The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-11-03
COLONEL BELLS COMMAND HAS TWO.
ENCOUNTERS WITT THEM.
THE SPANISH COMMISSIONERS
Return from Insurgent Lines-Their
Efforts to Relieve Condition of SPAN
ishP risoners-The LatterIm Treated.
Fourteen American Prisoners at Tar
Supplied with Arms and Ammunf-
ton Extending Civil Administra-
ton.

encounters with the insurgents near
Labam ard scattered them. The insur-
gents left four officers and eight men
dead on the field, and Khe Americans
captured three prisoners and several
guns. On the American side one man
was killed and two officers and six
men wounded. Captain French took
a accommodating party beyond Labar
after he had met the enemy and was
reinforced by Major Bishop with twoI
companies. The insurgents brought up
cavalry achievements and there was
a second fight during which their lead
er, Major Salvador, was killed and
many were wounded and carried away.
Colonel Bell, it is said, has been given
a free hand around Balcolor. He has
sixty mounted men securing the coun-
try daily and they are killing many
Fflipinos in Skirmishes.
RETURN OF THE SPANISH COM
MISSIONERS.
The Spanish commission which enter
ed the insurgent lines a month ago
with money ITO relieve the wants of
several thousand military and civil
Spanish prisoners, returned to Angeles
today. The commissioners report that
they spent most of the time in Tarlac
and the vicinity. where there are someI
200 sick S~paniards in the hospital. The
FilipinOs ill-treat n ill-feed them. re-
fusing to surrender them, as we'll as
the other Spanish prisoners, in the hope
of compelling Spain to recognize the
independence of the islands.
From Tarlac ito Bomban, about two-'
thirds of the way, the commissioners
travelled by train on the Manila-Dagu-
pan railway. The remainder of the
Journey from Bomban ito Angeles they
made on foot, escorted by handsomely
mounted Filipino cavalry. They were
received between the outposts by a
member of General MacArthur's staff
and were brought by train to Manila
AMERICAN PRISONERS.
There are fourteen American prison
ers they say, ait Tarlac, all of whom
are Well treated. Lieutenant j. c. C;l-
| more, of the United States gunbOat
Yorktown, who fell into the hands of
the insurgents at Baler, on the east
coast Of Luzon last April, where the
Yorktown had gone on a special mis-
sion to relieve the Spanish garrison,
is at Bingat.
The commissioners have brought a
letter Ito General Otis from a relative
of the murdered Filipino, General Lu-
na, who wishes to avenge the assasSi-
nation by Aguinaldo's officers and who
| asks a personal interview with the mill
itary governor.
According TO the commissioners
statement, A~guinaldo, who IS still at
Tarlac with 5000 troops, wishes Ito con-
tinue the war, although he has a high
opinion OF the American officers and
soldiers General LaWtOn he calls "El
General de la Noche" (the night gen
era) because that commander has att
tackled him SO often in the darkness
that he never knows when to look for
him.
AguinaldO is said ito be well sup
piled with arms and ammunition and
he is able to get plenty of rice from the
northern provinces.
With the Spanish commissioners
came a large number of women the
families of eight prominent officers of
tn Filipino army, who recently APP
piled to General Otis for permission to
send their families to Manila. Upon
the receipt of the military governors
reply, the nature of which has not been
disclosed, the women and children
! started under escort from Tarlac for
the American lines. When they ar
rived today General Macarthur com
PEELED them ito halt about a mile be-
You'd u O~utpOsts, where they will re-
main while their credentials are being
examined.
Washington, October 30.-Word has
been received here Of the further ex-
tension of civil administration in the
towns adjacent to Manila. These in
clude Pasig, Taguig and Pateros,
where elections ave been held under
the direction of the military officials in
order to secure a full quota of native
officers to carry on the civil affairs OF
| the towns An order from the Eighth
army corps also directs the election OF
a new mayor at linus, as the n for
merly chosen has failed to exercise his
functions Of latte and is Thought TO
have gone over to h insurgents.
THE COMMISSION MEETS.
The Philippine commission held its
first meeting ait the quarters selected
for them in the Arlington today. Pro
feSSOr Schurman, for whose arrival the
other members have been waiting
reached Washington this morning and
paid an early call ait the state depart
ment, after which he went ito the com
missions rooms where Admiral Dewey
and Coloney DENLY were waiting. Pro
fessor Worcester was the last to ar
rive and the commission sat down nc
business soon after 1890 O'Clock. Il
was announced before the meeting thai
| all the sessions would be secret and
that none of the deliberations would be
made public till the commission had
finished it's labors. Colonel DENLY SaiC
that no programme had been arranged
and that it was impossible to say ever
what general course would be fOlloweC
till after the commissioners had dis
cussed the matters.
The commission ~reorganized its cler
ical force and roughly blocked out tn,
form of its report. There is a mass o.
material on hand and a good part o
the report is already written. It wa:
said after the meeting that it was to-
soon to say how long the work in han
would take, but the suggestion wa:
made by n member that it would b
a mauter OF some weeks, but not mucl
longer. The commission will NEE
daily from 10 till 1 o'clock, leaving tn,
afternoons and evenings for individual
work.
, ARRIVAL OF ANOTHER REGI
MENT.
: The war department. has the follow
ing from General Otis:
/ Manila, October 80, 1899.
faTra nSnnrf GIarOnhIa 90 0FioarG II