Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1899-04-27
A SAVAGE HORDE.
It's Members Capture 16 American
Sailors.
4 Portion Of the Yorktown's Crew Arc
Surrounded by AN Overwhelming
Force of Filipinos Admiral
Dewey Sends Had News
TO Washington.

Washington, April 19.-The navy de-
partment has given out the following
dispatch from Admiral Dewey:
The Yorktown visited Baler, on the
east coast of Luzon, April -, for the
purpose of rescuing and bringing away
| the Spanish forces consisting of so
soldiers, three officers and two priests,
who were surrounded by 400 insur-
gents. Some of the insurgents armed
with Mauser rifles by ma
tives. Lieut.. j. c. Gilmore, while MAX
ing ambushed were fired
upon and captured. Fate unknown,
as insurgents refused to communicate
afterward The following are missing:
| The officeri previously referred to
Chief Quartermaster w. Walton, Cox
swain J. Ellsworth, Gunner's Mate II.
j. Hygard, Sailmaller's Mate Nendet,
Seamen w. Ii. Rynders and c. w.
| Woodbury., Apprentices ID. w. Nenville,
A. j. Peterson, Ordinary Seamen F. b.
Brisolese, o. b. Mcdonald, Landsmen
l. r. Edwards, F. Anderson, j. Dillon
and c. A. Morrissey."
The dispatch from Admiral Dewey
caused much excitement in naval cir
cles. 1t was received late in the day
and considerable delay was occasioned
! by the blindness of some of the cipher
words. IT was impossible to complete
| ly decipher it, and the asterisks indi-
cate the unintelIigibe words.
Lieut.. j. C. Gilmore, the officer re-
ferred to as captured, is well known in
| Washington, having been stationed
] l. g., l. tr. e.. 4
| family living here. He was born in
| Philadelphia, July 10, 1854, and was
appointed a naval cadet from Arizona
in September, 1871. He reached his
present grade of lieutenant in 1891.
| The capture of the Yorlltown's men
was discussed with much feeling in
naval circles. The misfortune was felt
with added keenness. as the navy has
prided itself thus far on immunity
from reverses. The admirafs dispatch
was the first knowledge the depart
ment had that the Yorktown had gone
on this special mission to relieve the
| Spanish garrison at Baler. That the
capture should have been effected
while the American forces were on a
mission of mercy toward the Spaniards,
| q tiitI bHhil III hii' p ''7NN'''''i S' >"
campaign led to the belief that Spain
would have no further ground for
questioning the good faith with which
! the Americans were seeking to relieve
the condition of the Spanish prisoners.
Although the dispatch gave no indi-
cation that Lieut.. Gilmore and his men
had lost their lives, yet great anxiety
| was aroused by the mystery surround
ing their fate while in the hands of
an uncivilized enemy. This is the
first capture of any Americans, mill
tary or naval, so that it is unknown
how the insurgents will treat our men.
If civilized methods were p~rsued an
exchange could be quickly effected, as
Gen, Otis has a large number of Fill
pino prisoners, but the insurgents have
been averse thus far to exchanging
| Spanish prisoners, and this raises a
| question as TO what they will do with
the Yorktown's men. The purpose OF
| officials here is to spare no effort to
secure the speedy release of our men.