Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-08
May Bob Up Serenely When the Sky
Clears Again.
TROUBLES IN THE SULU ISLANDS
Ruler Departed, Leaving Major
Sweet in Charge.
HE WENT TO SINGAPORE

According to private advices to the War
Department. the Sultan of Sulu disappeared
from his island several months ago, and
has managed to completely conceal his
whereabouts. He was traced as far as
Singapore, and then disappeared from view.
leaving nothing to explain his mysterious
disappearance. 1t was rumored that he
had gone abroad to secure foreign aid in an
uprising against the American troops on
the Island Of Sulu, which are in command
of Maj. o. J. Sweet of the 23d Infantry. but
this Is not credited. On the other hand. 1t
is stated that he fed to escape the unpleas-
ant duty Of rendering harsh Judgment on
the sins Of one of his strongest allies. Ma
jarajah Indoman, who is alleged to have
stolen the wives, slaves, fighting cocks and
all sorts of things from the subjects of a
neighboring chieftain, Paglima Hadji Tahil.
1t is alleged that Tahil made reprisals on
the subjects of Indoman, but that the latter
80 far had six to one the better of the bar
gain. Then, as the story goes. the sultan
saw storm brewing and that IL the affair
came to him for settlement, in order to be
just, he would have to turn down his noble
henchman, 1ndOman. So he journeyed from
his capital. NAHUM to Jolo. where Maj.
Sweet. the commander Of the American
troops, Is stationed. and announced to him
that he was off on business trip to Singa-
pore. HE requested that the major. who is
nowadays CaHeQ Iatner by the MOrOS,
look after his people while he was gone. He
intimated that there might be trouble.
Maj. Sweet kindly consented to do al! he
could. but trusted that the sultana, the
mother Of the sultan. would be able to ad-
minister all necessary wants.
The Trouble Develops.
A short time after the sultans departure
the legacy Of trouble he had left to Major
Sweet developed. Indoman and Tahil, left
To fhn1r
marshaled their followers into the field and
commenced waging an insidious warfare
against each other. With krises. birongs
and antiquated shot guns they laid for
each other on the jungle. At the end of
twenty-seven days Of this savage warfare
the combined casualty list had amounted
TO one Moro killed and two wounded
The peaceful natives, however were ter
rihed, and they soon commenced pouring
all sorts Of complaints into the ears of
Major Sweet at Jolo The sultana seemed
unable to stop the fued.
Major Sweet dispatched q messenger to
both 1ndoman and Tahil and ordered them
to cease nonsense at once and return to
their homes He intimated that if peace
were not restored at once the American
soldiers would descend upon them and
punish them both severely. Indoman,
whom the. major knew to be responsible
for the trouble, he threatened to have
brought before the sultanate and tried.
The order had the desired effect. The
two tribes sneaked off to their homes. But
in the meantime a practice march of the
23d Infantry had been decided upon.
r. With a detachment Of almost 500 men
and machine gun Maj. Sweet left Jolo
and pushed into the hills in the direction Of
the capital twelve miles away. The in
habitants saw the terrible line of men
bristling with guns coming through the
country. They fOrsook their homes and fed
in dismay. The sultana received hundreds
of them. who announced in trembling voices
that the Americans were coming to drive
them from their homes and kill them.
Terror of the People.
The sultana sent messenger to Maj
Sweet begging him to do no such rash act
The major sent back word that no Moros
would be harmed as long as they remained
peaceful among themselves. In fact. he
impressed 1t SO strongly on the mind Of
every native that the peace must be kept
that things In the Sulu group have been
tranquil ever since, and will doubt re-
main Until the return of the sultan
who will find himself called upon after ali
to settle the differences Of the two chiefs.
No News of His Highness.
Nothing has been heard as to when his
royal highness will return. He IL said to
have levied a special tax just before leav-
ing which Melted him $4,000. On the way
to Singapore 1t is said that he stopped at
an out-of the-way island in his dependency
which is occupied by British subjects. From
them he collected additional $4,000,
which they had agreed to pay him as a
pension Then with choice spirits of his
staff he continued on his way and has since
been lost in the flesh pots of wicked Singa-