Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-11-02
A GOOD THING ON THE SIDE.
Diamonds, Pianos, Gold Ornaments and
Money as Booty in the Philippines.

diamonds, flan0S, G0ld ornaments and
Money as Booty in the Philippines.
Geo. r. Houston, now musician in
the regular army, with Co. F., Eigh-
teenth Infantry, has written a letter
| to his mother and sister in Centralia
which was mailed at Iloilo, Philippine
Islands, on September II, and arrived
here the past week. The young soldier
| tells of some handsome fortunes of
war which have befallen d few of
Uncle Sans boys in blue at the front
during the capture of insurgent towns.
The plunder is of varied kinds and
value but the boys evidently manage
to haul it safely into camp whether as
small as diamond or as cumbersome
as piano. We have been permitted
to use Mr.. HOuStOn'S letter and take
paragraphs therefrom as follows:
Jaro, Philippine Islands, Sept. ,.
1S69.-My Dear Sister: Arrived at
Jaro Thursday night from Manila and
L am now with my regiment and
company ready for duty. Jaro (prO-
nOunced HarrO) is three miles from
llOilO and was taken by the Eigh-
teenth Infantry and Tennessee boys
on the same day IlOilO fell The
natives burned Iloilo before retreating
to Jaro and did not expect the soldiers
to follow at night. The Eighteenth
Infantry completely surprised them at
this place and routed them out before
they had time to burn the houses.
The natives or rather insurgents
seized all their valuables. jewellery,
money, etc, but left a good deal in
their excitement to get away and
many Of the soldiers made "a good
thing on the side One boy of the
Eighteenth found a cOcOanut con-
tanning S500.00 in Spanish gold and |
understand Uncle Sam saw it not,
Another luckier lad and perhaps more
conscientious found S20,0OO.OO in
Spanish coin and turned it over to his
lieutenant. | don't believe | would
do the same unless l could not possibly
get away with it. OF course the
lieutenant turned it over to the gov
ernment? Many of the boys found
diamond rings and solid gold Orna-
ments in hurriedly left houses and
they wisely secreted such on their
persons. "All is fair in war you
know" One Eighteenth soldier found
diamond ring worth perhaps $4,000
and instead of keeping it in the dark
flashed it among the people in the
town. \ high priest noticed it on his
finger, made complaint, proved his
property and took the ring. The
soldiers vanity outWeighed his
common sense but he is now a wiser
man. Some Of the lads have unset
diamonds by the score and one dis
charged soldier had on his person
about 100000 worth of them. These
people are not poor and they have
enough money OSuppOrt their soldiers
for few years to come.
Among the useful captures of war
fare, the Spanish piano tops the list.
Every company has one and some have
three and four in their barracks.
They are Of excellent make and the
tone is grand. All were made in Spain
undoubtedly and brought here years
ago.
My health is good. in fact could not
wish for better and only hope it will
continue so. | only weigh 10 pounds
in the firing line costume, fatigue
trousers. blue shirt. shoes and leggingS
To indicate how near we camp to
the enemy will say that l just came
down from the tower and from there
could see the quarters of the insGrg-
ents. Also saw a signal fire while up
there, such as the Indians used in the
pioneer days. One boy saw two Or
three hundred insurgents drilling
this morning, from that lofty perch
also used as lookout. | heard their
shrill bugle blow tattoo night before
last while [ was in my bunk.