The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-07
STORY IS DENIED
Kssslsr Didn't Issue the Obnox-
ious Order.
OTIS IS THE GUILTY MAN
Letters From Home the Best News the
Montana Soldiers Dan 0et-Chsp-
lain stun Likes the Phil
ippines.

Another Manila mail arrived yester-
day. bringing letters from the Mon
tana soldiers in the Philippines. Elk
Governor Richards received a long let
ter from Chaplain Stull and another
from his son Lieutenant Homer Rick
ards. Chaplain stulI gives a detailed
account Of the experiences Of the SOL
diers on the long voyage n since they
cached the Philippines. He refers to
the story of Colonel Kessler's treat
ment of the Red Cross ladies when the
regiment left San Francisco and says
1t was not true; hat Colonel Kessler
did not issue the orders refusing the
Red Cross ladies permission to feed
the soldiers. as he was not on the dock
at h time, and says The order was
issued by General Otis. He says
Colonel Kessler and Lieutenant Colonel
Wallace both max good officers. and
are liked by the men. From Chaplain
Stull's letter IL appears there was less
sickness at the time of writing tina
there had been among the men. From
his reference to the pleasure the SOL
diers ind In getting news from home.
II Is apparent that Is about the best
medicine they can get. Chaplain Stull
states that the Montana boys make
fine soldiers n nat he hears more
compliments for the regiment than for
any other. He makes a humorous ref
erence to the rapid strides Manila is
making toward becoming Americanized
since the advent OF the Americans. and
says the most conspicuous thing to be
seen about the streets OF Manila are
banners carried by natives. bearing the
inscription. 'Schlitz beer made Mil
wauke famous and Is now on sale at
the Alhambra." milk most OF the
other writers from Manila. Chaplain
Stull likes the Filipinos and thinks as
a people they would make a valable
acquisition to America.
Lieutenant Richards writes his father
a chatty letter and among other things
says IL was sal at the time of writing
that the regiment would be transferred
to Manila. He also says there is still
talk that the regiment will soon be or
dered home. Extracts from his letter
read:
II have been sick for 10 days with the
malaria. but i am up now and feeling
fine. Things here are just the same as
when l last wrote. ] have been over
to Manila and 1t is a lively place. 1
ne Nou tOuiu SDtuu dOput a. Wtth III
this country with me. ! could show
you some great sights. 1t is hard to tell
what the population of Manila is. but
they estimate II at about 800, 900 people.
The streets are very narrow, as are also
the sidewalks. You have TO walk single
file on them. The streets are crowded
all the time. The Spanish prisoners
have the freedom of the city and the
Spanish officers move around I'm groups
and go INTO a saloon and drink and
smoke good cigars. They don't talk to
us people at all n when you meet
them they give you a nasty look.
Things are coming very smooth for
them. IL they only knew IL. IL the in
surgents had hold of them instead Of
us and we were not on the island they
would carve all these Spaniards' heads
off.
Our troops are on the police force.
and as you walk along the street you
meet a soldier every few yards, stand
ing on the edge OF the sidewalk with a
big shade hat on, leaning on his gun,
and watching everything that goes on.
The officers are chief of police and they
chase up and down the streets with a
cane in their hands bossing the Job. The
people have their stores crowded all
the time and everything has doubled in
price since the American troops ar
rived.
They are going to sen our regiment
to Manila In a week or two. We would
rather stay here, but we have nothing
to say about II.
1T is a great sight TO cross this bay
and see the warships at anchor. and at
night they use their flashlights. You
can see the flashes Of light for miles.
These natives don't know what to
make of the Monterey: they think that
she Is a big him and they don't know
what to make of her. Ii Is a shame
they did not have u regiment here
when they took Manila. They say that
most of the regiments that were in the
fight were scared to death. i tell you
IL we had been here we would have
made a record for ourselves. as our reg
iment is composed of men who are
crazy to fight. while most of these other
regiments have a great many young
boys In them. A few days before pay
day two of our boys were over to Ma
Mia and they were standing in a saloon
where the boys of the regiments sta
toned in Manila were lined up to the
bar drinking. They had RECEIVED their
pay and of course were out celebrating.
One OF them spoke vi and said they
wished that they would send the Mon
tana boys over there. so IL there was
any fighting to do they would be there,
as they were not afraid Of anything.
Nearly every one here thinks we are
savages and that we would fight any
thing. Colonel Wallace is down with
the malaria and is quite sick. Captain
Duncan has gone home and Lieutenant
Paxson Is going or the next We
all think we will be on our way home
In a few months, n I tell you we are
all very anxious to get home. as this IL
a poor country for a white man. The
only good business openings here are In
the way OF saloons and restaurants. but
outside of that a man can't make any
money this country. OF course, in a
year or two. IL they start to settle this