Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-21
TlLLYs MURDER AVENGED
Detachment Of the 9th Infantry Disperses
Bandits inlNegros.
Gen. Otis Reports the Punishment OF
Band by Capt. b. A.
Byrne.

The War Department received the fol-
lowing cablegram today:
MANILA, July 81, 1899.
"Adjutant General, Washington:
Captain B. A. Byrne, 9Th Infantry, with
seventy men surprised the united robber
bands of Negroes, numbering 49, killed 115,
wounded many; captured few rifles and
revolvers. many hand weapons and largo
quantity of stock; fighting was at close
distance. Byrnes loss was one killed, one
wounded; names not given. This action
was very beneficial for quiet of Negros.
(SigneD OTIS"
1t will be recalled that 1t was at Esca-
lante, on the Island of Negroes, that Captain
Tilley Of the Signal Corps was ambushed
and murdered by the natives on May q
last. 1t is supposed that the band of rob-
bers who were so severely punished by Cap
tain Byrne's command We're a part of the
same marauders. The signal service has
just compiled a report on this occurrence,
made up from reports by the officers of the
cable ship Recorder and Lieutenant Alfred
T. Clifton, who succeeded to Captain Til
ley's command in Iloilo.
The text of the report, copy of which
has been forwarded to Captain Tilleys fam
lily, is as follows:
The Murder of Capt. TflIy.
May p, 1899, the Recorder, the cable
ship Of the E. E. A. and C. Gable Company,
went to Esca1ante, on the Island of Negroes,
for the purpose of picking up cable, Cap
tain lilly accompanying the expedition
from 1loilo, he being the only member of
the signal command in the party
captain Tilly, on his application to the
chief signal officer of the department, had
been permitted TO accompany the cable
ship in order that he might famiiarize
himself with cable operations and locations
with a view of his using information SO
gained in directing the operations of the
United States government cable ship, now
en- route from the United States, for opera
tions in the Philippines.
"At Escalante, the natives hoisted flag
of truce over the cable house, and, assured
by the friendly demonstra tons of the
natives on the beach, the captain of the
cable ship, Captain Tily and part of the
cable boats crew went ashore in a steam
launch, and were kindly received by the
natives, but were suddenly fired upon by a
large body of men from ambush. Captain
lilly and the larger part of the crew, be-
ing cut off, took to the water, the captain
of the cable vessel and one man alone
reaching the launch, succeeding, however,
in picking up some of the men in the water.
Captain lilly and three of the crew were
found to be missing, and the Recorder i'm
medlately returned to 1loilo where, ON
May %, the matter was reported to Briga-
der General Smith, who at once started for
Escalante with two officers and seventy
five men of the 18th Infantry.
=
body was found by Gen. Smith floating in
the river Danao. and the remains were
sent to Iloilo by the steamer Lee Fat,
reaching there on the Both.
"ThOuSh much decompoSed, the body was
identified by clothing and other effects. On
the forehead and extending down the left
side of the face there was a long cash; in
the riglt side, j1st below the floating rib, a
hole was found, apparently caused by a
knife wound; other marks of violence, evil
IDENTIFY bruises from clubs, appeared on the
body. The body had been sunk by weight
ing with stone attached to a rope. the
length of the rope, however, allowing the
body to rise to the surface, the stone acting
as an anchor. -.
THE remains were inferred with full
military honors an the English cemetery at
Iloilo al o'clock on May 80, being escorted
to the burial place by detachment of Sig
nal Corps non-commissioned officers acting
as pallbearers-Gapt.-r Cannon Gate of de-
CeaSed'S con maHd), Lieut.. Clifton, Capt
Hanna, 1st Montana Infantry, captain of
the port; Lieut.. Conrad. 18th United States
Infantry, and Lieut.. Pitcher of the Tennes-
see Volunteers being honorary palbearers.
Battery G., 9th United States Artillery, fur
nished a caissen for the casket with a
platoon escort; Col ChiIders. staff and band
and six companies of the Tennessee Volun-
teers and detachment of the 18th United
States Infantry also escorted the remains
1.-The floral offerings sent by the late
captains many friends and admirers COM
pleIely covered the CdSket among them be-
ing wreaths from the chief Signal officer
of the department, from the cable ship Re
corder from the captains former COM
mand. from the superintendent and en-
ployes of the cable office, from the United
States consul the agents of the bank and
from many of the other business houses in
the town. Along the route the many spec
tators, irrespective of nationality, raised
their hats as the cortege passed on it's way
to the cemetery.
Prayer was offered by Chaplain Wells;
the hymn Jesus, Lover of My Soul, was
sung; three volleys We're fired, and taps
was sounded
Lieut.. Clifton. in his report, calls es-
pecial attention to the many kind letters
floral offerings and other expressions of
coincidence received, the cable companys
board of directors in London, England, ex-
pressing it's sympathy for the late captain s
bereaVed parents, as we'll as for the corps,
in the loss it has sustained.
THE deCeased'S personal effects were
taken charge of by Brig. Gen. James F.
Smith"