's advice
The captain heard him through without in
terruption, and then said. in the same pre-
else and genteel manner In which he had
asked about "the club
You did very well to come to me, Mr.
Bowen. Please do nothing further in the
case until send for you"
Captain Emery then sent a letter to the
captain OF the Russian ship, IN which he
recounted the circumstances, and requested
i s1. So1Tte co Ia language that the young Rus
instruction TO apologize TO the paymaster.
Back came letter from the Russian
captain expressing his regret at being I'M
ter. But the fact was that the young on
GER was nephew of the Russian admiral
and under the circumstances Captain EN-
cry could see how difficult, etc.
Captain Emery sent another note. In 1t
he said that while the Russian captain I'M
douDtedly did not intend IL as such, his ac-
ton was an affront to him. Captain Emery
Unless the offending officer came aboard
the Petrol and apologized to the paymaster
would be forced to hold the Russian captain
personally responsible. and would have to
ask him for satisfaction.
The Russian captain sent back note of
apology. written by the admiral's nephew
In which that young man expressed his re-
greet for the occurrence.
Cantaln Emery promptly returned the
note. With IL he sent another, saying that
the apology was not satisfactory. The in
suit had been given on board the Petrol.
and reparation should be made on board the
Petrol. Mr.. Bowens honor would not be
satisfied unless the admiral nephew came
aboard the Petrol and apologized. that all
the paymasters brother officers might
know that the apology had been made In
conclusion, II the admiraFs nephew did not
do this. Captain Emery would consider that
front 10 him, and friend OF his would wait
upon the Russian captain at once
As soon as this letter was delivered on
the Russian ship boat was sent over TO
the Petrol In IL was the admirals nephew
and he apologized TO the .paymaster on
Emery sent for the paymaster and in
formed him that II was unnecessary for
him 10 do anything more in the matter
OF course, when this story got around
the captain idolized. He had unques-
tionably placed himself In grave danger OF
being court-martialed. Whatever moraiists
might think OF his act he had relieved his
young subordinate OF the responsibility and
the danger-"taken 10 OF the boys shout
ders," as his officers said, and put II on his
own. He had come near TO violating the
regulations himself, and would unQuestlon-
ably have violated them had the Russians
last communication been OF a different sort
but ne had saved "the boy" from the hard
choice of dishonor on the one side and dis
missal on the other.