Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-03-27
Herman Kehm's Observation Of
Philippine Matters.
THE FILIpINOS STEAL L STEAMBOAT
Mr.. Kehm Says They DO Not Steal :
Unless tho object ofTheIr Covet.
business IN Too Hot or Toe
Heavy to Take.


letter from her brother, Herman
Kehm, aboard the battleship Oregon,
dated at Manila, January 21. Mr..
sKehm had lust. returned from Olon-
gapo on Subig bay, where Admiral
Mon1eio intended to make his stand
against Dewey when the latter fought
his memorable battle with the Span
ish navy, had the Krupp guns at that
place been in position. Mr.. Kehm
says the Filipinos are like the fellow
would steal anything unless it was zoo.
hot or too heavy and cites the case of,
a .40O-ton steamboat which was stolen
by those people and hid in a shallow
bay. Following is the letter:
s'United States Battleship Oregon.
January 81, 1900.
'..Sister Louie:-No doubt you are
worried about my continued silence,
but I could not write sooner as just
reached Manila this morning on the
where had been stationed since De
party of thirty-six marines from the,
landed to garrison the arsenal at Olon-
SuDos.s i uO Sill We Cf1l16> III SAONC0 VII
and left us with but ten days stores
but instead of holding the place ten
days we stayed six weeks in the heart
of the enemy's country. Small scout
ling parties were sent out, sometimes
passing over trails never before trod
|7by white men, but everywhere the
s''white flag" was met.
r. sFhe arsenal de Subig was construc-
~ M
but most of the improvements were
Admiral Montejo intended to make his
stand against Dewey had the batteries
of the modern Krupp guns been
the. relations between Uncle Sam and
Aggie' were more. cordial the Spanish
folks under General Rios surrendered
at this place to the United States
ships Boston and Concord and the cap4
tured insurgent ship Filipinas and The
Spanish prisoners were placed aboard
Hing much was done because of the In
surrection, but last September the
Charleston called there one day and
her bows from an S-inch Krupp gun.
Liz SCSSCl ICAlTCd dkIu u Lew NdyS ldlCI
in company with the Concord, Monte
rey and Zaphiro returned and shelled
the place, and after landing a detach-
ment of marines. destroyed the gun.
The arsenal was again abandoned until
December 10 when we landed. There
isn't much left ofsit Just the buildings
and some OF those are shot to pieces.
1.-The Filipino is something like the
%1,o& !. ~&
stove. That is the policy, they follow
a: Olongapo as everything, portable
was moved by them into the woods
including diving outfits, furniture,
parts Of engines, ammunition and we
even found a fine 4oo-tonv steamboat
slowed away in q shallow bay where
they had dragged her and covered her
with palm leaves. t..@,.... eI4H1
ION Christmas eve we were reinforc-
led by forty men under the command Of
Capt. Draper. We met several detach-
ments of the army and at one time
He looks like his illustrions, father,
She famous U. s. Grant, of the civil
war. 6,.i,i,,g,
Sfhe colored troops of the Twenty
Fifth regiment have proven themselves
good fighters. One old fellow, mem
Iber of the advance guard Of the Twen.
ty-ffth said to me one. day: White
man, it's worth $50 to me to kill one
Eof dem niggers.''' -. e.ag
| Mr.. Kehln says that he has added
tmore .curios TO his collection and is
seriously thinking of chartering a
small vessel in which to store them or
provide some other means by which
they Gan be taken care of.