The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-04-21
AMERICANS CAPTURED
Lieutenant Gilmore and
Others.
In HANDS OF PHILIPPINES

Much Exciteme { and Anxiety Caused
by This First Capture Of Americana
by the Insurgents-The Fate Of the
Prisoners Unknown Philippines
Will Accept no Overtures Regarding
Them-Every Effort 10 be Made to
secure Their Release.
Manila, April ia number Of prom
inent and wealthy Philippines are or
ganizing a committee to take steps to
bring about, if possible, an understand
ing between the rebels and the Amer
leans. One branch Of this committee
intends to ask the United States Phil
ippine commission to make q state
ment as to what terms will be offered
the rebels if the latter will surrender.
Another branch Of h committee will
approach Aguinaldo with the terms and
will endeavor to persuade him to ac-
cept them. It is considered doubtful,
however, if any members of the COM
mittee will dare to personally confer
with h rebel leader. The committee
includes several persons recently con-
ClIll4CO - oCdlll ny <1SulIldiuO lOF Pc
titioning him to cease fighting.
Major General Otis has appointed a
board, headed by Colonel Crowder, to
deal with war claims. Many such
claims have been filed, a~ggregating
millions of dollars, particularly as a
result Of the Iloilo fire. Major General
Otis who has hitherto handled these
claims, is Unable to devote any of his
| time to them now.
General Lawton has ordered Colonel
Whalley, of the Washington volunteers,
who was a lieutenant in the regular
army, to command General Kings bril-
gade during the latter's illness.
MEN OF THE YORKTOWN CAP
TURED.
Washington, April 1S.-The navy de-
| partment has given out the following
dispatch from Admiral Dewey:
Manila, April Is.
Secretary of the Navy, Washington:
The Yorktown visited Baler, east
a Of Luzon, P. l., April 18th for
the purpose of rescuing and bringing
away the Spanish forces consisting of
eighty soldiers, three officers and two
priests, which were surrounded by 400
insurgents. Some of the insurgents,
armed with Mauser rifles x x x by
| iISsIlNCS AlColcIIdnl y. u. IllUlOTo,
vale making X X x ambushed were
fed upon and captured. Fate un-
Known, as insurgents refused to COM
municate afterward. The following are
missing: The officer previously refer
red to, Chief Quartermaster w. Wal
ton, Coxswain J.. Ellsworth, Gunner's
Mate II. J. Hygard, Sailmaker Vend-
git, Seamen w. H. FINDERS and w.
Woodbury., Apprentices D. w. Avon
vile, j. Peterson, Ordinary Seamen F.
Brisolese, w. B. O'Donnel; Landsmen
L. L. Edwards, F. Andersen, J. Dillon
and c. A. Morissey. DEWSY."
The dispatch from Admiral Dewey
caused much excitement in naval cir
cles as soon as it's contents became
known. 1t was received late in the day
and considerable delay was occasioned
by the blindness Of some of the cipher
words. 1t was impossible to complete
ly decipher it, and the asterisks indi-
cate the unintelligible words.
Lieutenant J.. c. Gilmore, the officer
referred to as captured, is we'll known
in Washington, having been stationed
here for some time. His wife and fam
lily live here. He was born in Philadel-
phia July 10, 1854, n vas appointed
a naval cadet from Arizona. in Septem-
Der, 1871. He reached his present grade
Of lieutenant in 1891. His main service
has been on the Monongahela, Marion,
Bancroft, Vesuvius and Machias, be-
side considerable service on boards.
Just a year g he reported to the ST.
Paul, then commissioned as an aux
iliary cruiser, and served on hat yes
sci under Captain Sigsbee, throughout
the war. On January 18th last he was
ordered to the hospital ship Solace,
which was about to sail for Manila. and
on arrival there was assigned by Ad-
miral Dewey to the Yorktown.
The capture of the Yorktown's men
was. discussed with much feeling in
naval circles. The misfortune was felt
with added keenneSS as the navy has
prided itself thus far on immunity
from reverses. The admiral's dispatch
of today was the first knowledge the
department had that the Yorktown had
gone on this special mission to relieve
the Spanish garrison at Boiler. That the
capture should have been effected
while the American forces were on a
mission of mercy toward the Spaniards
rather than in the prosecution of a
campaign, led to the belief that Spain
would ave no further ground for
questioning the good faith with which
h Americans were seeking to relieve
the condition of the Spanish prisoners
Although the dispatch gave no indi.
cation that Lieutenant Gilmore anG
his men had lost their lives, yet great
anxiety was aroused by the mystery
surrounding their fate while in tn
hands OF an uncivilized enemy. This i
the first capture OF any Americans, mil
itary or naval, so that it is unknown
how the insurgents will treat our men
If civilized methods were pursued al
exchange could be quickly effected, a.
General Otis a a large number OF
Philippine prisoners, but the insur
gents have been averse thus far to cx
changing Spanish prisoners, and thi!
raises a question as to what the will
do with the Yorktown men The DUR
pose Of officials here is to spare no eff
fort TO secure the speedy release of oul
men.