The Portland daily press., 1898-07-25
YOUNG SENIOR AGUINALDO.
philadelphia Record,l

Pancho Aguinaldo, the native dictator
OF the Philippines, is very picturesque
parsonage. He is the son of very prom
inent chief. Anxious that his boy should
be educated, this chisf confided the lad
to the Spanish priests, who thought that
Aguinaldo's influence when he grew I'D
would help to maintain Spanish authori-
ty among the Malay population. The
father is rich for native, and Pancho
Aguinaldo, after being taught in the
local schools, was sent to Madrid to study
theology and qualify for the priesthood.
After year or two of study the young
man boldly declared he would not be o
priest, but soldier. So he was drafted
into one of the native regiments, IN
which a few of the subalterns are Manila
men, but all the captains aid field officers
are Spanish. f 800
Nearly two years ago Aguinaldo and
compatriot named Alexandra, also a lieu
| tenant of native troops organized o re-
volt in the native corps. Aguinaldo
regiment one morning while on parade
shot oil the Spanish officers exceptTa few
| l7eutenants and took to the savannas-
great trackless prairies, swampy, with &C.
| casional high bits of land called stmattes. "
Here Aguinaido made his headquarters.
At one time he must have had 1000 or
5000 men under arms of some sort hidden
in these Businesses, lraiding the rich set
| Elements whenever they felt like it. The
political governor general of the Philip
pines, Senior Don Basilio Augustin y
Davila, offered reward of $40, 900 for the
head of Aguinaldo. Within week he
received note from the insurgent chief.
saying: II need the sum you offer very
| much, and will deliver the head myself %
How, lar71 lofa H. -
was raging. The hurricane-for it was
one-was tearing things to bits, and it
was raining, as it can rain only in the
Orient, sheet of black water flooding
| the earth. The two sentinels at the gov
ernor-generaPs gate made the usual rev.
ersnt sign as priest passed in, who asked
| if his excellenoy was within and unen-
gagged. They answered yes to both ques-
tions. Don Basilio did not turn his head
as some one entered, 1t was his score
| tary, he supposed, come to help him pre-
pare an eloquent statement upon the
condition of the colonies 1t was not the
| secretary, but a priest, who said:
"Peace be with you, my son."
| The cleric locked the door and, dropping
| his cloak, said:
"Do you know me"
Don Basilio did not know him. 1t was
AguinalGo, also 20-inch bolo, native
knife, sharp as a razor, carried by every
Malay In time of trouble. They can lop
off an arm with one blow, as though It
was carrot.
| 81 have brought the head of Aguinal-
do" the chief said, touching tina edge of
his jewel-hilted bolo to ascertain its con.
dition, land I claim the reward Hasten,
else shall have to expedite the matter
| myself.
| Don Basillio was trapped. He had to
open his desk and count out the sum in
Spanish gold. Aguinaldo punctiliously
wrote receipt, ooolly counted the money
and walked backward toward the door.
He suddenly opened it and dashed out,
| just ahead of a pistol bullet that cut his
locks on the temples. Captain General
Polavie1a offered him and Alexandra q
free pardon and 5000, 900 each to cult the
colony. They accepted it and cot the
money, only to learn that they were both
to be assassinated the next night at
fiesta. The two men who had undertaken
the job were found dead, stabbed to the
heart, in their own beds. On the kriss
handle was bit of paper with line
''Beware of the Malays' vengeance.
Polavieja resigned and returned to
Spain, beingEsuooeeded by Gen. Augustin
formerly captain general of Barcelona.
Aguinaldo is now 2S years of age.