Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-09-20
Will Give up Ameri-
can Prisoners.
ALLOWED TO DO so
Arrangements Are Being Made For a
Parley--The Capture of Lieut.. Gill
more and His Party From the
Gunb0at Yorktown.

tOi. CSpt. lS.-StSIStdiS i<oot
to-day received a cablegram from Cen
eral Otis that seemed to indicate a weak
ening on the part of the insurgents 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 General Otis. The cablegram
was at once taken by Secretary Root over
to the cabinet meeting and formed the
main topic for discussion at the begin
ming of the cabinet session. However.
upon reading the message carefully, its
apparent Importance seemed to dimin-
ish. Secretary Root himself did not re-
gard the matter as of Importance at the
time. He recalled frequent efforts on
the part of the insurgents in the past
to gain time at critical moments by OPEN
Ing negotiations, ostensibly with the OBJ
ject of making peace and he vas not
sure but this last offer was something
of the same kind. However, the secre-
tary was of the opinion that it would fail
to afford the insurgents any advantage.
General Otis would receive any messen-
ger and listen to him and make answer
to his proposals, but this would not re-
strain he military operations in the
slightest degree and the American arms
would lose no ground, no matter how the
negotiations turned out. There is a pos
Sibility also that the insurgents may have
become disheartened at the renewed and
intense activity in the direction of re-
inforcing General Otis and concluded, in
view Of the great force, gathering to
open the campaign in the dry season,
that further resistance would be useless.
1T is pointed out as a noticeable fact
that A%guinaldo's name does not appear in
General Otis dispatch and though this
may not be of great significance still
among some of the army officials it is
surlnised that there are serious dissen-
haps some of the discOrdant elements are
acting on their own responsibility. The
text of the dispatch follows:
Manila, Sept. 19.-Adjutant general,
Washington: Macarthur reports from
Angels he visit of two insurgent officers,
with request for permission to send into
our lines the American prisoners, and to
send to Manila a prominent insurgent
general officer for conference. The re-
quested interview granted and insurgent
officers at Angels return north this morn
ing with the information. OTIS"
The capture of Lieutenant Gilmore and
has party was one of the most stirring
incident of the insurrectiOn. 1t occur
red while the cruiser Yorktown was max
ing a survey Of the western coast of Lu.
zOn with a view or locating some of the
detached Spanish garrisons which hat
long been cut off from the populous cen
ters. 1t vas known that a Spanish gar
risOn had been surrounded at Baler OF
the eastern coast and Lieutenant Gil
more with a boats party from the York
town was sent ashore to r~ecOnnoiter tn
) surrounding country. He divided hi
command, one party remaining neal tn,
shore. while another pushed inland. Thi
was the last heard of the lieutenant AM
the Is men who accompanied him. TIL,
other members of the party waited TO
a long time but got no trace of thei
companions and finally We're obliged t.
return to the ship without them. Ad
miral Dewey at once reported the los
to the ANY department and before h
left Manila used every possible means t.
learn the condition of the captive Amer
leans. At first it was feared they ha,
lost their lives. but later definite informa
ton was received that the following wer
alive at San IsidrO, an insurgent strong
hold: Lieutenant Gilmore. chief Quar-
lterinaster Walton, Sailmakers Mate Pau
Van Doit. CoXswain John Ellsworth, APP
prentice, third class. Albert Peterson
Landsman Silvio Brisoleze, Landsmal
Lyman Paul Edwards and Landsmal
Fred Anderson.
Captain Charles NJ. Rockefeller. of tn
Nineteenth infantry, is also supposed t
be a prisoner with the insurgents. H
disappeared last April and no trace 0
him has been discovered.