The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-03-24
PrivateS Cohen and Muir of the
Twentieth
Fatally Wounded In the Trench
es by FilipinOs.
MASSING THE FORCES
Insurgents Are Concentrating
Their Army at MalabOn.
With the Apparent Intention
of Giving Battle.

Manila, March 24.-The enemy is ex-
tremely active in the vicinity of Mala-
bon. in preparing defenses, evidently
anticipating an attack. They keep we'll
under cover. A small body or insurgents,
however emerged from the jungle on
the extreme left yesterday and fired
upon the Kansas troops in the trenches,
fatally wounding Private Cohen of
Company B and Private Muir of Com
pany L (from Westphalia, kan.).
The Oregon volunteers and the Twen-
ty-secOnd regulars marched TO the
front today. The Third and seventeenth
regiments have disembarked from the
Sherman Gen. H G. Otis brigade
struck their tents this morning and an
early move is probable
Sixteen English refugees arrived here
yesterday from Dagupan, the railroad
terminus. on board the steamer Sat
urnus They report that the natives
are generally friendly and the officers
invariabl courteous. Mr.. Higgins, man
ager of the railroad, and about dozen
unmarried men in charge of various
business interests declined to take ad-
vantage of the opportunity to leave
Nothing has been heard from the two
American planters at Calumpit since
hostilities began
thousand Americans have been killed,
the fatalities being especially heavy at
CalOocan, where the United States
troops rushed like madmen against
A FINAL STAND.
Manila, March a. 6:25 p. m.-Two
Spanish prisoners who have escaped
from Polo to the lines of the Kansas
regiment report that the Filipinos have
concentrated their forces at Malabon
and Polo. They add that only Aguin-
aldo's bodyguard is at Malolos, and that
the insurgent leaders apparently intend
to stake their fortunes a fight at
Malabon, where it was expected an en-
gagement would take place yesterday.
If defeated, it is further asserted they
intend to disperse to the swamps and
mountains. The insurgents were put
ting their BoloS in front, believing that
the Bolomen's charms will avert the
bullets. The BoIOs of the Filipinos
greatly outnumber the rifles in their
hands. The rebels are further said to
have admitted that they can not with
stand the American shells and bayonet
charges.
The escaped Spaniards corroborated
the stories told of food shortage among
the insurgents. and they add that the
hospitals are short of supplies.
OTIS PLANS A KNOCK OUT.
Washington March 24.-Gen. Otis has
so far matured his plans that within
week or ten days he will be able to be
gin a movement which is expected to
mark the destruction of AguinaldO's
army. Although stragglers and fugi-
tives may infeSt the island of LuZOn for
some time, it is believed that after Otis
has delivered his next blow the insur-
gent army as an organization will have
ceased to exist.
The new movement will be by COM
bined land and water attack, though it
is not expected that the naVy's part in
the programme will be particularly
prominent. Otis has procured thirteen
Of the gunbOats formerly owned by the
Spanish government, and these are to
play important part in the develop
ment of the campaign. Many of the
troops which had been engaged on the
outer lines up to the date of Gen. Law
toms arrival at Manila have been with
drawn to the water front and a COM
plete reorganization of the army is now
in progress. The reinforcementS now
arriving It Manila are being used to
maintain the strength of the lines run
ming from Manila to PaSig esta blished
by WheatOn's flying brigade. The next
movement is to be by water. Otis will
place a complete brigade aboard vessels
steam rapidly nOrthward and land them
beyond the insurgent headquarters at
Nalolos. If this movement succeeds, as
it should, if made with rapidity, the in
surgent army will find itself completely
penned in with no opportunity for re-
treat To the north will be this flying
brigade on the east of LagunO de Bay,
across which they will be prevented
boats now af1oat there; the Pasig river
to the south is we'll policed by irOncladS
and with a strong line in the position
occupied by WheatOnS brigade will cut
off any movement in that direction,
while to the west the Bay of Manila is
closed by Dewey's vessels. 1t is hard to
conceive how if this plan carries the
insurgents can longer avoid a decisive
conflict which must either end in their
breaking through the American lines or
in their surrender. It is evident that
Otis expects the latter, for he has al
ready advised the war department that
the insurrectiOn can not last much
longer.