The San Francisco call., 1899-09-20

MAY RELEASE
PRISONERS
Ask for Permission to Hold
a Conference With Gen
eral Otis.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19.-Secretary
Root to-day received a cablegram from.
General Otis that seemed to indicate
weakening on the part of the insur-
gents in Luzon. 1t contained a proffer
to deliver the American prisoners who
have been for SO many months in the
hands of the insurgents, and also
sought permission to parley with Gen
eral Otis.
This cablegram was at once taken by
Secretary Root over to the Cabinet
meeting and formed the main topic for
discussion at the beginning of the Cab
met session. However. upon reading
the message carefully it's apparent i'm
portance seemed to diminish
Secretary Root himself did not regard
the matter as of Importance at this
time. He recalled frequent efforts on
the part of the insurgents in the past
TO gain time at critical moments by
opening negotiations, ostensibly with
the object of making peace, and he was
not sure but this last offer was some
thing of the same kind. However. the
Secretary was of the opinion that it
would fail to afford the insurgents any
advantage. General Otis would receive
any messenger and listen to him and
make answer to his proposals, but this
would not restrain the military opera
tions in the slightest degree. and the
American arms would lose no ground.
no matter how the negotiations turned
out. There is a possibility also that the
Insurgents may have become disheart-
ened at the renewed and intense act1V-
ity in the direction of reinforcing Gen
eral Otis and concluded, in view of the
great force gathering to open the cam
paign in the dry season, that further
resistance would be useless.
1t is pointed out as a noticeable TACT
that Aguinaldos name does not appear
in General Otis dispatch, and though
this may not be of great significance.
still among some of the army ofnclals
it is surmised that there are serious
dissensions among the insurgents and
that, perhaps, some OF the dlscordant
| elements are acting on their own re-
sponsibility The text of the dispatch
is as follows:
MANILA Sept 19.-Adjutant General,
Washington: General Macarthur reports
from Angeles the visit of two insurgent
officers with request for permission to
send into our lines American prisoners
and to send to Manila a prominent 1nSur-
gent general officer for conference The
requested interview was granted and the
insurgent officers at Angeles return north
this morning with information. OIlS.
The capture of Lieutenant Gilmore
and his party was one of the most stir
ring incidents of the insurrection 1t
occurred while the cruiser Yorktown
was making a survey of the western
coast of Luzon with a view to locating
some of the detached Spanish garriSons
which had long been cut off from the
populOus centerS. 1t was known that
a Spanish garrison had been surround
ed at Baler, on the eastern coast. ana
Lieutenant Gilmore, with boats party
from the Yorktown was sent ashore to
reconnoiter the surrounding country.
He divided his command, one party re-
naming near the shore, while another
pushed inland. This was the last heard
of the lieutenant and the fifteen men
who accompanied him. The other men,
bers of the party waited for a long
time but got no trace of their compan-
ions, and finally We're obliged to return
to the ship without them.
Admiral Dewey at once reported the
loss to the Navy Department and be-
fore he left Manila used every possi-
BILE means to learn the condition of the
captive Americans. At first it was
feared they had lost their lives. but
later definite information was received
that the following were alive at San
Isidro. an insurgent stronghold:
Lieutenant Gilmore, Chief Quarter
master Walton, Sailmakers' Mate Paul
Vardoit. Coxswain John Ellsworth. Ap-
prentice Peterson third class). Lands
man Silvio Brisolez, Landsman Lyman
Paul Edwards and Landsman Fred An
dersOn.
Captain Charles NJ Rockefeller of the
Nineteenth Infantry is also supposed
to be a prisoner with the insurgents.
He disappeared last April and no trace
of him has been discovered.