The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-06-17
THE FILIPINO LOSS HEAVY
THE ENEMY BROKE AND FLED
TO THE JUNGLE.
STORY OF IHE ASSASSINATION or LUNA
A Spaniard Gives an Account indicating That
una Brought his fate Upon Himself
by kenacng the Life of
fgunaldo.

fguinaldo.
Manila. June 16.-5:45 p. m.-After
cutting the railroad and telegraph at
Apalit. seven miles south, for the pur-
pose of seyering connection, the rebels
attacked General MacArthur's lines at
San Fernando, at 4:30 this morning.
They met with an unexpectedly warm
reception, and were repulsed with a
loss of IS killed, 80 prisoners and many
wounded.
The rebels force is estimated to have
numbered 5000 men. They advanced
stealthily from the jungle north of the
city and divided, with the evident pur-
pose of surrounding the Americans.
The outposts of the Iowa regiment dis
covered the enemy and retired to their
lines, where the entire division awaited
in an entrenched position. The Iowa
regiment and the Kansas regiment re-
ceived the first shock of the attack.
Reserving their fire until the enemy
was within six hundred yards, the first
yolley of the Americans hit the rebels.
who returned the fire wildly, the rest
of their line failing to advance. The
Americans, who thoroughly enjoyed the
novelty of the situation awaiting an
attack, sailed forth, and the insurgents
thereupon turned and fed into the jun
gle. Our loss was If men wounded, the
majority of them only slightly hurt.
General Funston's brigade of Kansans
and Montanans and General Hale's bri-
ade. the Seventeenth regiment and the
Iowa regiment, constituted the force en-
gagged.
Aguinaldo is reported to have person
ally conducted the attack, and prepara-
tions were made for several days TO
bring forward troops from Candaba, and
others from Dagupan were transported
by rail.
Along the front of the Kansas regi-
ment 80 rebel dead were counted.
The first news of the Filipino advance
was reported by a telegraph operator,
who was sent to the bridge at Apalit
to ascertain the cause Of break in one
Of the wires. He was compelled to beat
a hasty retreat under fire.
A Spanish officer who has been a
prisoner in the hands of the rebels, and
who was released by Aguinaldo has
come through our lines to Manila. He
claims to have been a witness of the
assassination of General Luna.
According to his story, the relations
between the two Filipino leaders had
been strained to the breaking point, be-
cause of Luna's attempts to assume con-
troll of affairs, and the final rupture was
forced by Aguinaldo issuing secret or
ders to the provincial governments.
Luna thereupon notified Aguinaldo, de-
manding copies of the documents, and
Aguinaldo replied CURLY that Luna was
general of the army and that the Civil
Government did not concern him. Luna,
on opening the reply at his headquarters.
i'm the presence of his officers, eXclaim-
ed h0tly:
''He will be dead tomorrow"
One officer, who was friendly to
Aguinaldo, hastened to warn him; and
Aguinaldo called together twenty trust
ed soldiers, fellow townsmen of his, and
stationed them around his house, with
instructions to kill anyone attempting to
enter. regardless of rank.
Luna appeared the next day and saw
Aguinaldo at the window
A member Of the guard said:
"Aguinaldo has gone to inspect
troops"
Luna then exclaimed: "You are
liar" drew his revolver, struck the
guard and tried to force an entrance
into the house. Before he could use his
revolver, one of the guards bayoneted
him, another shot him in the back and
others stabbed him. In all he had twen-
ty wounds. Luna's aide-de-camp was
Killed in the same way.
The Spaniard's story has not entirely
dispelled the doubts Of Luna's death,
ana bets that he is alive are freely made
at the clubs. Some people thing Aguin-
aldo has taken pains to send the Span
lard here with his story for the further
ance Of some diplomatic scheme, while
others suspect Aguinaldo has been as
sassinated by Luna's men.
Since the Americans Withdrew from
Candaba recently the rebels have re-
turned and have wreaked vengeance
upon those who befriended the Ameri-
cans. They slaughtered the natives who
surrendered the town and displayed their
heads on poles in the public square.
The hostile natives of Cebu are more
menacing. Mail advices say hostilities
against the Americans have begun there.
Colonel Hamer, the American command
er, has asked for re-enforcements, and
four companies of the Tennessee regi-
ment have been sent to him from Iloilo.