The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-12-01
ABOUT TO BE SHOT
Lieut.. ailmao Saved BY
IguilaIdo.
The Story Of Officers
Capture.
His Subsequent Experiences With The
Insurgents.
Movements of American
Troops.
How an American Company Cap.
tured q Brigade.

Manila, December lila 50 o. m.-when
the landing party from the u. 8. battle
ship Oregon. under Lieut Commander
AcCracktn, toyk the town Of Vigan,
province Of South Ilo,os last Sunday,
they found there an escared prisoner, A.
l.. Sonnensheim, who furnished the first
authentic account Of the experisncs Of
Lieut.. James q. Gilmore Of the y. 8.
gunboat Yorktown who. with party Of
the Yorktown, was captured BY the In
surgents near Baler. on the esss coast Of
Luzou, last April, while making an ex-
animation ef the mouth Of the river In
an armed boat Mr.. Sonnsr shsim was
imprisoned at Abra fer long time With
Lieut.. Gilmore and ssvsn sailors, but nou-
trived to escape. carrying concealed
note, writtsn in naval cipher. dated
Abra, November 18Th, addressed to "Hny
naval ofilosr,.. and saying; "You may
have perfect oonrdencs IN any thing the
bearer says" The noe was signed cell
more"
According to Mr.. Sonnsnshsim whe,
Lie1t. Gllmors's launch entered the "
er from Balsr ss,. or, under ooyer Of En-
sign W. II. Stsndisy's gun. the landing
was r,ceived with three vollsys. Two
Of the Americans were killed and Two
mortslly wo1ndsd. Every man was hit.
Lieut.. Gilmore receiving fesh wound
In the leg and his foot stuck fast In the
mud; 1t was q oht Ice between surrender
AMI being slaughtered.
Lieut.. Gilmore asked this terms Of re-
lesss. Tie Insurgents proposed that he
should procure the delivery to them Of
the srms and munitions OF. the Span.
iss garI ison, undertakips,if this were ao-
90 N plished, to send the spaniards and
Americans to the Yorktown.
A sailor OF Lieut.. Gilmors's party car
ried this proposition to the garrison. The
Spanish oommandsnt replied that II was
an insult to Spanish arms and expslled
the sailor, q Spanish s,ldisr firing upon
him as he went. The Americans we're
then bound hand and foot and taken to
San Is,dro, where ten. Luna ordered
their execution. They were marched to
the plAza and, IN ths presence OF a great
crowd, were aligned to be executed.
LIEUT.. Gilmore said: GAS an Ameri-
can offioer and gentleman, ! protest
against being shot with my hsnds tied."
Aguinaldo interfersd and prevented the
execution. When Gen. Lawton ap-
preached San Isidro last June. the Ame-
rioans were removed to Abra, whore they
were kept confined In cells for two
months. subsequently they were allowed
greater libeity. but the report that Lieut..
Gilmore was given house and servant
10 untrue.
He had the same quarters a. the men
ard the Americans were given the same
allowance a. the Spanish prisonsrs-nve
cents day with which to buy bananas
and rice. virtually the only ratisns
Gen. Macarthur is now In Bayambang
preparing to sweep the country on both
sides Of the Manila. Dagupan railroad.
Gen. WheAto, 10 at San BAbiAn and
Gen. Lawton at Tayug.
The Gordon from San Fabian to San
Isidro covsred all the roads and occupies
all the towns on the line.
The American policy 10 10 prevent any
more Insurgents escaping to the North
anu 10 iOrco tucm uoWoIu tuo Couubty
west OF the railroad. Major March, with
battalion of the 83d infantry, occupies
Vigan having made forced march from
San Fabian. The reminder Of the regi-
nsnt is on the way. Gen. Young with o
handful Of cavalry and the Macabebes, is
In Vigan, ard Lieut.. Col Howe, with
four decimnted companies OF the 34th in
fan try. barefco.ed and tagged. IL strug-
Cling toward Vigan from Aiga. When
last reported he was within 80 miles of
his destination.
There are 500 Spanish prisoners In
Abra, whoss release through the military
operations is expected soon. IL is learned
that Aguinaldo had large amount of
stores at Rnyombopg. which Gen. Law
tons troops have probably captured.
1he steamer Francisco Rhymes has tax
en- cargo OF supplies to Dagupan, where
bass will be established. Hospitals
have besn equipped at San Isidro,
Cabanautaun and Taug
MANY OF the American troops are suffer.
Ing from exhaustion. fever or dysen-
terry and are In nesd Of hospital treat
ment.