The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-02-11
ADMIRAL DEwEys DENIAL.
Report That He Made Any Promises
10 Agulnal1o Denounced as Lie.

ton, either personally or through {
representative. conveyed 10 Aguanaldc
! or any Of his associates the assurance
that the United States government
would recognize Filipino lndepend.
ence"
The foregoing statement was mad'
By Admiral Dewey IN the most elm
phatic tone last night This declara
ton was brought forth IN a discussion
concerning the repeated assertions that
Admiral Dewey, while in the Philip
pines consulted with Aguanaldo and
told him that the United States govern.
mcnt would recognize the Philippines
The statement was ellclted principally
by an article bearing upon this sub
ject which was sent to the Tribune FOL
publication.
The article was shown to the admiral
In his apartments at the waldorfAs
toria The admiral read the article
carefully
The article contains a letter signed
by Howard W. Bray, who is alleged &c
have acted as an interpreter between
Agulnaldo. consui-G General Pratt and
Admiral Dewey.
Mr.. Bray asserts that Agulnaldo had
an Interview with United States Consul
Pratt al Singapore on April 26, 1898;
that the conditions Of Aguinaldo's pol
icy were clearly stated that these were
submitted to Dewey and that the lat
ter cabled with all haste 10 Hong Kong
and that Dewey brought back Aglin-
aldo TO Luzon under promise OF inde-
pendenoe.
when Admiral Dewey had read the
article. he said impressiyely:
Il have some reports documents and
statements before me which intend
upon my return 70 Washington, 10 sub
init to the senate committee on for
eign relations. II is better, however,
10 strike this lie as II arises, and | viii
answer the charge as II comes. | never
saw this man Bray. | never knew him.
| never heard of him except as dis
reputable adyenturer In the pay Of the
Philippine junta SO far as this story
concerns me there is not a word OF
truth in IT,
Admiral Dewey then took up II report
which he had before him. II was type
written and destined to go TO the SEN
ate. Il was made by Lieutenant r.
p. Hall, chief engineer OF the Petrol.
1t was voluminous document and set
forth In detail all negotiations which
Captain Wood, at that time in com
mand OF the Petrol. who acted as Ad-
mlral Dewey's representative had deal
ing with the Philippine junta in Hong
Kong. Lieutenant Hall set forth how
the Filipinos, through banker named
Levi. asked for an interview with a
OF Admiral Dewey. The
interview was arranged and Lieutenant
Hail kept the appointment. In his re-
port he tells in detail Of the meeting
who attended II and what was said
The salient point made by Lieutenant
Hail is concerning Aguinaldo's atu-
tude at that time. This interview was
at Hong Kong ON April 6, 1898
'Nhen Agulnaldo was asked" SO Lieu
tenant Hall, who is now at the brooK-
lyn navy yard, reported, what part
he intended to take in the war when
seemed inevitable between Spain and
the United states, he replied, that he
had made an agreement with the span
lsh government to leave the Philip
plnes: that he had received promise
of sum of money for so doing, u part
of which money had been paid, and ne
did not care to break his word or take
any part in the probable war between
spain. and the United States.
He never had any dealings with
Emilio Agulnaldo, continued the ad-
miral "You see, never even called
him general You see not just where
the matter rests. I want you to nail
this lie hard. You can say, as coming
from me, that 1t is absolutely false