Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1911-10-06
ADMIRAL SCHLEY
DROPS DEAD
HERO OF BATTLE OF SANTIAGO
VICTIM OF HEART DISEASE
IN NEW YORK.
DESTROYED CERvERAS FLEET
On July 2, 1898, During the Absence Of
His Superior Officer, Admiral Will
liam r. Sampson-In the Serv-
ice Forty-five Years.

New York, Oct. 3.-Rear Admiral
winfield Scott Schley dropped dead
near the corner of Forty fourth street
and Fifth avenue while on his way
down town. Admiral Schley had been
out of town over Sunday and on his
return here had gone to the New York
Yacht club. After a short stay at the
club he started to walk along Forty.
fourth street toward Fifth avenue
when he was taken suddenly i'll. A
hurry call was sent for physicians and
an ambulance but before aid could
reach him the admiral was dead.
Winfield Scott Schley was born in
Frederick county, Maryland, Oct. 8.
1889, the son of John Thomas and
Georgiana Virginia Schley. He en-
tered the naval academy at Annapolis
Sept. 20, 1855, and was graduated in
1860. During the following year he
served on the frigate Niagara. In 1861
he was promoted to the rank of mas
ter" and attached to the frigate
Potomac, which was serving as store
ship at Ship island. In 1923 he was
on the steam gunboat Winona, of the
west gulf blockading squadron.
On July 16, 1862, he was commiss-
stoned lieutenant. During the years
from 1864 to 1866 he served on a steam
gunboat Of the Pacific squadron and
distinguished himself in 1866, during
the instruction of the Chinese COO
lies on Middle Chincha islands. In the
same year he was at La Union, San
Salvador, to protect the American in
terests during the revolution in that
county He became lieutenant COM
mander July %, 1866, and acted as
instructor in languages at Annapolis
from 1867 to 1869. In 1870 he was as
signed to the Benicia, third rate, and
with that ship spent three years at the
China station. He saw sharp fighting
in June, 1871, during the capture Of
the Korean forts on the Sulee river,
leading the assaulting column.
From 1873 to 1876 he was again at
the naval academy, being appointed
commander June 10, 1874. In 1877 he
commanded the Essex" third rate,
at the South American station. From
1880 to 1883 he was lighthouse inspect
or at Boston, became attached to the
bureau of equipment in 1888 and in
1884 was placed in command of a re-
lief expedition sent to the arctic re-
giOns to search for Lieutenant Greedy
and his comaniOns. Two former ex-
petitions sent out for that purpose had
failed. Commander Scvhley's expedi-
ton sailed from st. Johns, Newfound-
land, May u, 1884, with the three
steam whalers 'Thetis," Bear" and
alert" The expedition returned to
st. Johns on July 16 of the same year.
Previous to the outbreak of the
Spanish-American war Commodore
Schley was ordered on the Brooklyn
and given command of the flying
squadron" 1t was his squadron which
located the Spanish fleet at Santiago
on May 20, 1898, and blocked the har-
Dor. On the morning of July 2, 1898,
Admiral Sampson, who was the super
Tor in command, departed for Siboney,
leaving Schley in full command of the
feet on board of the flagship.
Scarcely one hour after the admirals
departure the Spanish fleet emerged
from its sheltering harbor. Comma
dore Schley directed the battle which
followed and which ended with the
complete destruction of the Spanish
feet.
Schley's action in the battle was
made the subject of an investigation,
but the experts found his action fully
justified and public opinion gave
Schley all credit due to him. While ON
the waiting list after his return to
Porto Rico, he made a tour of the
country and was feted and over
whelmed with honors everywhere. He
was made rear admiral March 3, 1899,
and from Nov. 8 of that year was in
command of the South Atlantic station
until Oct 9, 1901, when he was placed
upon the retired list having attained
the age of 62 years.
Admiral Schley married Anne Re-
becca Franklin of Annapolis and they
have three children living. The eld-
est, Virginia, is the wife of Ralph
Montague Stewart Wortley, an Eng
Iishman residing in New York. The
admiral's eldest son and namesake is
a surgeon in New York, and young
son, Franklin Schley, is a lieutenant
Of the Twenty-third infantry.
Schley was in active service at sea
for a total of eighteen years. He had
twenty-five years and seven months Of
land duty.