The evening times., 1896-12-03

New York, Dec 3.-Adviccsreoeivedf
the Philippine Islands by way of Hong Kong
tell remarkable story of the fate Of
Pedros Roxas, the leading man Of Manila
and the man who had been picked out as
the first president OF the new Philippine
republic in case the rebellion against The
Spanish rule on the islands was successful.
The story has to do with ROxas' wife
and her confessor, who is alleged to have
violated the sacred vows of secrecy.
ROxas was n sugar planter. He was
meshzo, or half-caste, his father being
Spaniard and his mother n native of the
islands. As a sugar planter and exporter
of sugar and hemp, Pedro Roxas accuru-
lated a fortune. He was finely educated.
speaking Spanish, English, Tagaloy the
native language, and Chinese.
He was broadIninded and liberal, and
gradually came to be looked on as the most
progressive OF all the native citizens OF
the islands. He was at the fore in an
improvements.
THE LEADING CITIZEN.
He was the organizer Of the electric
light company, the street railroad COM
pany, the bank, and most or the other
institutions of modern civilization that have
been introduced in the city Of Manila or
elsewhere on the islands.
He was at the head OF the educational
system and Of most OF the chanties, ana
il was the custom on Mondays and Fridays
OF each week for all the beggars in the
city, numbering $50 or 400, to gather
i'll the font yard where he would give
each a package of rice and would then dis
tribute copper coins.
He came To be beloved by ever rybodycNcept
the Spanish government. The Spanish dis
like of him was natural, because his desire
for progress was not In keeping with the
II was natural when the revolution against
Spanish misrule broke out months ago that
the meshZos who uprose should turn to
Pedro Roxas as u leader, or for encourage
rnent at least But the interests OF RONas
were SO great that he would not risk them.
He was counted as worth at least 50, ,OOO,-
0GO, aud his possessions were in all parts
OF the island. At the first overt act on his
part all would be confiscated, SO he could
not openly espouse the cause of the insur-
rectionists. But an implied promise to
accept the presidency of the new republica
Filippina, when that republic came, was
different
SHE TOLD THE PRIEST.
Pedro Roxas' wife, the story goes, was a
woman bound up In her religion. She was
woman educated almost as well as her hus-
band. She was handsome. She had most
of the generous traits OF her husband, but
She lacked the important one of discretion.
Pedro kept from her at first the news that
he would be the first president OF the re-
public; not that he didn't trust her but he
feared the lack OF discretion.
He was careful TO have nothing to do with
tine insurrectiouists, and not on any one act
OF his could the spauiards base a charge
that he was even n sympa'hizer with the
men who were struggling for their inde-
pendence.
But one day in an unguardcl moment,
he confided to his wife the plan that was
on foot to make him president. This She
told to her confessor. III her confeSsor had
been faithful c Catholic it would have made
no difference. But this conf.ssor, the story
goes, thought more of curryins favor withthe
government than he did or his vows and she
had no sooner confessed to him than he told
OF the confession To the Spanish Officers
tcame back to Pedro ORoxas'ears quickly,
even before the officials had time tOact; and
in a rage he accused his wife of having con-
spired 10 ruin him. She denied it, and he
rushed at her and attempted to choke her.
But he was ovcrpowered by the help that
came in response TO her screams.
SENT To PENAL COLONY.
Here was the excuse of the governmental
get rid OF Pedro without any scandal. The
officials pretended to believed in Eisloyalty to
the government. They had pity for him.
They said he must surely be suffering from
temporary alteration OF mind or he never
would have asSailed his wife So savagely.
They said nothing at all about the charge Of
disloyalty.
They said that the doctors on the island
We're incompetent to treat Il case so serious
as his, and that he needed the best of Euro
pean treatment and a change of scene.
He must have 1t instantly and in less time
than 1t takes to tell it he was placed aboard
a ship under the care of a physician.
The ship sailedaway TO the penal colonyof
ceuta. in Africa. There Pedro Roxas was
landed. There he is today, it is said, and
there he will stay until dcath-or republic
releases him.
With him once safely out ofthc country. the
next step was to confiscate his property.
This was done. Every foot of ground he
owned, every share OF stock he owned,
every house and everything in every house. |
even down to the last spoon. was seized. /
The woman who had caused his downfall |
through her want OF discretion was turned |
out on the street beggar.
Not satisfied with that. the Spaniards |
trumped up n charge against F. l.. Roxas |
the cousin OF Pedro. If Pedro was a traitor, |
they said. it must be in the blood of the fam |
lily. So they confiscated the millions owned |
by F. L. Roxas and turned him and his fam |
lily out to starve. So the story ends.