The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, July 26, 1901, Page 1

VOLUME XC-—NO. 56, SAN . FRANCISCO, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 1901, REAR ADMIRAL SCHLEY'S CLEVER STRATEGY E IN THE SANTIAGO BATTLE NOW FORMS BASIS OF THE ATTACKS MADE BY HIS ENEMIES Naval Court of Inquiry Will Be Shown That in Drawing Away From the Spanish Vessels the Flagship Brooklyn Effectually Cut Off Al Chance for Their Escape by Outspeeding Them Toward Cape Cruz ALL BUREAU, 408 G STREET, { N. W., WASHINGTON, July 25.— New and important facts bearing upon Rear Admiral Schley's con- duct in the battie of Santiago will be submitted to the court of inquiry when It assembles in September. There has been considerable gossip as to the reasons which induced Rear Ad- miral Schley io make the famous loop, and Captain Cook, commanding the Brooklyn, explained this morning that it intended to head off the Spanish The effect of the loop Was to CAITY the Brooklyn farther away from the nish squadron, and then she straight- ed out in a course parallel with the shore and with the enemy’s fleet. The Viscaya, the ship nearest to the Brook- was at verious times between one an eighth and one and three-eighths s away from her pursuer. When the Viscaya was left behind the Brooklyn was five and a half miles distant from the , and when the latter ship surren- Aered she was three and seven-elghths Iyn miles away. It has now developed that subsequent to the battle wardroom officers of the Brook- lyn discussed the reason why thelr vessel was not taken nearer to the Spanish fleet, where they would have had an opportu- nity to use their guns with greater ef- fect. Bome of these officers wrote to their friends after the battle, speaking regret- fully of the distance separating the Brooklyn from the ships of the enemy. Rear Admiral Schley explained in his official report that the reason why the Brooklyn was kept so far out was because he wes making a straight line for Cape Cruz. The O#ion, well in shore, was fol- Jowing the coast line, which from Santiago to Cape Cruz describes & curve. Thus while the Brooklyn was following the chord of the arc the Colon was steaming along the curve, and the fermer, having the shorter distance to go, would thus have been able to cut her off in case she had fafled to surrender. [t Brooklyn officers say that as the chase began to lengthen the Oregon began to drop behind, and it would finally have narrowed down to a duel between their ship and the Spanish armored cruiser had not the latter earlier turned her helm and run ashore. The accusation and defense will be brought out before the court. In the meantime Secretary Long is seriously con- sidering the advisabllity of issuing an or- der prohibiting officers of the navy from discussing the controversy. The ¢ 18 of the opinion that In cour- tesy to court officers should withhold their statements untll they have had an opportunity of presenting them to that body. Furthermore, | £ TR BIERT TRAGE s L o Inquiry which is to investigate the con- troversial points in Admiral Schley’s con- duct during the Spanish War will be composed of Admiral Dewey, president of the court, and Rear Admiral Andrew K. Benham and one other officer. The court will meet at the Navy Department in ‘Washington September 12. Secretary Long announced these facts to-day. The precept to the court, which is being pre- pared by Captain Lemly, the judge advo- cate general, has not yet been completed. The scope of the inquiry will not be known until the precept and order for the convening of the court are issued. It is sald that they will be promulgated by the department to-morrow. Secretary Long says, however, that the proceedings of the PRINCIPALS IN THE SCHLEY- SAMPSON CONTROVERSY. THE UPPER PORTRAIT IS THAT OF GENERAL FELIX AGNUS. l, Rear Admiral Sampson was quoted this | morning as making a severe attack upon | Admiral Schley. The Secretafy is anxious that no further indiscriminate discussion shall occur, but that the officers shall wait until they take the oath. | Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans is quot- | ed this morning as repudiating an inter- ‘view in which he was quoted as saying that Rear Admiral Schley was not in pos- lsessibn of the signal code. His recentl® | published book, “A Sailor’s Log,” however, | bears out his first interview. In this book, | after