The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-01
WERE TRAITORS.
Yankee Filibusters Furnish
Arms to AguipaldO.
Scandal May Involve Prominent
Americans.
USED SMALL STEAMER.
Frederick w. SutterIee the
Chief of COnspiratOrs.
Delivered 500 Rifles and 5OO,-
900 Rounds of Ammunition.

Washington, D. c., Aug. 1.-The state,
and navy departments are in possession
of evidence which shows that Ameri-
cans have been supplying Aguinaldo
with arms and ammunition. Interest
ing developments are expected. The
evidence secured will probably cause
the confscation by the government of
the American steamer Pasig, now sta
toned at Manila, and Frederick w.
Sutterlee, formerly of Philadelphia,
will have to avoid countries having ex-
tradition treaties with the United
States. Perhaps the scandal will af-
feet other Americans of hitherto good
repute, though their connection with
the affair may not prove criminal.
The following dispatch was received
at the navy department from Admiral
Dewey early in the morning of SepteIn-
Der 27, last:
Secretary of the Navy, Washington:
Having received information American
steamer Abby left Maco September q
with cargo of arms for Ratangas, sent
McCullOch; arrived Batangas 23rd;
found her in harbOr, having arrived
three days earlier and landed cargo
Only FilipinOs on board. They refused
to give any information and had no pa
perS whatever. Seized and brought
her here, where they now hold her The
steamer, formerly Pasig, registered
American vessel, United States consul
late, Canton. Have information she
made one voyage of same kind before:
DEWEY"
This dispatch has recently acquired
significance little imagined at the time
of it's receipt. 1t is now known that
an American register was Illegally
granted to the Pasig by the United
States Consul at Canton; that she was
owned by an American and loaded with
American arms, purchased for Agu1n-
aldo after the capture of Manila by the
Americans. She delivered 500 rifles and
49, - Tv.rr ~car7Acr 70
be used, not against the Spaniards, but
against the United States troops.
For a long time, no conclusive evil
dence could be secured against the
Abby, and about the time Admiral
Dewey sailed for home, orders were
sent from Washington to release the
vessel. Some additional facts had just
at that time come to the knowledge of
Captain Barker, and he astonished the
Navy department by replying that
man named Grimes had made a full
confession regarding the flibustering
exploits of the Pasig, which would be
forwarded to Washington.
This confession must have reached
here some time ago, for Captain Barker
has already returned, and by the same
steamer that brought him came a mass
of official and unofficial mail which may
clear up the entire mystery. Grimes was
the partner of Sutterlee, the chief con-
spirator, who was recently seen in En-
gland, but is said to have suddenly dis
appeared from there, and is now
thought to be on the way of Africa
From unofficial sources, chiefly from
Hong Kong newspapers, the following
features of the Filipino hlibustering are
secured;
Sutterlee, who left Philadelphia sew
eral years ago, leaving a most unsav-
DRY police record, was last year the
American member of the Austrian firm
of Spitzel & Co., of Hong Kong. He
took q. load of arms and ammunition,
consisting of about 500 rifles and 500, 900
rounds of cartridges to Canton, Osten-
sibly for delivery to the authorities
there. They were in a small British
steamer called the Pasig, for which he
applied and unWarrantably secured an
American register, which, it now ap-
pears. was the real object of his trip to
Canton, as he had been unable to clear
the vessel from Hong Kong except to
interior ports. In applying for Amer
lean registry and remaining the vessel
the Abby, Sutterlee represented that
the Canton authorities had rejected the
cargo, but he could easily dispose of
it at Singapore, and he finally succeed
ed in securing a permit from the Chi
nese officials, to reship the guns and
other war material, which were now
under the American flag. The Com
missioner of customs, Edward B. Drew,
an Englishman, declined to clear the
vessel, suspecting something wrong.
The Chinese local authorities then Of
fered to ship the arms to Hong Kong
by one of the regular steamers or by a
Sutterlee, an offer which the latter
promptly declined for obvious reasons.
Mr.. Drew, acting on instructions from
the VicerOy at Canton, then offered to
allow the arms to be shipped by the
Abby to Singapore, on Sutterlee giving
a bond in the sum of $4,000 Kuping taels
that the arms would be sent to Singa-
pore and to no other place, and that
Sutterlee would produce to the commits
siOner of customs at Canton within six
weeks of the date of the bond an official
certificate from the United States con-
sui at Singapore that the 500 rifles and
the 500, 600 cartridges had duly arrived
there on the Abby. Sutterlee signed the
bond and the Abby was cleared for
Singapore. But she never reached
there nor has any receipt from the
United States consul there materialiZed.
AS a matter of fact, the Abby went di-
rectly to Batangas, where she deliv-
and was afterward caught by the Nc
Culloch.
1t is said that not only did Sutterlee
thus furnish arms and ammunition to
the insurgents, but the Abby carried a
passenger, one Etzel who had been en-
ployed to instruct the insurgents in the
use of the Maxim guns which were a
part of the cargo.
These facts were brought out not long
ago in a suit at Canton, in which Mr..
Drew, the customs commissioner at
Canton, petitiOned for the recovery of
5000 taelS from Sutterlee, which
amount was alleged to be due on the
bond referred to above. Sutterlee's an
swer by his attorneys did not deny that
he executed the bond, but his defense
was that it has never had any bind
ing effect on him. or that he is or ever
was under any legal obligation what
S0eVer by reason thereof The conten-
ton of MS counsel was practically that
the local authorities, having once
granted a permit to Sutterlee, the com
missioner of customs had no right to
interfere with the shipment or to exact
the bond which Sutterlee signed.
The court decided against Sutterlee
individually, and as a member of the
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