The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-09-20
REBELS ASK A CONFERENCE
TWO OFFICERS TISIT 4MERIC.1N
 LINES 1T 4NGELES.
Prisoners Through-AIso n General Officer for Conference at Manila-Otis Grants Request-Cabinet Considers Matter-AgUinaldO May be Weakening

Washington, Sept. 19. - Secretary
 Root to-day received a cablegram
 from General Otis that seemed to indi-
 cate a weakening on the part of the in-
 surgents in Luzon. It contains an offer
 to deliver the American prisoners who
 have been for so many months in the
 hands of the insurgents, and also
 sought permission to barley with
 General Otis. This cablegram was at
 once taken by Secretary Root to the
 cabinet meeting and formed the main
 topic for discussion at the beginning
 of the session. However, upon reading
 the message carefully it's importance
 seemed to diminish Secretary Root himself did not regard the matter as of importance at this time. He recalled frequent efforts by the insurgents in the past to gain time at critical mo- ments by opening negotiations, osten
 sibly with the object of making peace and he was not sure but this last offer was something of the same kind.
 However, the secretary was of the opinion that it would fail to afford the insurgents any advantage. General Otis would receive any messenger and listen to him and make answer to his proposals but this would not restrain the military operations in the slightest degree and the American arms would lose no ground no matter how the negO- tiations turned out. There is a possi- bility also that the insurgents may have become disheartened at the re- newed and intense activity in the di- rection of reinforcing General Otis and conclude in view of the great force gathering for the open campaign in the dry season that further resistance would be useless. It is pointed out that Aguinaldo's name does not appear in General Otis despatch and though this may not be of great significance, still, among some of the army officers it is surmised that there are serious dissen- sions among the insurgents and that perhaps some of the discordant ele- ments are acting on their own respons- bility. The text of the despatch fol- lows:
 Manila, Sept. 19.
 Adjutant General Washington Macarthur reports from Angeles visit of two insurgent officers with request for permission to send into our lines American prisoners and to send to Manila prominent insurgent general 1 officer of conference. The requested inter- 1 view granted, and insurgent officers at An l geles returned north tbis morning with nfor' l nation.
 Signed Otis
 Lieutenant Gilmore and his party | are supposed to be among the prisoners | the rebels propose to surrender. Their | capture was one of the most stirring l incidents of the insurrection. It occur red while the cruiser Yorktown was making a survey of the western coast l of Luzon, with a view of locating some of the detached Spanish garrisons which had long been cut off from the populous centers. It was known that | a Spanish garrison had been surround ed at Baler, on the eastern coast and Gilmore with a boats party from the Yorktown was sent ashore to reconnoiter the surrounding coun- try. He divided his command, one party remaining near the shore, while another pushed inland. This was the last heard of the lieutenant and the fif- teen men who accompanied him. The 1 other members of the party waited for 8 long time but got no trace of their companions and finally were obliged to r6luIIl LU LIe Slllp WIlHOul lHeHl. Au- 1 miral Dewey at once reported the loss to the navy department and before he left Manila used every possible means to learn the condition of the captive Americans. At first it was feared they had lost their lives, but later definite came that the following were alive at San Isidro, an neurgent Lieutenant Gilmore, Chief William Walton; Sail- makers mate Paul Vandoit CoXswain John Ellsworth, apprentice, third class Albert Peterson, and Landsmen Silvio Brisolese, Lyman Paul Edwards and Fred Anderson. Captain Charles M, Rockefeller, of the 18th infantry is al- 50 supposed to be a prisoner with the l insurgents. He disappeared last April md no trace of him has been discover