Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-06-24
FILIPINO ATTACK
ON SAN FERNANDO
Five thousand Rebels Repulsed
With Great Loss by Mac
Arthur's Men.
IowANs IN FRONT OF THE FIGHT
,eventy-Five Filipinos Killed, Thir'
ty Taken PRISONER and Many
Wounded 80 Fourteen
Americans Hurt.

Manila, June l9.--o:4o p. m'-fAltoi
cutting the railroad and telegraph at
Apalit, seven miles south, for the pur-
pose of severing connection, the rebels
attacked General MacArthur's lines at
San Fernando at 4:30 this morning.
They met with an unexpectedly warm
reception, and were repulsed with a
loss of seventy-ive killed, thirty pris-
oners and many wounded.
The rebel force, estimated to have
numbered 5000 men, advanced stealth
lily from the jungle north of the city,
and then divided with the evident pur-
pose of surrounding the Americans.
The outposts of the Iowa regiment
discovered the enemy and retired to
their lines, where the entire division
awaited in an intrenched position. The
Iowa regiment and the Kansas regi-
ment received tho first shock of the
attack. Reserving their fire until the
enemy was within 600 yards, the hrst
volley Of the Americans hit the rebels,
who returned the fire wildly, the rest
of their line failing to advance. The
Americans, who thoroughly enjoyed
the novelty Of the situation, awaiting
an attack, sailed forth, and the In
surgents thereupon turned and fed
into the Jungle. Our loss was fourteen
men wounded, and the majority OF
them are only slightly hurt.
General Funston's brigade, Of Kan
sas, the Montanas and General Halls
brigade, the Seventeenth regiment,
and the Iowa regiment constituted the
force.
Aguinaldo is reported to have per-
sonolly conducted the attack, and
preparations were made for several
days to bring forward troops from
Candaba apd others from Daguipan
were transported by rail. Along the
front Of the Kansas regiment thirty
nine rebel dead were counted,
The first news Of the Filipino adj
vance was received by a telegraph OPP
orator who was sent 10 the bridge at
Apalit TO ascertain the cause OF q
break In one of the wires. He was
compelled to beat q hasty retreat un-
der fire.
Says He Saw Luna Slain.
A Spanish officer who bas been a
prisoner In the hands Of the rebels,
and who was released by Aguinaldo,
has come through our lines to Manila.
He claims TO have been a witness OF
the assassination of General Luna. Ac-
cordlng to his story, the relations be-
tween the two Filipino leaders had
been strained to the breaking point be-
cause Of Luna's attempts to assume
control of affairs, and the final rupture
was forced by Aguinaldo issuing secret
orders TO the provincial governments
Iona thereupon notified A~g1InaIdo,
demanding copies Of the documents,
and Aguinaldo replied CURLY that
Luna was q general of the army and
that the civil government did not con
Germ him. Luna, on opening the reply
at his headquarters in the presence OF
his officers, exclaimed holly: =.
An officer who was friendly to Agul'
naldo fastened to warn him, and Agui.
naldo called together twenty trusted
soldiers, fellow townsmen OF his, ano
stationed them around his house with
instructions to kill anyone attempt
ing to enter, regardless of rank,
Luna appeared the next day and saw
Aguinaldo at the window. A member
of the guard said: "Aguinaldo has
gone to inspect the troops"
General Luna then exclaimed: You
are a liar" drew bis revolver ant
struck the guard and tried to force al
entrance into the house. Before III
could use his revolver II OF TIT
guards bayoneted him, andother sho'
him in the back, and others stabbed
him. In all he had twenty wounds
Luna's aide de camp was killed in thu
same way.
The Spaniard's story las not entire
ly dispelled the doubts of Luna's deatl
and bets that he is alive are freely SUB
mitted ait the clubs. Some people thin
that Aguinaldo has taken pains II
send the Spaniard here with this stor,
in furtherance Of some diplomatiI
scheme, while others suspect Agui
naldo has been assassinated by Luna
men.
Since the Americans withdrew from
Candaba recently the rebels have re
turned and have wreaked vengeanc
upon those who ~befriended the Amer
leans. They slaughtered the native
who surrendered the town and dis
played their heads on poles in the pub
lie square.
The hostile natives of Cebu are NOR
menacing. Mail advices say hostilitie
against the Americans have begu'
there. Colonel Hamer, the America
commander, has asked for reinforce
ments and four companies of tn
Tenth regiment have been sent to hir
at Iloilo. The Nebraska regiment ha
been ordered to sail for home in abou