Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-04-03
BACKBONE BROKEN
Is the Growing Belief About
the Filipino Trouble.
American Troops Resting at Malo|os,
Preparing For Next Move.
Thousands Of the Natives Said TO Be Ready TO
Desert AguinaIdo.

| Manila. April $50 +. M.-The
! American troops under Gen. MacAr-
| thur are stili resting at Malolos where
everything has been quiet. today.
! Hostilities elsewhere-so far as official
ly reported-have been limited during
| the last "a hours to an occasional eX-
| change of shots between the insurgents
and the troops forming the lines OF
| Gems. Lawton and Hall extending from
| the waterwOrks to Lalonia. But this
| shooting has been just active enough
! 10 make the lives of the soldiers a bur-
! den and 10 compel the officers to sleep
/ in trenches. clothed and in readiness to
rcprl possible attacks
| Most of the Americans are becoming
convinced that the backbone of the in
| surgent opposition is broken. There
are numerous rumOrs pointing to an
early collapse of the instruction. one
| Of these is that Gen. Pho del Pillar, the
! best tighter among the Fiipinos off
| GERS, Will desert Aguinaldo and give his
| support to the Americans.
| The Spaniards, reasoning from their
experience with the natives. refuse to
| beliye that the rebellion is anywhere
near put down. They declare that the
Fiipnos will not take their defeat at
Malolos with the loss of the CITY. and
the removal Of their so-called govern
ment, seriously to heart. on the con
trary the Spaniards predict that the in
surgents will hover near the American
lines. bothering them as much as posi-
BILE, and when attacked in force. dis
solve. only 10 reappear at other points.
This sort Of tactics-the Spaniards
say-will be followed until the wet sea-
son compelS the Americans to be
housed in barracks. and then the Flip
mos will return and reoccupy such
towns as the United States troops do
not garrison. With the next dry sea-
son a repetition of the present opera
tons will begin.
Time alone will show how much
there is in this theory: but. as against
it. it must be borne in mind that the
Spaniards in all their domination of the
Philippines never gave the inhabitants
demonstration of power comparable
in effectiveness TO that given them by
the United States.
A priest and two members of the so
called Filipino Congress, who hid them
selves in the wood during the fighting
winch preceded the capture of Malolos.
returned there, this morning. and de
clared that 1000 of the FiliDinos SOL
diers We're anxious to give up fighting
and would do so but for their officers
who kept them under arms.
The whole country between Malolos
and Caloocan is now full of friendlies.
mostly women, children and old people
VINO are returning to their homes. car
rying white flags. The Americans are
trying to gain the confidence of the in
habitants by proving to them that if
they will return and attend o their or
binary work peacefully. no harm will
befall them. Two hundred and fifty
civilians came back to their homes in
Malolos. last evening. Two thousand
women and children. with a sprinkling
of unarmed men, supposed to be war
riors. came 10 the outskirts of Malolos
on the sea side of the city. and after
wards sneaked away, carrying all the
good they could
There has been no little good natured
rivalry as to which regiment--the 1st
Montana or the Goth Kansas-is entitled
TO the honor of having raised its flag
first in Malolos. Col. Funston and 20
men of Co. f.. Kansas Volunteers, claim |
the distinction, on the ground. as al |
ready cabled, Of having entered the |
town at double quick and raised the |
company's flag. but the first flag to he |
recognized officially was that Of 90. &. |
Of the Montana Infantry
1t is reported that 5000 rebels. under |
Pillar. are concentrated at Cainta ana \
Taytay.
Gen. Kings. Saturday morning, sent /
out reconnoitering party of two COM
panies Of the North Dakota Regiment. 4
and a brisk engagement followed, dur
ing which seven Filpinos We're killed
On the American side lieutenant and \
two privates We're wounded.
The death of Lieut.. Gregg of the 4th
Infantry who was killed near the
Manila water works. Friday. has deep
ly affected the army. as he was one of
the most popular of the young officers.
His funeral took place, Saturday.