The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-07

Agoncillo's secretary Juan Luna and Jose
Losada are still here in a state of bewilder-
ment. Senor Agoncillo. the head OF the
junto. fled so hurriedly that he failed to
leave instructions for the rest. and they ac-
cordingy are dependent upon word from
him as well as hampered by the serious ill
ness of one of them, DR.. Losada. Their
counsel. Messrs. Ralston & Siddons. with
drew from any relations with them and they
are accordingly now without advisers in
strange country, and though told they will
not likely be arrested, they have a strong
apprehension on that score. The junto at
o'clock had received no dispatch from
Aguinaldo about the battle. and word
had come from their fleeing chief, Agoncillo
This forenoon Senor Lopez had long inter-
view with the junto's attorneys, Messrs.
Ralston & Siddons, ct which the latter for
mally withdrew all connection with them
and subsequently, to make their position
clear, made the following public announce
ment:
"A conflict having taken place between the
American troops and the forces under Cen
eral Aguinaldo. duty superior TO that
which a lawyer owes to his client requires
us to withdraw from the services of the rep
resentatives here of the Philippine repub-
lie and this has to-day been done. 1t has
been our aim in the course of our employ
ment to set before the people of this country
the true conditions existing in the islands
conditions which in our humble opinion will
make extremely difficult the successful sub
jugation of the alien republic and render of
questionable propriety the thrusting upon its
citizens of a government which they do not
desire We think it proper TO make this pub
lie announcement of the fact that our obL-
cations to the Filipino representatives and
government are at an end"
Senor Lopez to-day sought to evade in
ttrviews, and said there was nothing that
could be said at this time
Il have every confidence" he said, how
ever, in the justice of the American Senate
as to our rights. According to your laws
the laws of the United States, the Philip
pine islands cannot be annexed. The mill
tary occupancy must be released.
How long will you remain in this coun-
try?" he was asked.
so long as the American people, the
American Senate, have justice for us
Further than this Lopez said he would
not discuss the situation, save to reiterate
that hostilities were precpitated not by
Aguinaldo's forces but by the Americans
At this juncture Lopez started to say,
'The Americans are getting corrupted"
but quickly checked himself. His agitation
and nervousness were evident. He refused
to state where Agoncillo was. and when
asked if he would deny that the latter was
in Canada, or en- route, was much con-
fused, hesitating some moments and finally
saying he would see the reporters later.
Lopez's attention was called to several dis
patches, said to have been communicated
between him and Aguinaldo, notably a
statement that he had cabled Aguinaldo
that he had received assurances the treaty
would not pass and that Aguinaldo there
fore was free to act"
''That is not So" said Lopez and he
added that no messages of that character
had been sent. Il have read" he ex-
planned. 1.-The pages of the Congressional
Record about the American Senate, and
from that 1 have got confidence in the
justice of the Senate to us
Though venturing no definite reply to the
reference to his receiving assurances"
Lopez's evident intention by this remark
was to carry the impression that he had
CLEANED his information from the official
record" rather than through activity in
interviewing men. Lopez denied that he
had anything new from the Philippines
chieftain. 1t is asserted unqualifedly, how
eVers Dy persons connected Win tne Fill
pine junto that on Saturday, or Friday
night, a cablegram came from Aguinaldo,
briefly announcing that he would take no
action until after the vote on the treaty.
Whether this was in response to message
from Agoncllo or not is not quite clear,
though it is suggested it might have fol-
lowed cabled counsel from Lopez to avoid
an engagement
The news of Agoncillo's flight to Montreal
was received with interest at the War De-
partment, but no one would venture any
comment on it or speculate as to what ac-
ton, if any, would be taken by this govern
ment in the case of the Filipino representa-
tive 1t is thought however but little i'm
portance attaches to his presence in Can
ada; much less so, in fact, than to the in
formation bureau established there last sum-
mer by the ex-Spanish minister, Senior Polo
y Bernabe. The situation now is very differ
ent from the early days of the Spanish war.
The distance of Manila from Washington is
so great that comparatively little control
will be exercised by the Washington author
tiles over the actual military and naval
moves on the checkerboard of war, and
what information AgonciIlo might furnish to
his friends in the Philippines would be of
little aid to them The possibility of his
engineering any filibustering expeditions
from British territory is regarded as ex-