The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-08-08
RECENT HARD FIGHTING In The ISLANDS,
Serious Trouble on iadanao-Twelye Wilton Year for
Troops-Heayy Percentage of Deaths
From Disease.

Corr. spouienc4 of the Associated Press.
Manila. July 12. via San Francisco. Aug.
THE insurgents in the vicinity Of Cay
agan. on the islapd of Mindanao. are be-
coming so troublesome that it may become
necessary to augment the United States
force stationed there by Il body of troops
from some other station. The INSURGENTS.
numbering It is estimated. about 1900 in
all, are fortifying the mountain passes and
otherwise preparing TO give battle 10 our
soldiers.
Only recently, a detachment. under me
command of Captain Miller of the Fortieth
Infantry, had an exciting and bloody eX-
perience with the natives near Agusan
about ten miles from CayaSan. In attempt
ing to take his command through narrow
defile. Captain Miller encountered such
strong defenses that his entire advance
guard. numbering fourteen men, We're left
In the power of the insurgents. Five of
their number eventually escaped and re-
ported that eight of their fellows were killed
and one taken prisoner. Captain Miller was
wounded in the engagement which preceded
the abandonment of the advance.
Captain Elliot. leading re-enforcements.
was severely injured by being struck by Il
native contrivance known as a spear
shooter. Captain Eiliots men came across
no less than half dozen of these ingenious
weapons. Both parties being without com
manders. the soldiers were obliged to e.
turn to Cayagau. According to the latest
adviCes. the stronghold is still untalien
The PaymaSter'S Department is kept
constantly arranging for the payment of
the $1,000 officers and men of Uncle Sans
army now engaged on these islands. The
disbursement is made every two months
and the average sum required Is something
over s2,60O0O0, in the neighborhood of
$12.00O,O00 year.
Major Edie. president of the Manila
Board of Health. has completed his report
for the army fiscal year, which ended June
80. Official figures were kept by the board
commencing with October. 1899. During the
months from October to June, inclusive
the total number of deaths recorded was
S,535. During this period the total num-
ber of deaths, exclusive of Chinese, from
the different classes of diseases. was as
follows:
tuberculosis. 992; berberi. G42; malarial
diseases, 33S; diarrheal diseases, 1913; acute
lung diseases, G3l; typhoid fever, II; small
poX, Z; bubonic plague. $50; leprosy, iG;
measles, 1.
The death percentage during this period
of nine months. and estimating Manila 5
population to be 600, is about % per cent.
During the morths from January to June
the total number OF deaths. including all
classes. from bubonc plague, was 500.
From many sections of the archipelago
news of atrocious murders of Americans
and others by insurgents is received. Three
American miners - Lorcy, Springford and
RicketS-were murdered at Batan Island;
two loyal natives were killed at Santa
Cruz, and a report of CHASTITY crime in re-
verge for Major Maxinos capture by the
Americans comes through official channels.
After Major Maximo was taken prisoner
by our troops at Unisan. gang of Tui-
sanes killed his father-in-law, his wife, four
of his children and his nephew, butchering
and torturing them. and robbing his family
of about Sl1 1000 in money and jewelry. a de-
tachment of six men under Captain c. II.
Newberry of the Thirteenth Infantry, with
Major Maximo as their guide, encountered
the desperadoes. killing nine and taking
thirteen prisoners, beside recovering por-
ton of the jewelry and 100 of the money.