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| Rear Admiral Winfield Scott Schley. |
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| USS Iowa. |
Cortland
Evening Standard, Wednesday, May 25, 1898.
GREAT
NAVAL ACTIVITY.
Commodore
Schley Believed to Be South of Cuba.
CRUISING
OFF THE COAST.
May Be
Near Cienfuegos or Santiago De Cuba.
MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica, May 25.—The Associated
Press dispatch boat
Dandy has
just reached here with the following advices:
The waters south of Cuba have suddenly
become the scene of great naval activity. Commodore Schley, who left Key West
last Thursday with the United States battleships Massachusetts and Texas, the
armored cruiser Brooklyn and the yacht Scorpian, is believed to be cruising off
Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba.
When the Dandy left Key West last Friday
morning Admiral Sampson was still there. It was the opinion of the naval
officers that he would sail for Cienfuegos soon by the eastern route, the two
fleets thus completing the circle of Cuba.
The battleship Iowa followed Commodore
Schley on Friday, but was overtaken off Cape San Antonio on Saturday by the
torpedo boat Dupont, with secret instructions. The battleship immediately
increased her speed to the limit and when last seen was guarding the entrance
to the passage between the Isles of Pines and Cuba. The Dupont rushed on toward
Cienfuegos.
Five British warships are now in the
vicinity of Jamaica.
The Spanish 1,200 tons passenger steamer
Purisim Conception is here. She is afraid to venture out. The numerous rumors
as to the sighting of the phantom Spanish fleet in this vicinity are quite
unsubstantiated.
SPANISH
BOAT COALING.
A
Supposed Hospital Boat Turns Out to Be a Coal Transport.
ST. PIERRE, May 25.—The Spanish torpedo boat
destroyer Terror is being coaled by the Spanish steamer Alicante. The Alicante
lies at the mouth of the Fort de France harbor. It was all along supposed that
she was a hospital ship, but there is now no doubt that she carries a cargo of
coal for the Spanish ships. Her pretensions to be a hospital snip were
obviously put forward as a blind.
The United States consul has cautioned the French
officials of the port not to allow the Terror to take coal in excess of the
quantity necessary to carry her to the nearest Spanish port. It is reported
that the Terror will leave Martinique tomorrow. She is understood to be in good
condition.
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| USS Wompatuck. |
NO DAMAGE
DONE.
Sharp
Skirmish Off Santiago De Cuba last Wednesday.
KEY WEST, May 25.—The United States
auxiliary tug Wompatuck has just brought in a story of a sharp skirmish off
Santiago de Cuba last Wednesday. The tug with the United States auxiliary cruiser
St. Louis went into the Santiago channel to cut the cable. While the vessels
were engaged in the work they were fired upon by the shore batteries. The St.
Louis returned the fire and a lively fusillade ensued for about half an hour.
The Wompatuck eventually succeeded in
cutting the cable. None of the
Spanish shots
succeeded in reaching either boat, while neither of them in turn boasts of
having inflicted any damage upon the enemy. From Santiago the two ships
proceeded to Guantanamo, the Wompatuck going in about 400 yards from shore to
cut the cable there, the St. Louis lying out of range. The shore batteries
again opened fire and the St. Louis signaled the tug to come out, which she
did, without having cut the cable at that point. This adventure was equally
harmless.
WAR
PREPARATIONS.
Great
Activity In the Spanish Navy Yards—Cervera Returning.
WASHINGTON, May 25.—The Spaniards appear to
be making ready for something more than a defensive campaign at home, or at
least they are trying to create that impression by other means than news
bulletins that issue almost daily from Madrid. The navy department now has
through its own reliable sources reports of the greatest activity in the
Spanish navy yards and of the preparation for sea and for a long voyage of two
of the torpedo boat destroyers.
It is given out that they are to join
Cervera immediately when his squadron enters Cadiz harbor. Possibly this
statement is made with a deliberate purpose of misleading American sailors into
the belief that Cervera has taken his way homeward.
