Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-13
CATCH ROBBER BAND
Colonel Smith Captures a Party Of Fjhpbo,
Guerrillas Near MalaIqui
SENT TO NACARTHUS'S H H.ACQUARTERS
Have Kept Country in a State of Terror for
Several Weeks
REBELS DIVIDE INTO fOBBER BANDS
General Otis Reports that Organic d Rebel
lion no Longer TX 5is
REBELS DIVIDE INTO FuBBER BANDS
ALL IMPORTANT TOWNS ARE OCCUPIED
In the Inst Few Days the American
Casualties Have necn Ten to
One Hundred of the
Insurgents.


MANILA, Dec. 12.-7:50 p. m.-Colonel
Smith with detachment Of the Seventeenth
infantry surrounded and captured in VII
lage near Malasqui a party of guerrillas
who had made their headquarters there.
The party included the band which assas-
slnated seven officials at Malasqui for friend
liness to the Americans. All are insurgents
who became bandits when the disntegration
of the Filipino army began. They kept the
country around Malasqui in state OF ter
ror for several weeks, and committed
twenty-five murders in that number of days.
When they were caught they were promptly
sent to General MacArthur's headquarters
at Bayambong by train
1t is expected they will be speedily tried
and either shot or hanged as an example.
The whole country north of San Fernando
and between San Fernando and Manila, eX-
cept within the permanent line of troops
around the city and the closely patrollcd
stretches of railroad swarms with similar
bands Probably they will be increased by
men from Pillars army, many of whom are
making their way south to join the insurgent
force in Cavite province.
These people for the most part succeeded
in lodging General Grant, Colonel Bell and
Colonel Hoods troops, who are securing the
country for them. They devote their en-
ergies to ambushing commtssary wagons
and to picking up soldiers who leave their
commands Every day some wagon train
is fired upon or some soldier disappears.
General Wheeler's secretary, Mr. Gar
rett, was disarmed and slashed by bolo-
man almost within sight of headquarters,
nj
headquarters building. The policy of these
ruffans is to make the country unnhabita-
BILE for Americans and to frighten natives
into refraining from giving assistance to
the Americans as we'll as to compel the
Inhabitants to support the insurrection.
Worse Than Fighting Indians.
Frequently they raid and loot towns. The
brother o. the president" of linus went out
side the town the other day to harvest some
rice. He was captured by his compatriots,
accused of being a spy and executed. Only
small proportion OF the insurgent arms
have been surrendered and the problem of
suppressing the guerrilla warfare is any
thing but easy of solution, Some of the
American officers think it worse than fight
ing Indians, owing to the difficulties OF the
country and the trouble in locating the
enemy, who resort, when hard pressed to
the amigo dodge and hide their guns Some
of the Americans favor the issance of a
proclamation declaring all natives found
with arms to be bandits, punishable as
criminals instead of being treated as prison
ers of war.
Information has been received at head
quarters that 500 Spanish prisoners have
been shipped from Vigan to Manila and that
500 others have been assembled at Vigan,
nhah ar
spaniarde released by General Young's troops
in the Benguet district, where they were
concentrated by the insurgents
Rebels in RObber Bands.
WASHINGTON, Dec 12.-The War depart
ment has received the following cablegram
from General Otis, descriptive of the mill
tary situation in Luzon:
MANILA, Dec. 12-In Bulucan province
the insurgents have been scattered and
driven east to the mountains Our casualties
in that section in the last few days were
ten. The iusurgent casualties in killed
wounded and prisoners aggregate 100. Con-
siderable gents property with records
arms and ammunition have been captured
Our troops are now in the mountains IN
pursuit
The insurgents have been driven from
Subig bay and the marines now occupy a
naval station there. Our column moving wes
from Tarlac Is now on the west coast OF
Luzon, where it has been supplied 1t en-
countered little resistance. column ID
now moving west and south from Dagupar
along the coast.
There is no concentrated insurgent force
of Importance in Luzon north OF Manila
Southern Luzon will not offer any serious re-
sstance, Troops are cooperating in tha
section,
Organized rebellion no longer exists anC
our troops are actively pursuing robbel
bands. All important and threatened cen
ters of population in the north have been oc
cupied OTIS.
LONDON, Dec. 12,-Reuters Teleg an
company has received the following dspa;ci
from Hong Kong:
THE insurgent government (so-caled) o
the Philippines will be changed to die a
torship to continue hostilitles against III
Americans exclusively by the methods o
guerrilla warfare, The Filipino army is be
ing split up into small bands, the troop
taking an oath before separation that tn
will fight until their country's rights a.
recognized,
"A force OF United States marines whoI
landed at Vigan South Ilocos province, iron
the batteship Oregon, was defeated by T.
Filipiuos under General Tino on Dscembe
4. The Manila newspapers despite th
censorship, admit that General Lawton /
missing"
The foregoing dispatch was evidently sen
by the Filipino junta In Hong Kong.