telling of his arrival off Cienfuegos |on May 22 and reporting to Commodore | Schley, he says: “On May 23 I took in 257 tons of coal from a collier between the hours of 10 a m. and 6:30 p. m., besides giving coal to a torpedo-boat. During the night It was reported to me that there were three white lights in line on shore, which I knew was a signal from the insurgents that they wished to communicate. I, of course, took it for granted that the com- modure understood this signal as well as I aid, otherwise I should have informed him of its significance. It appeared after- ward that he did not, and thus much val- uable time was lost. On the morning of the 24th the Marblehead arrived, and the moment Commander McCalla heard of the three lights he went in and communi- cated and In a few hours Schley knew that the Spanish fleet was not in Clens fuegos.” —— MAXE-UP OF THE BOARD. Captain Samuel c. Lemly to Be the Judge Advocate. b WASHINGTON, July 2.—~The Board of L court will be open and that the widest latitude will be permitted in the matter of witnesses and that Rear Admiral Schley will be allowed to be represented by counsel. Of Admiral Dewey, the hero of “the battle of Manila Bay, it is unnecessary to speak. His record is famillar to all. His assoclate, Rear Admiral' Benham, is a retired officer. All day Secretary Long was engrossed in the consideration of the details of the court, seeking particularty for a suitable judge advocate. It was thought that such a man had been found in the person of Commander John* E. Pillsbury, a sallor who has the brightest reputation profes- sionally and is, moreover, regarded as of a judicial temperament. In fact, it was gnnounced early in the day, at the depart- ment, that he had been selected for the place. But later, on more mature consid- eration, his name was abandoned. It was recalled that as commander of the dyna- mite cruiser Vesuvius he had served un- der Sampson off Santiago, and, moreover, as equipment officer of the Boston Navy Yard, was now again a subordinate of the same admiral. In his desire to escape all criticism on the point of bias, Secre- tary Long felt that there were reasons sufficient for looking for new material, and for some man who was absolutely disassociated from the great controversy in any phase. ! Late to-night he decided that he had found sugh an officer in the person of Captain Samuel C. Lemly, the judge ad- vocate general of the navy, a selection calculated, because-of the rank of the office, to constitute a full recognition of the dignity and importance of the forth- coming court of inquiry. While it éannot be said that the matter is absolutely set- tled, Secretary Long went so far as to ask Captain Lemly if he felt free to ac- cept the assignment if it were offered to him, and it is belleved that Captain Lem- ly will decide to answer affirmatively. Captain Lemly would feel hurt to have it even intimated that he had any personal feeling whatever In the Schley-Sampson matter. In all the time he has been at the head of the legal department of the navy, his service dating back to 1892, he never has had occasion to pass upon any question that involved either Sampson or Schley in any personal aspect. He has Continued on Page Two. AGAIN DEATH ENTERS THE TEVIS HOME Grandson of the Late Millionaire Dies a Suicide. S Lloyd Tevis Breckinridge Grows Suddenly Weary of His Life. His Own People Say He Was Suffer- ing From Fit of Temporary Insanity. When the butler in the Tevis family went to call young Lloyd Tevis Breckin- ridge to-dinner at a little before 7-o'clock last night he found that the door of the young man's room was locked, It was an unusual clrcumstance, but the butler knew that Breckinridge was in the room, and, thinking he had fallen asleep, en- tered by another way. The servant found the young grandson of the late Lloyd Tevig dead in his bed. He was fully dressed and was lying with the covers drawn over his head. From one of the gas tips of the chandelier in the room a rubber tube used for a drop light ran down and ended beneath the covers, close to the dead man's mouth, The body was hardly cold when found, and the butler at once informed the family. Dr. Drossell, the physician whose residence is nearest to the Tevis mansion at 1816 Taylor street, was called. He pronounced the young man dead. The family physician, Dr. Glaser, came