The suburban citizen., 1900-06-09
is AGUINALDO DEAD?
MARCH'sMEN KILLED OFFICER WITH
LEADERS PAPERS.
SURPRISED AT LAGAT
Filipino on Gray Horse Shot Dead or
Badly Wounded Body Carried on by
by yFOllowsrs-The saddlebags Contained
AguinHidO's Diary aud Some Private
Papers, Including ProclamatIons,

Vigan, Luzon, BY Cable. )-Some OF Major
! Marohs soldiers who have returned to Ylgan
tell oircumstantial story OF the killing or
wounding on May 10, at Lagat, by detaoh-
ment OF the Thirty-third Infantry. OF the
Filipino offioer believed to be Aguinado.
The body was removed by natives.
Aguinaldo had 100 men Major March 1876.
The American commander on May reached
Leboagan. whore Aguinaldo had made his
headquarters since March 6. Aguinado had
fed seven hours before, leaving all tho
beaten trails and travelling through the for
est along the beds of streams. Toward even
ing May 10, Major March struck Agulnaldo's
outpost about mile outside OF Lagat. kill
ing four Filipinos and capturing two. From
the latter be learned that Aguinaldo had
camped there for the night.
Although exhausted and halR starved,
Major March's men entered Lagat on the
run. They saw the natives scattering into
the bushes or over the plateau A thousand
yards beyond the town. on the mountain
side, the figures of 20 Fiipinos. dressed In
white with their leader on a gray horse.
we're silhouetted against the sunset. The
Americans fred a yolley and saw the officer
drop from his horse. His followers fed,
carrying the body.
The Americans on reaching the spot.
caught the horse, which was richly sAddied,
Blood from badly wounded man was on
the animal aud on the ground. The saddle
bags contained Agulnaldo's diary and some
private papers, including proclamations
One OF these was addressed; ITO the Civil
lied Nations. II protested against the
American occupation OF the Philippines.
There were also found copies Of Senator
B'yerldge's speech, translated into Spanish
and entitled "rhe Death Knell Of the FIJI
pinO People"
Major March, believing that the Filipinos
hadtaken to u river whloh Is tributary to
the Chico, followed it for two days, reach
ing Tia, whore he learned that party OF
Fihplnos had descended the river May 20
on raft with the body of dead or wound
ed man upon a litter covered with palm
leaves.
There Major March reviewed his com
mand. shoe.ess and exhausted, and picked
out "a Of the freshest men, with whom he
Deat the surrounding county for six days
longer but without finding any trace of the |
tnipinos. The Americans pushed on and |
arrived at Aparri May 49,
The oaio5r shot was either Agulnaldo or |
bis adiutant, and as the horse was richly
caparisoned, 1t is fair presumption that II
was Aguinaldo.
The soldiers Of General Young Military
Governor OF Northwestern Luzon, captured
early last month native oflcer with papers
revealing Aguinaldo's whereabouts. Cen
sral Young Immediately organized for pur.
suit, giving Maiot March chance to finish
The work begun In November. Major March
eft Oandon May 10, hurrying north toward
LaooagAn while Colonel Hare, with bat
alion divided Into two parts, started from
Rangued, Province Of Abra, covering the
rails westward, The garrlsons in the Gag
Iyan Valley we're disposed in such way as
o guard tho avenues OF escape eastward.
Spies~hsraded the approach Of Major
March with signal fires. On reaching La
'oagan he apprehended letter in Aguin-
'ldo's handwriting the ink Of which was
lardly dry, addressed to an officer OF guer-
illas In the Filipino army, and saying:
There having arrived this morning at
.aboAgan hostile column from Bokoo
ave set out with all my forces. My road
as no fixed destination"
This was signed Colonel David" sob
lquet. Agulnaldo called at the Preslden-
Ia, from which he Issued DEGREES and where J
Is followers celebrated Easter with ban
uet at triangular table, when speeches
ere made euloglzlng Gregorio del Pllar.
That night Major Marcb's men slept in c
le bamboo, resumlng the advance ia the
orning and reaching Lagat, 40 miles dis c
mt, In two days although it was raining
ard in the mountains all the time. b
Agulnaldo's papers are important. They
low that he took refuge in Isabella Prov. b
ce, where he remained until be established a
mselt at Laboagan, Province Of Abra, Il
here he proposed to direct the rany-sea- h
N operations. a