NEUTRALITY
ANNOUNCED.
Five
More Countries Have Declared Themselves.
ONE A
FIRST CLASS POWER.
Russia,
Greece, Venezuela, the Netherlands and Canada.
WASHINGTON, May 25.—The consular
representatives gave notice of the declaration of neutrality by five countries,
Russia, Greece, Venezuela, the Netherlands and Canada.
Particular importance attaches to the
declaration by the Venezuelan government because her ports would be of
inestimable value to the Spanish fleet as places of refuge and as possible coal
supplies in the event that the declaration of neutrality were withheld. The
notice is dated Caracas, April 29 and expresses Venezuela's position in the one
sentence: "The republic will preserve the strictest neutrality during the
contest."
The Dutch proclamation cautions all citizens
of the Netherlands from becoming in any way involved in privateering and
against acceptance of any foreign privateering ships papers under penalty of
prosecution. This provision may be of value to the United States in the event
that Spain should resort to the issue of letters of marque. The same citizens
are also enjoined to respect the blockades. Touching the coal supply the Dutch
regulation is that this shall be supplemented only to the extent necessary to
permit the ship to reach the nearest port of the country to which it belongs or that of one of
its allies in the war. Belligerents are forbidden to bring prizes into the Netherland waters.
The Canadian proclamation is in the same
terms as that of Great Britain, except as to the preamble.
The Russian declaration has one important
statement not usual in such cases as follows: "The disagreements which
have recently arisen between
Spain and
the United States of America have induced the imperial government to seek, in
concert with the other powers, some means which might prevent an armed conflict
between these two countries. Unhappily our friendly measures are without
results, and a state of war now exists between Spain and the United States. It
is with keen regret that the imperial government witnesses an armed conflict
between two states to which it is united by old friendship and deep sympathy.
It is firmly resolved to observe with regard to these two belligerents a
perfect and impartial neutrality.
The Grecian declaration is contained in a
line stating that the strictest neutrality will be maintained.
WILL FLY
NO LONGER.
THE RACE
OF SPAIN'S FLYING SQUADRON IS RUN.
Bottled
up in the Harbor of Santiago de Cuba—Its Destruction or Capture Merely a Matter
of Time—Armorclads of the United States Navy Block the
Entrance
and are Ready for Battle.
NEW YORK, May 25.—A special to The Herald
from Washington says: Spain's flying squadron will fly no longer. Its race is
run. Cooped up in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba, its destruction or capture is
considered by officials here to be merely a matter of time. Before the harbor
are the armorclads of the American navy, ready to give battle to Admiral
Cervera's men-of-war the moment they poke their noses out of the channel
leading to the sea.
Official advices announcing these to be the
positions of the opposing fleets were received at the navy department last
night from the commander-in-chief of the American force operating in front of
the harbor. It was these advices which enabled the authorities to deny
emphatically the reports that an action had occurred in the Windward passage.
OREGON
OFF FLORIDA.
ARRIVED
WITH THE MARIETTA AND BUFFALO LAST NIGHT.
It Was an
Exciting Race Especially After They Left Babia, but If Attacked
They
Would Have Been Heard from—Eager Now to Fight the Spaniards.
NEW YORK, May 25.—A dispatch from Jupiter,
Fla., to the Evening World, tells of the arrival of the United States steamer
Oregon at that port, reads: The battleship Oregon arrived off this harbor late
last night.
The landing of a party of marines and a
United States naval officer from three war vessels which anchored well out in
the water was the occasion of much excitement among the small party of belated
watchers at the landing. The officer was Lieut. Austin R. Davis of the Oregon
and it was that ship, with her companions, the Marietta and the Buffalo, which
stood out to sea.
