The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-05-10
.LEARY KILLED
SLAVERS
How the Governor Of Guam Aston.
ishsd Spanish offieiaL
New York SUM

Inc United States flag has bee
floating over the Island OF Guam 1
the Pacific for nine years. Some folk
may recall how Copt. Richard Leary
the first Of our naval Governors of tn
place. made men and women Living
togther in concubinage get married
and all living in that state had t
stand up and be really married by 1
formal ceremony. 1t may also be re
NE nbered that Leary stopped al
traffic in liquor
Probably the greatest change that
came with TIE Americ ideas, next
to establishing the ma riage relation,
was the abolition of a ocular kind of
slavery. Capt. Leary lid some dras-
tic work in that field Soon after the
Americans came some one told the
bondwoman of the former Treasurer
of the island under Spanish rule that
she was free, and that she could go
where she pleased. She ran away,
and the owner could not get her back
again. Straightway he complained to
Gov Leary. The Governor said he
would look into the matter very care
fully. Would the ex-Treasurer come
back the next week for his answer?
Leary got busy at once He made
an investigation of the bondage sys-
tenn, and his rigid American ideas
reyolted at what he learned The for
mer official returned promptly, hoping
that Gov. Leary would force the slave
to return Leary said with great de-
liberation:
Il have no answer for you. l know
all about this system of bondage here.
have investigated it, | know how
it arose and how it has been carried
1n L don't need any explanations
about it."
Then, raising his voice, Leary said:
Don't you ever dare to come to me
lgain with such complaint. You are
STAKEHOLDER If you were in the
United States we would put you in
all. You are one of the meanest,
Owest men on earth. How dare you
SIX the Governor of the United States
0 recognize slavery in any form!
If you ever come in here again on
UGH mission l will take you out
here and hang yau to the highest
NIB of that big cocoanut tree. Get
ut of here you miserable scoundrel!"
The man was flying out of the door
Y the time Leary had finished. HUI
ian slavery in an insidious form
9ased then and there in Guam.
Any man who knew Dick" Leary
9rsonally could realize what his rule i
cant in Guam 1t was rough. but 5
holesome. Leary was always :
ltriot Three times he had been dis L
Used from the navy. Twice he was 0
1t back by Congress because it was
lown that there was a cabal against
m. ID
Once the Navy Department re-
red him itself He was the man
no came near embroiling this Gov q.
nment in war with Germany by III
caring his ship, the Adams, for &C y
IN out in Samoa and running in be- d
cen the shore and the German ship =
Her, which was about to fire on
antation owned by a native who had III
come an American. 1t was an out v
me of the Observation-Disclosures row.
AIRY sent note to the German, say
!:
/ am here to protect American in CT
'ests. | trust that nothing will &C.
: today that will disturb the har-
my existing between our respect
Governments" of
cary had his ammunition on deck in
| his men at the guns. The Ger sa,
n would have had to fire over him. wa
e German thought it wise to avoid ore
APPLICATIONS. Dick Leary had a de-
I'd of praise from this Government ma
his action, but the State of Mary bal
d gave him a sword for it. Leary :
i the day he was made Rear Ad- orc
al, and never knew of his appoint len
ut. VIII
Capt. Leary was a native of Balti- ne,
e and we'll known there. He was aft,
rother of Brig. Gen. Peter Leary, tbe
U. S. A., President of the Sewer we,
Commission.) enc