The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-07-23
THE SORT OF MAN AGUINALDO Is.
How the Spanish Governor-General laid
Him the Reward Set on His Head.
(From the Philadelphia Press. }

u -~--~rt|~~N~
Pancho Aguinaldo, the native dictator
OF the philippines, is very picturesque
parsonage. He is the son of a prominent
na0lVe ohlef. Anxious that his boy should
DC educated, this chief confided the lad to
the Spanish priests, who thought that
Agulnaldo's influence, when he grew I'D,
would help to maintain Spanish author
lVy among the Malay population. The
iather Is rich for native, and Panoho
Aguinaldo, after being taught in the
local schools, was sent to Madrid to study
eheology and qualify for the priesthood
After year or two of study the young
man boldly declared he would not be a
priest, but soldier. So he was drafted
into one of the native regiments, in which
lew of the subalterns are Manila men,
but all the captains and field officers are
Spaniards.
Nearly two years ago Aguinaldo and a
compatriot named Alexandra, also lieu
tenant of native troops, organized revolt
in the native corps. Aguinaldo's regi-
ment one morning, while on parade, shot
all the Spanish officers. except few lieu
ssnants, and took to the savannas-great,
traokless prairies, swampy, with occas-
ional high bits of land, called "mattes. I"
Here Aguinaldo made his headquarters
At one time he must have had 1000 or
5OO0 men, under arms of some sort, hid
den IN these businesses raiding the rich
settlements whenever they felt like it.
The political governor general of the
philippines, Senior Don Basilio Angustin
Davlla, offered a reward of $40, 900 for the
head OF Aguinaldo. Within a week he
received note from the insurgent chief,
saying :" need the sum you offer very
much, and will deliver the head myself. %
len days later the southeast typhoon
was raging The hurrIcane-for it was
one-was tearing things to bits, and it
was raining, as 1T can rain only in the
Orient, sheet of black water flooding
the earth. The two sentinels at the gov
ernor generals gate made the usual re-
weren't sign as priest pa ssed it, who
asked If his excellency was within and
s.nengaged They answered yes to both
questions. Don Basilio did not turn his
head as some one entered. 1t was his Sec
Rotary, he supposed come to help prepare
an eloquent statement upon the condition
OF the colonies. 1t was not the secretary,
b1t priest, who said: "Peace be with
Jou3 Ivy sui.
The cleric locked the door, and, drops
ping his cloak, said: ..s ~ 096 3
DO you KIN oW me3'' e,
Don Basilfo did not know him. It was
Aguinaldo, with a 20-inch bolo, a native
knlfe, sharp as razor, carried by every,
Malay in time of trouble. They can lop
oil an arm with one blow, as though it
was carrot. sf9oe1 sQ -
II have brought the head of Aguinal-
90, the chief said, touching the edge OF
MS 1ewel-hilted bolo to ascertain it's con-
d1tion, land claim the reward Hasten
else shall have to expedite the matter
myself. -
Don Basilio was trapped. He had to
open his desk and count out the sum in
Spanish gold. Aguinaldo punctiliously
wrote a receipt, coolly counted the money
and walked backward toward the door
He suddenly opened 1t and dashed out
locks on the temples. Capt. Gen. PolaY.
iaja offered him and Alexandra a free
pardon and 500, 200 eac to quit the col
ony. They accepted and got the money,
only to learn that they were 10th to be
assassinated the next night at festa..
The two men who had undertaken the lob
were found dead, stabbed to the heart, in
their BEDS On the kriss-handle was bit
of paper with line saying: "Beware of
the Malay's vengeance"
Polaviaja resigned and returned to
Spain, being succeeded by Gen. Augusti
formerly captain general of Barcelona,
Aguinaldo is about % years old. n 4
and his comrade, Alexandra, hold the
future of the Philippines almost in their
hands