"Our race," said Lieutenant Davis,
"was a most exciting one, and especially after we left Bahia, for we then
knew of the possibility of interception. Captain Clark, however, kept the
little fleet in constant readiness, and had we run into the Spanish fleet we
would have been heard from. As it is, we are all happy that our race from San
Francisco is now ended, and that we will have a chance to take part with the
fleets now looking for the Spaniards."
 |
| Richard Croker. |
PAGE
TWO—EDITORIALS.
New York
Wide Open.
Mr. Croker's mayor of New York gathered for
Tammany, Saturday, the fruits of its victory at the polls last fall. The reforms
accomplished under the close glare of the Lexow investigation are by Mayor Van
Wyck finally overturned, and the old system of protection of vice and collection
of toll from it for Tammany reinstated.
Under Chief of Police McCullagh the laws
were enforced. New York could not be ''wide open." Gamblers who had fitted
up their places directly after the election in November in anticipation of old-time
Tammany freedom of operation were not permitted by McCullagh to do business.
They complained to Croker and Van Wyck. The latter wanted a captain changed
from a district in which the gambling houses and ill-fame resorts formerly
flourished. The captain would not let these places open. The chief refused to
shift him. The Republican commissioners, Hamilton and Phillips, would not
remove the chief. The mayor thereupon removed the commissioners. He appointed
Jacob Hess to succeed Hamilton, leaving the other seat vacant for the time. The
new commissioner met with the two Tammanyites, summarily removed McCullagh and
appointed former Captain Devery chief.
The Lexow testimony tells all about Devery
or, if it omits anything,
Parkhurst society,
the courts and trial proceedings before a former police board will supply what
is lacking. Devery was the star protector of vice and collector of tribute
therefrom under the former Tammany reign. The scale of prices by which he
operated, as established before the Lexow committee, was as follows:
"Initiation fee" to be paid by
each disorderly house proprietor, $500.
Regular monthly tax, $50.
If tax was omitted for any month then the
proprietor paid next month, $100.
"Christmas present," $25 to 100.
For allowing lumber dealer to blockade sidewalk,
$100.
Devery was tried by the police board, and dismissed
from the police force in August,
1894. The courts reinstated him July 19, 1895, for "glaring errors of the trial
board." He believes in "wide open" New York. He is an ideal
Tammany man. The prince of protectors of law breakers, Tammany selects him to be
chief of police. Nothing now is in the way of a full restoration of all the
viciousness of the ante-Lexow system of government in the metropolis.
There is talk of taking Mayor Van Wyek's
offenses before Governor Black, with a view to his removal. But on what
removable ground? The charter gives the mayor absolute power of removal till
July 1. He is not obliged to have cause. He is doing what Croker had in view
when he nominated him, and what the people of New York must have known a Croker
mayor would do. If the people do not want Crokerism to extend beyond the limits
of the metropolis they must take warning by Van Wyck and keep the governorship
and legislature out of Democratic hands.
◘
So far as can be judged on the
face of it, the agreement entered into between Russia and
Japan concerning Korea is quite as favorable to Japan as to Russia. By this
protocol both nations mutually engage to refrain from all interference in the
internal affairs of the Hermit Kingdom. Neither will give advice or assistance
to Korea, even if applied to by her, without notifying and consulting the other
contracting power. Recognizing the heavy commercial and industrial interests of
Japan in Korea, Russia further binds herself alone to do nothing that will
prevent the growth and development of this trade. This is not at all
magnanimous on the part of Russia when we remember that Japan fairly whipped
China and was as fairly entitled to take on herself the whole suzerainty of
Korea. Still, considering that Russia might have driven Japan out of the
kingdom altogether, the concession is something. We may now hope that the
civilizing and industrial development of Korea will proceed henceforth by
orderly stages.
To be
Buried in Cortland.
Beard & Peck, undertakers, this morning received
a letter from D. L. Spoor of Syracuse,
asking them to meet the 12:50 D., L. & W. train to-morrow to convey the
remains of his son, Arthur Augustus Spoor, to the Cortland Rural cemetery. The young
man shot himself in a public park in Indianapolis Monday evening after having
shot and killed a young lady in a resort in that city. The family has lived in
Cortland and has a lot in the Rural cemetery.
