Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1899-06-16
Inquiry Into His Party's Strange
Disappearance is Likely.
CAPTURE OF TIE LIEUTENANT.

written after the Yorktown had re-
turned to Manila and Captain sperry
had undoubtedly reported fully upon
the unfortunate occurrence. This part,
in connection with the knowledge in
the department. that neither Captain
sperry nor bis executive officer had
been detached from the Yorktown prior
to the admiral's departure for Hong
kong. leads to a conviction that Cap
tain Sperry at any rate has been alb.
solved from any negligence or RESPONSE
bility for the incidents that led up t.
the capture Of Gilmore and some Of his
men and the deaths Of the rest of the
crew. A letter received recently in
Washington from a naval officer Of high
rank at Manila gives the first detailed
account of the capture and, read with
the other facts given above, leads to
the conclusion that Gilmore himself
may have been responsible for his own
trouble. This letter, dated May I, tells
;he story of the capture in the follow
ing words:
"Admiral Dewey sent Sperry in CON-
mand of the Yorktown up on the north
east coast of Luzon to place named
Baler. 1t was supposed that there was
a small garrison Of Spaniards holding
out there besieged. Spe1ry was to get
them if he could. When sperry reach
ed Baler, he tried to communicate with
the insurgents under flag of truce,
and succeeded on the open beach, but
he got no information regarding the
Spaniards. The insurgents wanted the
boat to come into the creek, but it was
low water, and she did not go. Sperry
was anxious to find out something of
what he was sent for. So, after talking
it over thoroughly with the executive
officer (Thomas). Gilmore (navigator)
and STANDBY (ensign), it was agreed
that STANDBY should be landed to the
left before day by Gilmore and that
then Gilmore should loaf along of the
mouth of the creek, taking soundings.
the same as he had been doing the day
before. without interruption. 1t was
STANDBY who went in under the flag Of
truce the first day.
"Gilmore agreed that to enter the
creek would be bad jugdment, and 1t
was decided that Gilmore should sim
ply land STANDBY to the left before
dawn and that then Gilmore was TO
sound along, but keep an eye out for
STANDBY and take him of when he
came down to the beach.
"Standley was successfully landed
with one man and made his way up
through the forest and brush to high
place, where he climbed a tree and
sketched in the lay of the land. While
up the tree he and his man heard firing
for about three-quarters OF an hour,
and, looking up the river, he saw men
splashing in the water and apparently
a boat there, and he could even hear
them say in Spanish, See that man!
enough STANDBY thought
the natives were in bathing and con-
Quoting themselves in a savage fashion.
So he took little account of it and fin
ished his sketch. Then he and his man
returned to the beach, and there being
no boat there the Yorktown sent in a
whaleboat and brought them off.
STANDBY had secured precisely the in
formation that was sought. But where
was Gilmore and his boat with IA men
at seems that it was not until then
that any apprehension for their safety
was enter tanned. The boat did not re-
turn and is there yet. 1t had Colt
gun in the bow, but STANDBY says he
did not hear the Colt gun speak at all
during the firing. Had be heard it be
would have known that the natives
were having brush with Gilmore. He
now supposes. that the men in the water
with the boat were Gilmore and his
men, But how did Gilmore happen to
enter the river when it was 20 distinct
ly understood that to do that would be
fatal? No one knows this yet, and here
is where all hands are guessing,
why did Sperry let the boat enter
the river. the whole layout being in
sight from the ship? This is still foggy.
I do not know, but I think Sperry has
intrusted the job to Thomas, the first
lieutenant, who had the deck. am of
the opinion that it was not done under
Sperry's eye, for, the boat leaving at
4 80 q. m., sperry would have known
nothing Of what was going on until
about Z O. clock, when Standley return.
ed and Gilmore did not. It seems that
In the early dawn Gilmore got in
around the rocks, and they never saw
him again. .
"Sperry, fearful of killing bis own
people, refrained from opening on the
camp. He did. however, drop half
dozen 9 inch ehrapnel into the camp at
another time. At dark that night he
had three boats patrol the beach all
night, and signaled with searchlight
every half hour, Boats patrol of beach
and bar He lay there three days and
tried to communicate by flag of truce.
but could not; so he came back. We are
certain to have a court Of inquiry,
not for the purpose Of condemning any
one, but to clear up the mystery OF the
boats entrance to the creek. .
There has been no court of inquiry,
however, and the mystery is not likely I.
to be satisfactorily cleared until Lieu.
tenant Gilmore is surrendered or es-
capes or until some of his men find
their way back to Manila. New York