The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-09-20

Washington, Sept. 19.-Secretary
Root today received a cablegram from
General Otis that seemed to Indicate a
weakening on the part of the in
surgents in Luzon. 1t contained q prof
fer 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 Cen
eral Otis. The 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 cabinet session.
However, upon reading the message
carefully its apparent Importance
seemed to diminish. Secretary Root,
himself did not regard the matter as oil
Importance at the time. He recalled
frequent efforts on the part the IN
surgents in the past to gain time at
critical moments by opening negotla-
tons, ostensibly with the object OF
making peace, and he was not sure but
this last offer was something 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 ana
listen to him and make answer to his
proposals. but this would not restrain
the military operations 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 been disheartened at the re-
newed and intense activity in the dl-
rection of reinforcing 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.
Aguinaldo Not Mentioned.
1t is pointed out as a noticeable fact
that Aguinaldo's name does not ap
pear in General Otis dispatch and
though this may not be of great sig
nificance, still among some of the army
officials it is surmised that there are
serious dissensions among the insurg-
ents and that, perhaps some of the dis
cordant elements are acting on their
own responsibility. The text of the
dispatch follows:
Manila, Sept 19.-Adjutant General,
Washington: Macarthur reports from
Angeles a visit of two insurgent Of
fieers with request for permission to
send into our lines American prisoners
and to send to Manila prominent in
surgent general officer for conference.
The requested interview granted and
insurgent officers at Angeles return
north this morning with information.
"OTTS."
While no names are mentioned in.
the dispatch, it is inferred that in
Guided in the list of American prison
ers to whom the negotiations relate, is
Lieutenant Gilmore and the fifteen men
of the Yorktown, who were captured
by the insurgents on the east coast of
Luzon: Major Rockefeller, who was
captured beyond the American lines
one night shortly after his arrival in
the Philippines and about half dozen
private soldiers who have been re-
ported missing.
Capture of Gilmore.
The capture of Lieutenant Gilmore
and his party was one of the most
stirring incidents of the insurrection.
1t occurred while the cruiser York
town was making a survey of the west
ern coast of Luzon, with 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 surrounded at Baler on the
eastern coast and Lieutenant Gilmore,
with boats party from the Yorktown
was sent ashore to reconnoiter the sur
rounding country. He divided his
command, one party remaining near
the Sh0re While another pushed IN land.
This was the last heard of the lieu
tenant and the fifteen men who accom-
panied him. The other members of the
party waited for a long time but got
no trace of their companions and
finally were 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 possible
means to learn the condition of the
captive Americans. At first il was
feared they had lost their lives. but
later definite information was received
that the following were alive at San
Isidro. an insurgent stronghold Lieu
tenant Gilmore, Chief Quartermaster
Walton, Sail-makers Mate Paul Van
Dot, Coxswain John Ellsworth. APP
prentice third-class, Albert Peterson:
Landsman Silvio Brisoleze, Landsman
Lyman Paul Edwards and Landsman
Fred Anderson.
Captain Charles r. Rockefeller of the
Nineteenth infantry, is also supposed
to be prisoner with the insurgents.
He disappeared last April and no trace
of him has been discovered.