PUBLIC MEETING
FOR PAVING
To be
Held at Fireman's Hall Tuesday Evening, May 31, at 7:30 o'clock.
At the request of a number of citizens a
public meeting will be held at Fireman's hall on Tuesday evening, May 31, at 7:30
o'clock to discuss the matter of paving material for Main-st. The speakers
arranged for at the postponed meeting which was to have been held a few days ago
will take part, but the meeting will be entirely public and open to all. It is
hoped [that] there will be a general attendance of the citizens.
DECISION
RENDERED
Over Costs
in the Case of Ellis M. Santee vs. the Syracuse Standard.
The appellate division of the supreme court
has handed down a decision affirming the decision of the lower court compelling
the defendant to pay the costs of the September term in the libel case of Ellis
M. Santee vs. The Standard Publishing Co. of Syracuse. The case was put over
the term in September on the motion of the defendant, and was tried at the
January term, resulting in a judgment for the plaintiff of $751, which has also
been appealed from to the appellate division. The question at issue in this
decision was over the taxing of the costs for the September term, and this was
argued before the appellate division at Albany, May 9, for the plaintiff by
Horace L. Bronson, for the defendant by T. E. Courtney. The argument upon the
appeal from the judgment itself will be before the same court at Saratoga in
September.
For
Public Intoxication.
Floyd Ross, a young man 26 years of age
living at East Freetown, was arrested last night shortly after 6 o'clock at the
Cortland House by Constable James E. Edwards on the charge of public
intoxication. Constable Edwards had considerable difficulty in landing him in
jail, requiring the assistance of three men. A part of the distance Ross had to
be carried by main force. This morning in police court the young man pleaded
guilty to the charge, and was sentenced to fifty-nine days in the county jail.
BREVITIES.
—New display advertisements to-day are—M. B.
Peck, New Grocery, page 5.
—The Epworth league of the First Methodist
church will hold a parlor meeting this evening at the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Lillis Miller, 89 Tompkins-st.
—The prayer-meetings in the several churches
to-morrow evening will be held at 7 o'clock, instead of at 7:30 o'clock to
admit of the possibility of those attending also getting to the Opera House at
8 o'clock.
—Frederick Brothers have received the
contract for fencing the E. & C. N. Y. R. R. property on each side from
Solon to Cincinnatus with the celebrated Keystone wire fence, for which they
are the local agents.
—The annual reunion of the One Hundred
Eighty-fifth regiment, N. Y. Vols.,
will be held in Cortland on Wednesday, June 22. Headquarters will be at G. A. R.
hall. Further announcement will be given later.
—A note upon the official programs for the
concerts at the Opera House
Thursday
and Friday evening will request all ladies to remove their hats.
The ladies
will perhaps like to know about this in advance so as to be prepared to comply
with the request.
—Mr. James A. Wood, the local agent of the
New York Life Insurance Co., is presenting to his friends with the compliments of
his company a very handy vest pocket war map of the West Indies and the
Philippine Islands, containing all the places of which so much is said in the
papers now-a-days. The STANDARD acknowledges with thanks the gift of one of
them.
—The Cortlandville town board and the
Cortland village board have both been invited to be present at the Opera House
at the Memorial day exercises Monday afternoon, and both have accepted.
Consequently it has been decided to ask the village clergy to occupy seats with
the officers of the day upon the stage and to reserve the two lower boxes for
the two boards.
—The north side of Court-st. opposite the
Conservatory of Music was lined with people last night for an hour or more,
listening to the rehearsal of the Conservatory orchestra which was practicing
for the music festival concerts. The
music floated out through the open windows and was fine.
Considerable enthusiasm was manifested when the orchestra played Sousa's "Stars
and Stripes Forever."
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