The record-union., 1899-10-01
Enlisted Soldiers Captured by Reh-
els Turned Over to Americans,
But Lieutenant Gilmore and His Party Of
Marines Are Still Held.
General Garcia, Commanding the
Insurgent Forces in Eastern
Mindanoa, Communicates to
General Otis His Desire to Turn
the Country Over to the Ameri-
cans and Surrender the Insur-
gent Arms.

gent Arms.
MANILA, Sept. 80, 1880 p. m. = This
has been an eventful day with the
northern outposts of the army at An
gees. Early this morning the Fill
pino Peace Commission appeared. The
American prisoners, fourteen in num-
ber, all enlisted soldiers, then followed.
Then a committee of three Spaniards,
to negotiate for the release of the
| Spanish prisoners, departed up the rail-
road with a retinue of servants and
buffalo carts, carrying their baggage.
! At San Fernando the train carrying
the commission and prisoners to Ma
Mia met special carrying Major Gen
eral Otis and Generals Lawton and
Bates and Schwan to Angeles on a
tour of inspection.
| The American prisoners are Corporal
Otto Scheu and Privates Albert Reub-
! beck, Otto Wagner and Peter Rollinsl
all of the Third Infantry, captured
near Baliuag, July 2Sth; Joseph Maci-
drath, James Boyle, William Miller,
John Crinshaw, Thomas DAILY and Eli
Drew, of the Sixteenth Infantry, cap
! tured at Caloocan in August; Paul
| Spillano and Louis Ford of the Fourth
Infantry; Charles Wilmerder, a dis
charged Third Artilleryman, captured
| by bandits while boating near Malabon.
and George Graham, colored, an order
/ ly of the Sixteenth Infantry, who was
put off train near Malolos and imme-
diately captured by insurgents.
! A party of correspondents and pho
! tographers awaited in the intrench-
ments of the American outposts before
/ the wrecked bridge across the river
! separating the two armies, and at
/ o'clock a group came down the track
waving handkerchiefs on bamboo and
halted before the bridge. A bugle
/ then sounded attention" and Major
Shields, of General Wheaton's staff,
and five soldiers, with raised handker-
chiefs, picked their way across the
bridge.
The F'ilipinos introduced themselves
General Alejandrius, slender, bright
looking man of 80, veteran of the re-
bellion against Spain; Lieutenant Colo
pei Orino and Major Ortes the latter of
German blood and speaking English
fuently.
| There soon appeared a second party
of fourteen Americans, marching be-
tween files of insurgent soldiers. They
looked the picture of health, and were
dressed in new Filipino uniforms of
blue gingham, and were carrying mon
keys and other things from their Fill
pino friends.
General Wheeler, being anxious to
see the F'ilipinos, forded the river with
a corporal mounted behind and the
staff horses carrying double. General
Wheeler shook hands with the Filipi-
nos and there was a general exchange
of greetings while the photographers
piled their vocation across the track.
The barefoot Filipino soldiers Curl
ously surveyed the line of stalwart
American sentinels whose physique
! contrasted strongly with the little
1 brown men, who looked too little for
/ their guns General Wheeler, who had
no official connection with the incident.
returned to General Macarthur and
/ General Wheaton at the other end Of
the bridge.
| The commissioners and prisoners
| forded the river, dismounted and Salut-
] ed
| General MacArthur's first inquiry
was for Lieutenant Gilmore's party.
and General Alejandrius replied vague
| ly that they were in the north"
General Macarthur asked if they
would be released, and General Alejan-
drius said:
Il must consult with my Government
/ before answering.
The prisoners unanimously commend
ed their treatment. One of them said:
! I'VE have been given the best the
] country could afford: fine house for
quarters; servants; good food, plenty
of wine and money allowance. Gen
eral Aguinaldo visited US and shook
hands. Three of the boys refused to
shake hands with him.
Judging from the stories of the pris-
oners, they have been lionized by the
people. They report that five sailors,
survivors of Naval Cadet Woods
party, arrived at Tarlac Wednesday.
| Though small Importance is attached
| to their judgment, they agree in say
ing the Filipinos all say they are tired
of the war, but will fight for independ-
| ence to the last"
The released soldiers also say that
the idea of independence has taken
| firm hold on the Filipinos, and they
threaten, if conquered, to exterminate
the Americans by assassination. Agui-
naldo seemed popular among all the
people the prisoners met. The coun-
try is full of rice crops.
All the prisoners tell interesting
stories of their experience. Those
captured at Caloocan were marched
along the railroads at night through
towns occupied by the Americans.
While Aguinaldo only offered to re-
lease the prisoners in Tarlac, there is
great disappointment that Lieutenant
Gilmore's party failed to arrive.
The Filipino commission does not
arouse great expectations as to the
result of it's visit. Major Ortes said
frankly that they were very tired of
the war, but they decline to say what
proposals they bring.
The Filipinos lunched with General
Young at San Fernando. Their quar-
ters will be at the Oriente Hotel at
Manila.
Major General Otis and his party con-
ferred with General Macarthur. and
returned to Manila.