The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-04
LITTLE DOUBT
EVIDENCE THAT MARCH's MEN
KILLED THE REBEL CHIEF.
The oeicer shot Fell from n Richly
Caparisoned Horse, which
Bore Valuable Papers.
CARRIED AWAY WITH CARE
BODY TAKEN BY FILIPINos AND
GUARDED on THE RIVER.
AguinaIdo known to BE I'm the Party
Attacked at Lagat. Surrounded
by Faithful Officers.
COMMISSION ON THE GROUND
RECEIVED AT MANILA WITH DUE
HONORs BY MACARTHUR.
Judge Taft Makes IN General State
mept Concerning the Commission
ers' Powers and Purposes.
AguinaIdo known to BE I'm the Party
Attacked at Lagat, Surrounded
by Faithful Omcers.
COMMISSION ON THE GROUND
RECEIVED AT MANILA WITH DUE
HONORs BY MACARTHUR.
Judge Taft Makes IN General State
ment Concerning the Commission-
ers' Powers and Purposes.

Major March, with his detachment OF the
Thirty-third Regiment, overlook what Is
believed to have been Aguinaldo's party on
MAY ~. at Lagat. about one hundred miles
northeast of Vigan. The Americans killed
or wounded an officer, supposed TO be
Aguinaldo, whose body was removed by
his followers.
Aguinaldo had one hundred men. Major
March one hundred and twenty-five. The
American commander reached Laboagan.
where Aguinaldo had made his headquar-
ters since March 6. on May 4 Aguinaldo
had fed seven hours before leaving all the
beaten trails and travelling through the
forest along the beds OF streams. Toward
evening, May 10. Major March struck
Aguinaldo's outpost about mile outside
of Lagat. killing four Filipinos and cap
turing two. From the latter he learned
that Aguinaido had camped there for the
night. Although exhausted and half
starved. Major March's men entered Lagat
on the run.
They saw the insurgents scattering into
the bushes or over the plateau A thou
sand yards beyond the town. the noun
tain side. the figures of twenty-five Fill
pinos, dressed I'm white. with their leader
on a gray horse. were silhouetted against
the sunset The Americans fired -volley
and saw the officer drop from his horse.
His followers fed. carrying the body. The
Americans. on reaching the spot, caught
the horse. which vas richly saddled.
Blood from badly wounded man was on
the animal and on the ground The saddle
bags contained Aguinaldo's diary and some
private papers. including prociamations.
One of these was addressed: ITO the civil
ized nations" 1t protested against the
American occupation OF the Philippines
There was also found copies of Senator
Beveridge's speech. translated into Spanish
and entitled 'The Death Knell OF the Fill
pino People"
Major March. believing that the Fflipinos
had taken to a river which is tributary
TO the Chico. followed IL for two days.
reaching Tiao. where he learned that
party OF Filipinos had descended the river
May 20 on raft with the body of a dead
or wounded man on a litter, covered with
palm leaves.
There Major March reviewed his COM
mand. shoeless and exhausted. and picked
out twenty-four of the freshest men, with
whom he beat the surrounding country for
six days longer, but without finding any
trace of the insurgents. The Americans
The officer shot was either Aguinaldo or
his adjutant. and the horse was richly
caparisoned IL is a fair presumption that
Il was Aguinaldo.
The soldiers of General Young, military
Governor of northwestern Luzon. In early
April captured an insurgent officer with
papers revealing Aguinaldo's whereabouts
General Young Immediately organized for
to finish the work begun in November
Major March left Candon May I, hurryins
north toward Laboagan, while Colonel
Hare, with battalion divided into two
parts. started from Rangued. province of
Abra, covering the trails westward The
garrisons in the Cagayan valley were dis
posed in such a way as to guard the
avenues of escape eastward. Spies her
aided the approach OF Major March with
signal fires. On reaching Laboagan he ap-
pretended letter i'm Aguinaldo's hand
writing, the ink of which was hardly dry.
addressed TO an officer of guerrllas of the
Filipino army, saying: There having ar
rived this morning at Laboagan a hostile
column from Bokoc. have set out with
all my force. My read has no fixed destina-
fjon." This was signed Colonel David" a
6oDrlquet.
Aguinaldo called at the Presidencia, from
which he issued decrees and where his fol-
lowers celebrated Easter with banquet
at triangular table. when speeches were
made eulogizing Gregario Del Pillar That
night Major March's men slept in the bam-
boo. resuming the advance in the morning
and reaching Lagat. forty miles distant, in
two days. although il was raining hard in
the mountains all the time.
Aguinaldo's papers are very important
They show that he took refuge in Isabella
province, where he remained until he estab-
lished himself at Laboagan. province OF
Abra. where he proposed to direct the
rainy-season operations. Until recently he
was ignorant OF outside events. making no
pretense OF directing the Instruction
happy IT, indeed. he might be able TO keep
alive among the hostile Igorrotes, who
killed several of his followers.