Evening star., 1900-10-20
ROCKEFELLER'S ABSENCE
TT CLOSELY FOLLOWED A TERRIBLE
DISCOVERY.
Son Stolen When a Child Shot by His
Father in o Fight I'm the
Philippines.

story. hardly surpassed in the imagi-
nation of writers of fiction, has come to
light in partial explanation of the disap-
pearance Of Major Charles NJ Rockefeller
Of the famous 9th United States Infantry.
It is told by the Army and Navy Journal.
Charles M. Rockefeller served with dis
tinct.on in one Of the New York volunteer
regiments during the civil war. In 1868
he was made first lieutenant in the 17Sth
New York Infantry. For gallantry in ac-
ton at Fort Blakely Ala, on April 8, 1865,
he was awarded medal of honor. At the
close OF the war he continued on In the
service Of the regular army, being appoint
ed second lieutenant and transferred to
the 9th Infantry. Afterward he gained re-
nown as an Indian fighter, and finally rose
to the position of major
The Child Stolen.
1t was while second lieutenant. according
to the story now told, that he married, and
in 1870 boy. named Robert, was born.
The major was detailed to Hong Kong with
a commission. and there he remained until
1872. The Chinese nurse engaged to look
after the boy disappeared with him. Search
was made high and low for the kidnaper
and the child, but no trace could be found
of them. Rockefeller and his wife returned
to this country, where Mrs Rockefeller
died. mourning the loss of the little one.
Major Rockefeller never relinQuished the
search for his child. In the years that
elapsed he got no trace of him, yet he still
hoped against hope Of one day meeting him.
He never told his trouble to any of his
brother officers, and thus it was that few in
the 9th Regiment knew Of his marriage.
The 9th Regiment was one of the first to
be sent to the Philippines. One day in the
month of March, last year, he, with his
command, met at place north of San Beoir
a strong force of the enemy, led by big,
strapp.ng, handsome young man, appar-
emily an Englishman. The Filipinos fought
fiercely and continued the fighting until
most of them were killed or wounded. Ac-
cording to the official dispatches of the
time the young Filipino leader made des-
perate efforts to get at Major Rockefeller,
with the evident intention of killing him.
He did succeed in Staying two Of the ma
jors orderlies and in another moment would
have killed Rockefeller.
Shot the Filipino Leader.
Then the latter, not an instant too soon,
shot the young leader dead.
When the dead were being buried and
the wounded cared for" says the Army and
Navy Journal, among papers found on the
young insurgent were letters of recon-
mendation issued to Paul Stanhope and
written by wellknown Hong Kong officials;
also a diary giving the names of individuals
in the Chinese city. These were all turned
into headquarters by the major with his
report.
Even from the field Major Rockefeller
had been pursuing his inquiries after his
lost boy. He was in continual correspond
ence with the American consul at Hong
Kong. and the latter shortly before the bat
tie referred to wrote that he had discovered
that the lost boy had been placed In a
Jesuit college and that he would write
again later. Events in the Philippines made
the major for a time forget this. After the
last battle he had to push on by forced
marches, and on April % he was almost in
sight of and ready to make forward
movement against Caloocan.
Terrible News.
Letters had been forwarded to him, as
we'll as to the 9th Regiment men generally
Among the number which he received was
one from the American consul at Hong
Kong inclosing the original letter which he
had received from the head Of the Jesuit
institution to whom he had written for In
formation of the majors kidnapped son.
This is the letter.
House of the Holy Ghost
HONG KONG February q. 1899.
Dear Sir: 1 am instructed by the Very
Rev. Dean Xavier Constant of this order to
report that your communication was duIy
received. and since have made diligent in
quiry for the boy mentioned He was
placed in the school Of our society In 1879.
and was then said to be eight years of age.
His name was given as Paul Yen, taking
the last name from the Chinese woman who
entered him and paid his tuition for the
first two years Although bearing the name
of Yen, it was clear there was no Chinese
a wealthy gentleman, who took great inter-
est in him, paid his way here and later
on adopted him, giving him his name. This
gentleman was Henry StanhOpe, mer-
chant in this city.
l find upon inquiry, the young man has
left China and thrown his fortunes in with
the insurgents in the Philippines, where he
is supposed to be. l am at your service at
aQy time.
LA MONTE Secretary and Prior.
With what feelings he read the letter can
Stanhope, the adopted son of Henry Stan
hope, Hong Kong, the young Filipino leader
whom the major had killed, was his own
and only son. the one for whom he had been
searching all these weary years.
Major Rockefeller Disappears
Then happened the extraordinary thing
which army circles have been discussing
ever since-the disappearance of the major
in sight of the enemy and no word of expla-
nation.
Whether or not the knowledge that he
had killed his own son drove him mad Is a
matter of conjecture. Certain it is that he
that very night-walkedt through
the lines and refused to stop when halted
General Otis spread the mantle Of charity
over the majors disappearance in his re-
port to the war office. This is the official
announcement made by the War Depart
ment:
"a report from General Otis transmitting
the reports of officers of the 9th Infantry
has been received by the War Department, !
1t gives the details Of the disappearance
of Major Charles M. Rockefeller. The re- |
port consists of statements by Capt George |
Palmer of the 9th Infantry, and four pick |
cts, who last saw the missing man.
What the Pfckets Say,
1.-The pickets say they were first made
aware of Major Rockefeller's presence bv |
hearing the cry Of picket repeated sew
eral times. Corporal Ross hailed the call
er and, on discovering his identity, offered |
to escort him to the next outpost which |
offer was declined. Major Rockefeller |
started off, and soon after the pickets again |
heard the cry of picket Corporal Ross told !
the officer that he was going in the wrong |
direction and to turn more to the right. |
This was the last seen of Major Rockefel- |
ler. as he failed to report to his command /
THE next day searching parties found |
pieces of paper bearing his name one and |
a half miles from where he was last seen
and heard. Since then an officer answering
the description of Major Rockefeller has |
,rfo -