The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-12
is A REMARKABLE BOY
Willie Burns Was on the Firing
Line at Manila.
HE KILLED A FILIPINO
And Took Another Prisoner With an
Unloaded Revolver-Sold Papers
and Cigars in the
Trenches.

Willie Burns, bell boy in the Butte
hotel, is a remarkable boy. He fought
the Filipinos, after securing passage on
the transport Pennsylvania as a stow
away, sold papers and cigars on the
firing line and in the trenches, shook
the hand of President Dole in Holo-
lulu, received passports from Generals
Otis, Macarthur, Colonel kessler ana
other army dignitaries, acted in the
capacity of interpreter for American
scouts near Manila, killed a Filipino
at close range with the last cartridge
in his revolver, took another prisoner
with the same gun unloaded, had the
smallpox in Manila ana was nit On
the left ankle with spent bullet, came
to Butte a week ago last sunday, anu
upon the recommendation OF his filend,
Ben Calkins, secured his position in the
Rutte hotel His story is interesting.
His father and mother are dead, ana
the only relative he has is step
brother, John Erickson, with Company
B, list Montana. His narrative, as re-
lated last night to a reporter for the
Standard, is as follows:
< 81 came to Butte to see my step
brother while the LIST Montana was at
Comp Smith. When the regiment
gstarted south 1 went down to Silver
Bow with the crowd to see my step
y brother on the train. / wanted to go
ITO Manila as soon as l saw the SOL
diers. l made up my MIND TO go, anu
as the train pulled out l swung under
and rode on the brake beams. Ser
geant Mcbride of Company X saw me
and he made me go into the car. L
was not molested and went through to
San Francisco l formed many &C
quaintances among the boys and be-
came attached to Company X, and
the boys of this company called me their
mascot.
7. ''At San Francisco l worked for the
boys and did jobs that turned me a
few dollars. Lieutenant Kennedy of
Company K gave me Jobs to do and
helped me lots. In the meantime the
boys bought me a blue uniform and
rugged me out in true soldier style
all but the arms. My desire to go to
Manila increased as / admired my
soldier clothes. l went to Colonel Kess-
Ter and explained to him that l want
ed to enlist with Company K. He
told me that could not, as / had not
the permission of my parents or guar
dian.
II was discouraged and was about to
give up when good LADY, shall new
er forget her and her kindness-inter-
coded for me. Mrs A. S. Townsend, a
wealthy lady of San Francisco, a
member of the Catholic Truth society,
an order similar to the Red Cross, went
to the district court and was appoint
ed my guardian. Then she went to
Colonel Kessler and granted the re-
quired permission. The colonel said
that 1 must first be duly enlisted be-
fore I could sail. Mrs. Townsend and
went to General Otis, and to him
she explained my case. He was very
nice about il bnt EXPLAINED that
must first enlist before he could con-
slider my case.
ut was now the last half hour be-
fore the regiment set sail 1t was too
late to go to the recruiting station,
and my heart fell again. Mrs. Towns
end, ! guess, must have winked al
several of the ladies near by, for in a
twinkling l was surrounded by large
number of ladies who shut me out OF
view while a couple of the boys reach.
ed over the rail of the deck and pulled
me in, and l was soon in a bunk in the
hold of the big boat. My bunk was
alongside of that occupied by poor
Jimmy Callahan, clerk of Company X
who was killed at Calumpit.
Il stayed in the hold for three days
after which | went out and circulated
among everybody but Colonel Kesslei
and Lieutenant Colonel Wallace. Wher
we reached Honolulu I was right in or
the big reception and had as much
fun as any of them. I shook Presi
dent Dole's hand and was in it as thick
as the rest of 'em.
about four hours before the boat
sailed some of the company officers
told me that I'd better sneak in tbs
boat and be there when she pulled out.
was there all right, and aside from
seasiokness, which troubled me nearly