Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1898-08-11
CAPTURE OF GUAM
Lieutenant Brauners.
reutheT Tells His
Experiences.
FEARED SPANISH TREACHERY
BY Prompt Action IL Prevented Any
Underhandsd work On fisesRart of
the Governor Spanish Rriscners
Protested and Pleaded.

GAbE1nNeu anu ttShusUs &9
Wheeling, w. Va, Aug. 9.-The first
details at first hands Of the Ladrone
islands reached Wheeling today in a
letter TO Hon. Augustus Pollack, from
the naval officer who figured In the
leading role Of the exploit, Lieutenant
William Braunersreuther. executive
officer OF the cruiser Charleston. The
letter follows:
United States Cruisers Charleston,
at sea and 1000 miles from Manila
June 24.--We have just carried out
our orders to capture the Spanish au-
thorities at the capital Of the Ladrone
islands, Agana. | was selected by the
captain TO undertake this job and given
go men TO land with as starter. |
went ashore to have talk with the
governor about affairs, and the result
was that did not lose even single
man. The matter was all settled i'm
one day, and we are carrying with US
"a soldiers (Spanish) and six officers.
II had the whole matter to handle
and did ii up quickly. The captains
we're TO await half hour
for an answer to bis ultimatum, then
use my troops. waited, and iii just
20 minutes the governor handed me
his sealed reply, addressed to the cap
tain Of my ship out in the harbor, ahuot
four or five miles of. knew this
was sealed with the sole object OF gain
ing time, aud hence broke the zeal,
read the contents, the governor protest.
ing and saying that was letter for my
! replied:
".I represent him here. You are
now my prisoners, senorH. and will
have to come on board ship with me-
They protested and pleaded, and
finally the governor said:
/" You came ON shore to talk over
and you make US prisoners in
stead
II replied: 4 came on shore to
hand you letter and get yonrreply.
In this reply. now In my hands. you
agree to surrender all under your iuris-
II this means anything at all.
1t means that you will accede to any
demand may deem rroper to make.
You will at once write an order to your
military man at Agana, the capital
(this place was five miles distantl, de
reeting him to deliver here at this
place at P. NJ. tit Was then 1920 A.
Nj. June 2i), all arms and ammunition
and all Spanish flags on the island.
Each soldier is to bring his own rife
and ammunition, ard all the soldiers.
native and Spanish, with their officers.
must witness this.'
They protested and demuned, say-
ing there was not enough 70 do 1t: but
| said; Seniors, it must be done.
'.The letter was written, read by me
aud sent. took all the officers on
board with me in a boat, and at P.
Nj. went ashore again and rounded in
the whole outfit. | 6as three miles
away from my troops, and had only
four men with me. at 4P. NJ, when
| disarmed l0S men and two officers, /
had 80 men and three officers with me.
The keynote to the whole business was
my breaking the seal OF that letter and
acting at once. They had no time to
delay or prepare any treacherous tricks.
and got the drop on the whole outfit.
40 thax, oaxt a,,k Mast
''The native troops | released and
allowed to return to their homes un.
restricted. They manifested great joy
In being relieved from Spanish rule.
While IL was harsh. ii was war, and in
connection with the Spanish treachery.
Il was all that could be done. Twenty
four hours--yes. believe even four
leadership OF the gov
srnor, who was lieutenant colonel IN
the Spanish army, would have given
them chance to hide along the road at
Agana and at intervals In the dense
tropical foliage they could have almost
any force we could land.
The approaches to the landing. over
shallow coral reefs, would have made
i landing without terrible loss OF life
almost an impossibility.
1--WE have increased by conquest the
OF the United States by
nearly $4,000 people. The capital has
4 population of 5000 people. This
harbor in which we are is beautiful,
easy OF access. plenty of deep water,
Of the presence OF large
number OF vessels at the same time, and
Is an ideal place for coaling stations
II our government decides to hold the
Philippines, 1t would then come in SO
we'll; San Francisco to Honolulu. .. 100
miles; Honolulu to tho island of Guam,
B, 800. and thence TO Manila. 1900
miles. With chain Of supply sta
lions like this. we could send troops the
whole year around II necessary. and
my vessel with steaming capacity of
$500 miles could reach base Of supplies.
"The details have scarcely touched
lpon, but had the officials and soldiers
ireamed for one minute that they were
70 be torn from their homes there
would, feel sure. have been another
tory to tell. and | am convinced this
otter would never have been written.
Tho captain. u extending to me his
'opgratplationa. relaarked:
+ BraunerateutheF. you'll never, 40
angsas Vou Iiva. have anothas experi-
lnce such u this. congratulate you