later, but, of course, to no purpose. Young Breckinridge had planned his own death too well. cle, could not be seen last night, nor could Mrs. Lloyd Tevis, the only other member of the family at present residing at:the family home, but this statement was given out for the family: Statement of Family. “Lloyd Tevis Breckinridge took his own life this afternoon by the inhalation of gas. He had been suffering for some time from extreme nervous depression and he was temporarily Insame when he killed himself.” That was all that would be seid. It is a re,'nn.rm.l. ta~c that, while the suicide was' discovered ak a little before 7 oalock, it was not reported to the Morgue yntil 8:35 p. m. It is a still more remarkable fact that the Morgue officials, although an Investigation was made at once, did not report the case in their turn until 10 p. m. ¥ The body was not taken to the Morgue last night, being allowed to remain at the family residence. Young Breckinridge returned to the city from Del Monte about one week ago. He had remalined at the seaside some three weeks, but so far as is known had met no experience there that would cause him to think of suicide. He was not and never had been a lady's man, and was not known to have had a love affair in his life, although he was between 22 and 23 years old. He was not and never had been a drinking man. His habits, so far as known, were most correct. He was of a qulet, retiring disposition, rather studious in his habits and of the artistic temperament. He was an accomplished planist and a devoted student of musc. Mother Is in Paris. ‘Whatever physical ills the young man suffered were believed by the family phy- sician to be due to fallure to take exer- cise, because that would interfere with his musical studies. The young man once started upon a course of calisthenics, but dropped it because its continuance would spoil his hands for piano playing. He did not seem more than usually de- pressed when he came back from Del Monte. At a little after 4 o’clock yester- day afternoon he was in the kitchen of his grandmother’'s home, joking with the cook, an old family servant. He must have gone directly from the Kkitchen to his own room and there lay down to die. He Is not known to have left any writing giv- ing a reason why a young man in the full glory of his youth, with boundless wealth and the world before him, should have been driven by black despair to leap into the abyss. Lloyd Tevis Breckinridge was the son of the eldest daughter of the late Lloyd Tevis, now Mrs. Fred Sharon. His moth- er is in Paris with her daughter, Miss Florence Breckinridge, and has been cabled of the death of her son. LAND OFFICE SUSPENDS ALL TIMBER ENTRIES WASHINGTON, July 25.—On account of timber land frauds discovered in Montana and Idaho Commissioner Hermann of the General Land Office has suspended all proofs made during the present year un- der the timber and stone act pending con- clusion of the full investigation and in- quiry begun some time ago. This action applies to all States where Government timber land is purchased and involves thousands of acres. Many large com- panies and speculators, it is alleged, have had “dummies” as agents make purchases of these lands from the Government. —_——— Explosion Razes Russian Town. BATUM, July 25.—A terrific explcsion of petroleum to-day in the most thickly pop- ulated quarter of Batum wrecked the whole center of the town. It is impossi- ble #t'the time of filing this dispatch to estimate the loss of life and property, but in both cases this is very large. —_— Negro Shot by a Mob, VIDALIA, Ga., July 2%.~Frank Earle, a negro, who held up and robbed a com- missary clerk at Davis Camp No. 2, was taken from the town jall to-day by a crowd of unknown men and shot to death, Dr. Harry Tevis, the young man’'s un- |, PRICE FIVE CENTS. BARRISTER MORSHEAD RETURNS TO FIGHT SOUTHERN PACIFIC, AND SHOULD HE LOSE WILL TAKE .CASE TO LONDON COURT OF EQUITY —— Tells in a Characteristic Manner Story of C. P. Huntington’s Financial Deal- ings in England and Claims That He Will Never Give Up Contest ‘Until/ the Corporation Is Reorganized on Entirely Different Lines — BARRISTER MORSHEAD, WHO REPRESENTS ENGLISH STOCKHOLDERS OF THE CENTRAL PACIFIC RAIL- ROAD, AND WHO DECLARES IF PENDING ACTION FOR REORGANIZATION OF THE _ s . An Englishman, you must know, when he has a grievance goes to