The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-05-24
Gambling and Drinking at the
Dattos' Great Bail in
ZambOanga.

REPTILE
WASHINGTON, May E.-Captain J. V Phil p
of The Thirty-frst Infantry in the Philip
pines has written an interesting letter TO
relatives In this city. Az the time Of writ
Ing the Captain and his command Were sta
ilonel at Zambodnga. Island Of Mindanao-
He describes Z grand ball given in honor OF
the Datto OF that Jldce.
"At the table" says he. the Datto first
placed all the women who had lost men OF
their families in the late War-the one that
took place here Just before We landed. The
l'atto and his men killed most Of them. and
now he is making amends TO the widows
ami mothers. The dance lasted until . "A.
m Ire company was a little mixed,
Christian and Mohan medan. In the last
sct or the square dance all the officers Of
the army and navy on duty here wore the
turhaES and sa.St.es .f the M0rOs- They
were delighted and said We were Indeed
friends now. The rich silk tUrban and
waist sash on our white uniforms, with the
gold and white shoulder straps, mace Il
very pretty effect
III color of the people assembled ran
the scale ~ TN. rainbow. Back OF the
dtncing-Toom were some rooms. curtained
on, where the Dattp's wives and daughters
looked On a drinaIng-roOm was provided.
where beer. vino tinto. whisky. brandy and
champagne were served In d dark ante
room ii gambling Time was IN progress.
iht only lisht was on the green covered
table. Weird faces, those OF Moros. Fill
pinos, Chinese. Malays ana Christians, made
"A fantastic frame 10 the layout. The
BANK WAS broken once Icy four Mexican
gamblers. WHO played and danced alter
nateiy.
TO show the character of the ne pp!e here
q complaint against excessive t~axatio.
was received from 1 man who had 10 pay
S:.J a month on IL store which 4 CLinamdu
was running for him This was from the
same man VINO had lost S5.uJa when the
bank was broken in the game the night he
lore ana whom 1 saw lose $40 en- a cock
fight.
The other day we We're attracted n the
waters edge by tie sound OF guns and
drums Of the tomtom sort. AMI beneli q
magic fleet of small sal! boats. about sixty
IN all. II WAS the sultan Of Miridudp. ms
retinge and armor-beaIers come to gay
their respects. The widest tr=1k CT iInag-
nation could not De a circumstance % what
thts pageant was. Flags, spears. shields,
douhle-handled swords. brass cGrV0n. war
drums and banners OF all descriptions We're
there in greatest abundance. rha Sultan
ana each datto had his own boat pulled Dy
from twelve TO sixteen men. when the sails
red and yellow silk, embroidered with their
crests. reciined the Sultan and ,!dttos. Oh
piles Of cushions. They ffSt Ered Il Ealute
and then their drums made 4 terrible 1iE.
through q double line of troops with or
band furnishing the music
AT the Office of the Adjutant General We
gave them cigars. You may Imagine a
white elephant was not a eircunstarci 70
target practice and they were very much
impressed, especially SO with a small Nau-
ser gun l have. which fires ten shots au1p-
matIcally with one pull of the Trigger. cur
visitors costumes were gorgeous. The Sui
tau's cuffs were of gold and In his fez were
several silver cocks feathers. He Wore some
MISUNDERSTANDING rings and other jeweiry."