The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-13
COL. SMITH AFTER
THE GUERRILAS
A Whole Band Was Captured Near
MalaSqui.
COUNTRY FULL OF BANDITS
G,n. Wheeler'S Secretary is Attacked
aud DiSarm,d.
NATIVES ARE BADLY FRIGHTENED
Captured by Outlaws. and After
Being Tried as a Spy is
Executed

Manila, Decembec 12.-7:5O p m.-Colonel
Smith, with a detachment of the Seven
teenth infantry, surrounded and captured
in a village near Malasqui. a party of
guerillas who had made their headquarters
there. The party included the band which
assassnated seven officials at Malasqui for
friendliaess to the Americans.
All are insurgents who became bandits
when the disintesration of the Filpina
army begaA, They kept the country around
Malasqui inAa state OF terror for several
weeks and committed twenty-five murders
in less than that number of days. When
they were caught they were promptly sent
to General MacArtAur's headquarters at
Bayambong by train.
1t is expected that they will be speedily
tried and either shot or hanged as an eX-
ample.
The whole country north of San Fernando
and between San Fernando and Manila
except within the permanent line of troops
around the city and the closely patrolled
stretches of railroad, swamps with similar
bands. Probably they will be increased by
men from Pillars army, many of whom
are making their way south to join the In
surgent force in Cavite province.
These people for the most part succeeded
! il lodging General Grant, Colonel Bell and
Colonel Hoods troops, who are securing
the country for them. They devote their
energies to ambushing commissary wagons
and to picking up soldiers who leave their
commands Every day some wagon train
is fired upon or some soldier disappears.
Th. eier's Secretary Attacked
General Wheelers secretary, Mr.. Garrett,
was disarmed, and slashed by Boloman,
almost within sight of headquarters his
,.ssa.lant pursuing him nearly into the
headquarters building.
The policy of these ruffians is to make
the country unirlabtabie for Americans
and to Grishten natives into refraining
from giving their advice to the Americans
az we'll as to compel tee Inhabitants to
support the insurrect.on.
Frequently tLley raid and loot towns. The
brother of The president of linus went out
side the town the other day to harvest
some rice. lie was captured by his COM
patriots, accused of being a spy and eX-
ecuted.
Only small proportion of the insurgents
arms have been surrendered, and the prob
lem of suppressing this guerrilla warfare
is anything but easy of solution. Some of
the American officers think it worse than
fighting Indians owing to the difficulties
of the country and the trouble in locating
the enemy, who resort when hard pressed
tc The amigo dodge and hide their guns.
Some CT the Americans favor the issuance
of a proclama ton declaring all natives
found with arms to be banished punishable
as criminals instead of being treated as
prisoners of war.
Information has been received a head
quarters that 800 Spanish prisoners have
been shipped from Vigan to Manila, and
that 1.500 others have been assembled in
Nggan, including General Pena. Probably
these are SpaniardS released by General
Young's troops in ule Benguet district,
where they were concentrated by the in
surgens.