The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-02
STORY Of h PRISONER
Who Fell Into the Hands of
Filipino Brigands.
RESCUED BY AGUINALD0
After a Season of Servitude
and Abuse.

To the Journal Editor: 1 have just got
your cable, asking me to tell my story of
two months as prisoner of the F1lipinos
Well. it was the worst hardship 1 ev-
er had, and I've been in the reg liaI
army for teweIve years.
1 was captured July p. and rela lsed
with thirteen other prisoners September 30
Most of the others were regular nrison-
ers of war. I was bushwhackers' CAP
tive and a slave a good part of he lime.
What I went through shows Just how
wild the country around here is and how
savage the rowing bands Of insurgents
are.
Last July, 1 was stationed with Com
pany B. of the Third Infantry. at King
wa This is a little village about fifty
miles north of Manila
On the 9th 1 got t three days leave
and pass TO go to Manila. for that's
about the only fun we boys have out
here.
When I got to Malolos that afternoon,
which is the nearest railroad station,
found the train had left for Manila.
This was hard luck. but 1 wasn't going
to lay over day there waiting for an
other train.
Five other men were at the depot. in
the same fix as 1 was. We got together
and made up our minds to take a bout
and row down the river to Bulacan. From
there we could find some kind of sail
boat that would take US down ne DAY
to Manila.
The country that we would have to go
through was 'pacified,'' as we say, but
we knew it was full of bushwhacKers all
the same.
There is a saying out IN this country
that if one man wants to go to a certain
place five must start. TO allow for four
being killed or captured on the way.
I hadn't been soldering for twelve
years for nothing and Iguessed six men
could fight their way through.
We started down the river about sun
set Myself and Charles Wilander. of the
Third Artillery Private Dunlap. of the
Third Infantry, and a fellow named
Langford, agent for an American brew
cry, were in one boat
The other two fellows were in another
boat. behind us.
the other boat sprung a leak and the two
boys had to head back to Malolos.
Our party was now down to four. But
we three soldiers were we'll armed with
rifles and pistols. Lsngford, the brew
cry man. had a double-action revolver
that he said had carried him all through
Texas and Arizona, and he allowed he
could look out for himself
We put him in the stern Of the boat,
and Private Dunlap sat in the bow. with
his rifle over his knees, while I and Wi
lander did the rowing.
lite was g. moonlight night. and that
ride down the river with banks fringed
with tropical foliage was beautiful No
one who has not been IN the Philippines
can understand how brilliant such a
night is. almost as light as day. But
knew It was just the kind Of a night to
be on the outlook for red Filipinos. SO,
we wasn't making any more noise than
we could help.
About 2 o'clock, as we came out into
an open space at a bend CT the river, two
shots were fired out of the deep shadows
on the left bandk. Poor Dunlap, who
had just brought his gun into position to
fire, jumped up like a man hard hit and
fell headforemost into the water.
The other three of US had fired a blind
volley. But ! saw that the Filipino dew
lis had our range to dot. and twas no
use shooting when we couldn't see
head
Overheard boysr' I shouted, and we
three jumped into the water and swan
toward the opposite bank The bullets
spattered all around our heads as we
swan. Ny boate was floating near me
when a bullet hit 1t and splashed the
water all over me. That's the way FIJI
ipino sharp shooters hit the bulls eye.
This wasn't very comfortable. but I
might have got away II they hadn't put
out after me in a canoe The fellow in
the bow hit me over the head with
stick when he came up.
/ knew my game was up. and let them
pull me into the canoe. Ny two comrades
wiander and Bangford. had disappeared
on the opposite bank. The mad Fiiipinos
beat up and down the stream half an
hour. trying to find them. Every now
and then they would give me a whack
or a kick and tell me IN filthy Spanish
to call out to my men 10 come IN and
surrender
I gave them back a mixture OF German
and Spanish swear words that meant
they could send me 20 a hotter place
than the Philippines before I'd do that
Then they took me ashore into a ni2a
shack house and robbed me Of 30 in
money and most 81 my clothing. That's
the kind OF soldiers they were and the
sort Of war they were carrying on. They
wasn't regular insurgents. though. ogt
just bandits or 5ushwhackers.
IN the morning / vas Surprised 20 see
wiIander and I.angtord brought % 70
the camp whore / was. They had been
ca ptured j little after me. robbed and
striped. too
We three were together only 2 I(iie
while yhen they led ne away alone %
another village In the Jungle Vas
guarded day and night. hen l lay down
to sleep tao % the dirty scoundreIs
would stretch themselves over meme
with lis leEz across my BODY and the 9TH
er with MS legs over m5ne.
That's their way % sleeping when
prisoner does. and being darn sure 70
Ease Up xaeu he does o. when he tries
20 gel away Al they gave ne 70 eat
was soemne nee and raw Gratis IN
week I gos Desperate and made up ny
ntnd I'd make break I di6-and gave
Tire fellows = ran-a1t vas DgouEHt
down b a Flie Ban that MT ne 10 tEe
foot
Taen they thought I Eas ~ coed As
chained and could not gst aEzy. - oAiY
che stood guard over ne Ore evening
/ managed 20 Tool even him and 5urapsd
tn,o a dark poo IN the river
could sWsnrn = J csElsnt SAX rnsca
ard I ssruck 81 d0~n ssream- As
swan cou88 gee ,he fash q to- Fearea-