Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-09-20
Insurgents Offer to Release Lieut.,
Gilmore and Other Prisoners.
MAY BEA RUSE TO GAIN TIME
Filipino Proposition, If SlEcere, is Con-
strued AZ an Admission That the In
surgents Are Losing Henrtand
Are Anxious to Make Peace.

fWASHlNGTDN. Sept 19.-sccretarv
Foot today received q ca'blcgram from
General Otis which seemed TO indicate
q weakening on the part Of the insur-
gents. 1t contains 4 proffer to deliver
the American prisoners Who have been
for so many months in the hands Of the
insurgents and also sought permission
TO plrley with General Otis.
The cablcSram was at once taken bv
Secretary Root TO the cabinet meeting
and formed the main topic for discus
sion at the beginning Of the session
However, upon reading the mos sage
carefully its apparent Importance
seemed TO diminish.
NOT IMPORTANT
Secretary Root himself did not regard
the matter as OF Importance at this
time. He recalled frequent efforts on
the part OF the insurgents in the past
to san time at critical moments Dy
opening negotiations ostensibly with
the object OF making peace, and he Was
not sure but that this last offer was
something OF the kind. However that
may be, the Secretary was OF the opin-
ion that It would be mistake to offer
The insurgents any advantage Gen
eraf Otis would receive any messenger
his proposals, but this would not in
the slightest degree restrain the mill
tary operations, and the American arms
would lose no grounds, no matter how
the negotiations turned out
"A THEORY
Still it is recognized there is 4 posi-
blnty that the insurgents may have
become disheartened at the renewed
and intense activity in the direction OF
reinforcing General Otis, and conclu-
ded In view of the great force gather
ing. to open the campaign in the dry
season that further resistance w>;,fl
be useless
1t is pointed out as a Noticeable fact
that ,Aguinaldos name does rot appear
in General Otis dispatch. and III 1ugl,
this may not be Of great sisi?;lcar.e
still among some OF the army officers,
it is surmised there are serious dissen-
sions among insursentst and PERHAPS
some Of the discordant elements are in
this case acting on their own respons-
ibility.
DISPATCH FROM CTrS.
The text Of the dispatch follows:
Manila. sept 10.
"Adjutant General. Washington:
'NlacArthur reports from -Anc,cs
visit from two insurgent officers with
request fer permission TO send into ouE
lines American prisoners and 10 send
to Manila prominent insurgcnt general
officers for conference. The requested
interview granted and insurgent Off
cers at Angeles return north this morn
ing with information.
CSigncd.) ''OTIS."
CAPTURE. OF LIEUT.. GILMORE.
The capture of Lieut.. Gilmore ana
t~;r 49,.
incidents of the insurrcctnn. 1t occur
red While the cruiser Yorktown was
making a survey Of the western coast
OF LuZon. With q view of locating
some Of the detached Spanish sar,i-
sons which had long been cut off from
the pGpIlous ceNters. 1t was Known
that the Spanish garrison had been sur
rounded at Baler. on the eastern coast
and Lieut.. Gilmore with a boats par
~ from the Yorktown. was sent ashore
to reconnoiter the surrounding coun-
try. Ee divided his command one par
ty remaining near the shore while an
other pushed inland. This was the last
seen of the lieutenant and the fifteen
men who accompanied him. The other
members OF the party waited for long
time, but got no trace of their compsn-
ions and We're finally Obliged to return
to the ship without them.
DEWEY REPORTED THE? LOSS
Admiral Dewey reported the loss 70
the Navy Department and before M l.ft
Manila used every possible means 70
learn the condition of the captiN {
Americans. AT first it was feared they
information was received that the fol-
lowing We're alive at San Isidro, an III
Surgent stronghold:-
Lieut.. Gilmore. Chief Quartermastel
VIM. Walton, Sailmaker's Mate Paul
N.andert, Coxwain John Ellsworth, APP
1,ro ind fJ1 Sg
Landslnan Silvio Brisolese, Landsnlan
Lyman Paul Edwards and LandsmaH
Fred Anderson.
Captain Charles NJ. Rockefeller, OF
the Nineteenth Infantry. is also sup
posed to be a prisoner with the insur-
gents. lie disappeared April last and
no trace of him has been discovered.