Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1898-08-11
Lieutenant BraunerS'
reuther Tells His
Experiences.
FEARED SPANISH TREACHERY
BY Prompt Action He Prevented ANY
Underhanded Work on the Part OF
the GovernOr-spnntsh frlSoheTs
Protested and Pleaded.

Wheeling. W. Va, Aug. 9.-The first
details at first hands Of the Ladrone
islands reached Wheeling today in
letter to Hon. Augustus Pollack, from
the naval officer who figured in the
leading role of the exploit, Lieutenant
William BrauneIsreuther, executive
officer of the cruiser Charleston. The
letter follows;
United States Cruisers Charleston,
at sea and LOCO miles from Manila
June 24.--We have just carried out
orr 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 gwen
80 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 a single
man. The matter was all settled IN
one day, and we are carrying with US
81 soldiers (Spanish) and six officers.
II had the whole matter TO handle
and did it up quickly. The captains
instructions we're to await half hour
for an answer to his ultimatum, then
use nv troops. | waited, and in just
90 minutes the governor handed me
his sealed reply, addressed to the cap
tain of my ship out in the harbor, abuot
four or five miles Oft. l knew this
was sealed with the sole object OF gain
ing tune, and hence broke the seal,
read the contents, the governor protest.
ing and saying that was a letter Tor my
captain. replied:
'I represent him here. You are
now my prisoners, SENIORS, 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
matters and you make rs prisoners IN
stead.
81 replied: 4 came on shore to
hand you letter and get your reply.
In this reply. now in my hands, you
ayree to surrender all under your juris-
diction. If this means anything at all,
it means that you will accede to any
demand l may deem proper to make.
You will at once write an order TO your
military man at Agana, the capital
(this place was five miles Distant. di.
recting him to deliver here at this
place at 4 P. NJ. lit was then 1920 A.
NJ. June 2D, all arms and ammunition
and all Spanish flags on the island.
Each soldier is to bring his own rifle
and ammunition. and all the soldiers,
native and Spanish, with their officers,
must witness this.
''They protested and demuried, say.
ing there was not enough to do 1t; but
l said Seniors, it must be done.
1.-THE letter was written, read by me
and sent. took all the officers on
board with me in a boat, and at 4 P.
NJ. went ashore again and rounded in
the whole outfit. I ~as three miles
away from my troops, and bad only
four men with me. At P. NJ. when
l disarmed los men and two officers,
had 46 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 I got the drop on the whole outfit,
as they say out West.
1.-THE native troops l released and
allowed to return to their homes un.
restricted. They manifested great JOY
in being relieved from Spanish rule.
While it was harsh, it was war, and in
connection with the Spanish treachery,
it was all that could be done. Twenty.
four hours-yes, believe even four
honrs-with leadership of the gov.
ernor, who was Northumberland 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
annihiated any force we could land.
The approaches to the landing, over
shallow coral reefs, would have made
landing without terrible loss OF life
almost an impossibility.
"We have increased by conquest the
population of the United States by
nearly IL, 900 people. The capital has
population of 5000 people. This
harbor in which we are is beautiful,
easy of access, plenty of deep water,
admitting of the presence of large
number of vessels at the same time, and
is an ideal place for a coaling station.
Ii our government decides to hold the
Philippines, it would then come in SO
we'll; San Francisco to Honolulu, 2, 100
miles; Honolulu to the island OF Guam,
$500, and thence to Manila, 1,6OC
miles. With chain of supply sta.
tions like this, we could send troops the
whole year around If necessary, and
any vessel with a steaming capacity OF
$500 miles could reach base of supplies,
"The details have scarcely touched
upon, but had the officials and soldiers
dreamed for one minute that they were
to be torn from their homes there
would, l feel sure. have been another
story to tell. and | am convinced this
letter would never have been written,
"The captain, in extending to me his
congratulations, remarked:
" 'Braunersreuther, you'll never, az
long as you live, have another expert.
ence such as this. congratulate YOU
upon your work.