the Times of Lon- don. We stockholders took our grievance there and the paper took it up. Similar action was taken by all the other English papers. Huntington decided that he must do something, so he and the Speyers nominated a committee of their own to try and stave the matter off. I was put on this committee, but did not like its methods and resigned. Huntington then attempted to pass a bill through Congress which If it had become a law would have confiscated all our stock. This bill was defeated, however. Appealed to McKinley. “In 1896 the English papers again took the matter up and the New York papers fol- lowed suit. I was invited to join a com- mittee In New York to try and settle the matter, which I did. I came to this coun- try and saw President McKinley, Secre- tary Gage and many other Cabinet officers and begged them to recognize the English stockholders of the Central Pacific. My interviews were not without success. Mr. Morshead says that when the case now pending in the United States Circuit Court In this city is decided he will jour- ney to London, and should the decision be unfavorable to his clients institute pro- ceedings there. He says that a civil case s much harder to try in an English court +* SOUTHERN PA- CIFIC GOES AGAINST HIS CLIENTS THEY WILL TAKE THE CASE TO LONDON COURT OF EQUITY. HE Southern Pacific Company will never have a clear title to its holdings of Central Pacific stock, on account ‘of ‘the frauds that were perpetrated by C. P. Hunt- ington.” Thus spoke Willlam Morshead, the Lon- don barrister, during an interview with a | Call reporter in his rooms at che Grand Hotel yesterday. Morshead represents the | British stofkholders in the Central Pa- cific, who purchased their holdings at the | solicitation of the late C. P. Huntington way back in 1883. The English barrister is a fighter, and he has the proud distine- tion of being the biggest thorn that ever stuck in the side of the late ragdiroad mag- nate, .whom he fought for years, both in the courts of this country and across the | pond. He arrived in San Francisco late Wednesday evening from Toronto, Can- ada, and says that his visit is to begin a fresh attack In his efforts to segufe a re- organization of the entire Southern Pa- cific Company. There is at present a case pending in the United States Circuit Court growing out by the Southern Pac.de, in which Mors- head’s clients are the plaintiffs. Should this case be decided against him Morshead will pack up and return to England and | commence suit in the Court ot Eduity in London. Says They Were Duped. Barrister Morshead is a peculiar looking man. He Is about 60 years of age, ex- tremely tall and when talking nervously | toys with a monocle that hangs from his neck by a silken cord. He does not mince wards in expressing his opinion of Hunt- Ington’s methods of doing business. “Huntington trrived in England in 13%0." said Mr. Morshead. “It took him until 1883 to dispose of all the stock that he could get rid of. He then returned to America. No dividends were paid on the stock, although he had promised us § per cent. In 1888 he came over agaln and promised to pay. dividends, which he did urtll 18M. We only got 2 per cent, and that was not earned by the road. Hunt- ington paid it out of his own pocket, In | the hope that he could sell us more stock. | “Even the 2 per cent stopped in 184, and ety than in our American courts. In England should a lawyer make charges which he cannot conclusively prove he may rendes himself liable to criminal proceedings. TELLS OF THE CRIME AND THEN DISAPPEARS Residents Near Lodi Perplexed Over the Queer Conduct of a Bleed- ing Stranger. LODI, July 25.—The supposed murder in Pixleys Grove last Sunday Is still a mystery. The local officers can find no trace of a body. though search has deen made in every direction. A peculiar phase of the case is that a man stopped a few miles south of the grove last Sunday afterncon at Castles switcn and usiked for a drink of water, His face bore traces of blood and he appeared very weak and pale. He re- marked that he had been stabbed by two men who attempted to rob him, but did not state how or whers the affalr oc- curred. Since then no trace of the man has, been fourid. Some belleve that he of the absorption of the Central Pacific | there ensued a blg agitation in England. [dud in the vicinity from loss of blood.