New-York tribune., 1899-07-30
AMERICANS AID REBELS.
a CARGO OF ARMS AND AMMUNITION
FURNISHED TO AGUINALDO
FREDERICK W sUTTERLE FORMERLY OF
PHILADELPHIA. THE CHIEF CON
sPIRATOR-STEAMEP PASIG TO
BE CONFIsCATED.
tpr rE1zeR,pH TO THE ra,ruxE.1

regarding the source Of Aguinaldos supply Of
arms and ammunition and the American who
furnished them. While the officials OF the State
and Navy departments manifest the utmost re-
serve on the subject. ii is known that incon-
testable evidence is in the possession Of the au-
thorities which will cause the confscation Of the
American steamer Pasig. now detained at Ma
njla and that Frederick W Sutterle. formerly
Of Philadelphia. will have to avoid countries
having extradition treaties with the United
States Perhaps the scandal will affect other
Americans OF hitherto good repute. though their
connection with the affair may not prove crm-
nal
The following cable dispatch was received at
the Navy Department from Admiral Dewey
early in the morning OF September o. last:
Secretary OF the Navy. Washington.
Having received information American
steamer Abby left Macao September II with
cargo Of arms for Batangas. sent McCulloch.
Arrived Batangas Odd Found her in harbor.
having arrived three days earlier and landed
cargo. Only FilipinOs on board. They refused
10 give any Information and had no papers
whatever. Seized and brought her here where
now hold her This steamer formerly Pasig.
registered American vessel. United States Con-
sulate Canton. Have information she made one
voyage OF same kind before DEWEY.
This dispatch has recently acquired a signih-
cance little imagined at the time Of its receipt
II Is now known that an American register
was Illegally granted TO the Pasg by the United
States Consul at Canton. that she owned
by an American and loaded with American
arms purchased for Aguinaldo after the capture
Of Manila by the Americans. She delivered
fve hundred rifles and five hundred thousand
cartridges 10 the insurgents. to he used. not
against the Spaniards. but against the United
States troops.
sl'TTERLE'S PARTNER CONFESSED.
For Ions time no conclusive evidence could
be secured against the Abby, and about the time
Admiral Dewey sailed for home orders We're
sent from Washington to release the vessel
Some additional facts had just at that time
come 70 the knowledge Of Captain Barker. and
he astonshed he Navy Department by reply
ing that man named Grimes had made a full
confession regarding the flibustering exploits OF
the Pasig which would be forwarded TO Wash
ington
This confession must have reached here some
time ago, for Captain Barker has already re-
turned and by the same steamer that brought
him came a mass OF official and unofficial mail
which may clear up the entire mystery Grimes
was the partner OF Sutterle theschef conspira-
tor. who was recently seen in England, but is
said 10 have suddenly disappeared from there
and is thought to be she way to Africa
From unofficial sources. chiefly from Hong
Kong newspapers. the following features Of the
Filipino fhbustering secured:
Sutterle who left Philadelphia several years
ago, leaving q most unsavory police record. was
last year the American member Of the Austrian
firm Of spitzel & Co. of Hong Kong He took
q load Of arms and ammunition. consisting Of
about five hundred rifles and half million
L. ocf1>i 10 for
delivery to the authorities there They were in
a small British steamer. called the Pasig, for
which he applied and unwarrantably secured an
American register. which IT now appears was
the real object Of his trip to Canton. he had
been unable 10 clear the vessel from Hong Kong
except 10 interior ports.
OFFICIALS AT CANTON DECEIVED.
In applying for American registry and renam-
ing the vessel the Abby. Sutterle represented
that the Canton authorities had rejected the
cargo but he could easily dispose OF it at Singa-
pore and he finally succeeded in securing per
nit from the Chinese officials TO reship the guns
and other war material. which were now under
the American flag. The Commissioner OF Gus
toms, Edward B. Drew. an Englishman. de-
clined TO clear the vessel. suspectng something
wrong The Chinese local authorities then Of
fered to ship the arms 10 Hong Kong by one Of
the regular steamers or by a Chinese man-of-
war. at no expense to Sutterle. an offer which
the latter promptly declined. for obvious rea-
sons
Mr. Drew acting on instructions from the
viceroy at Canton. then offered 10 allow the
arms TO be shipped by the Abby 10 Singapore
on Sutterle giving bond in the sum OF loUo
Kuping taels that the arms would he sent 10
Singapore and 10 no other place, and that suit
terle would produce TO the Commissioner OF
Customs at Canton within six weeks Of the date
O, the bond an official certificate from the Ohlteu
States Consul at Singapore that the five hundred
rifles and the half million cartridges had duly
arrived there on the Abby. Sutterie signed the
bond and the Abby was cleared for Singapore
But she never reached there. nor has any re-
CENT from the United States Consul there ma
terialized. As a matter Of fact. the ADby went
directly 10 Batangas. where she delivered her
cargo TO Agunados ag 'nts and was after"aTu
caught by the McCulloch II Is said that ho'
only did Sutterle thus furnish arms and ammu-
milton 70 the insurgents. but the Abby carried
passenger. one Etzel, who had been employed
70 instruct the insurgents In the use OF tne
Maxim guns which were a part OF the Cargo
FACTS BROUGHT OUT IN COURT.
These facts were brought out not long ago IN
suit at Canton. in which MT Drew the Nu'-
toms Commissioner at Canton, pettioneo ior tne
recovery Of 1900 taels from Sutterle' ""i0"
amount was alleged 10 be due on the poho Ie
ferred 10 above Sutterle's answer by MS a''oi
neys did not deny that he executed the pohN
but his defence was that IL has never hao any
binding effect on him. that he IS OF ever was
under anv legal obligation whatsoever by rea-
son thereof" The contention Of his cQunsel was
practically that the local authorities. having
once granted a permit to Sutterle' the Coiniiis-
sioner Of Customs had no right to interfere win
the shipment or 10 exact the bond which SUI
tere signed
The Court decided against Sutterie ihoi'luua'
ly and as a member OF the firm Of spitzel * Co.