The evening times., 1899-07-20
PRISONERS OF AGUINALDO.
The Diary of an American Captive
Unearthed ut sun Isidro.
From the New York Evening Post.)


San Isidro, p l., May 20.-When the Ore
gon regiment entered this second capital
OF the Filipino Republic it found exten-
sive hospitals and prisons that had been
lately used. There is large convent
building here, much dilapidated, where un-
til recently 800 wounded Filipinos were
cared for, after fashion. They lacked
proper medical attendance, nursing, and
hospital appliances generally, and was
assured by Spaniard who lives here that
fully one-half of them would die unless
they received better attention than IN the
past. The American advance has rendered
ii necessary to remove the wounded sew
eTal times. and the mortality among them
has been largely increased in consequence.
This is also true of the Spanish and Amer
lean prisoners, who have been gradually
moved back and have suffered severely in
consequence, both in comfort and in de-
privation of food.
While here the prisoners were confined
in an old brick structure which has eyi-
IDENTIFY served as a state prison for a great
many years. In one room, or cell, were
found the names of fourteen American
prisoners written on the wall in char
coal; also under the floor was a portion
of diary kept by one of them. The first
and last parts are missing, so that the
circumstances under which the writer was
captured are not known. However, he
mentions the name of Brown as asso-
ciated with him, but the list contains no
such name, leaving the inference that the
list OF prisoners is not complete, or that
the writer was mistaken in the mans S
name.
The dates of capture of the first five were
prior to the breaking out of hostil;ties,
showing that Aguinaldo was capturing
Americans and holding them prisoners
even while pretending to be on the most
friendly terms with the Americans. The
fact is, that a state of war actually existed
on Aguinaldo's part long before he at
tackled Manila, notwithstanding the repeat
ed cables from General Otis to Washington
that Il have the situation well in hand;''
Il do not anticipate any serious trouble, -
etc. Americans were not permitted to pass
the Filipinos' outposts, though we lei
them through ours at will, and all Ameri-
cans found within their lines were arrest
ed. Several confined in this way were re-
leased upon application of the United
States military authorities, but the men
refer to were not SO fortunate. They went
out prospecting without permission, except
the first, who was a civilian prospector
The man from the Third Artillery was cap
tured on outpost, while the Yorktown's
boat crew was captured while making g
reconnaissance on the coast.
The room in which the men were con.
fined is 12x18 feet in size, with a badly
dilapidated wooden floor. In it. as well as
in all the other rooms, was found a set Of
stocks, the use of which seems to have
been favorite punishment with the Span
iards There is nothing to show that oul
men were subjected to this indignity ant
torture. The mural roster and the frag-
ment of manuscript diary are as follows:
Captured 27 1s99 j. o'Brien Prosp. A
Sonnichson, United States transport service; H
Huber, Hospital Corps. January 80, W. Bruc,
and E. Honnyman, First Nevada Cavalry Apri
IL, A. Bishop, Battery H. Third Artillery.
U. S. S. YORKTOWN.
Captured-April u, 1899, Lieutenant Gilmore, U
S. NJ; w. Walton, Chief Quartermaster; p Van
doit, S. NJ. NJ. j. Ellsworth, coxswain; L. P
Edwards, landsman; S. Brsolese, ordinary sea
man; A. Peterson, apprentice; +. Anderson, lands
man.
Men, women, and children all fleein,
from the advancing Americans. A coupl
of hours march brought us into Kungiy
(Quingan, town on the Minuyan River
some eight miles from Malolos) wher
all the Spaniards and ourselves stopped TO
rest in a convent. At four we were Oh
the march again. Among the Spaniard
was woman, wife of some Spanish off
Ger, but she was allowed to ride on an OK
cart. About four hours march brought u
! to the bank Of a large stream (Minuya
! River), and here we were ferried acros
| by large canoe. On the other side la
| Balinag, our resting place for the night
| (This place was captured by Lawton's col
umn May 2.) We were taken into a con
| vent and put into room about six by ter
| with nothing to sleep on but the floor an
| litter covered with blood. The sergean
of the guard was young Spaniard, an