The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1900-04-28
EXPANSION NEEDED.
Favorite Pastime of the FiIipinos 10
to Durn American Sol
dlers.


Charles Ii. Clark, st. Louis boy.
now fighting in the Philippines, had q
thrilling experience with q band OF
savage natives, into whose hands he
fell, last January. In letter to his
mother, which was only recently re-
ceived, he tells of his capture, and
how he was rescued by squad OF
Colorado troopers, who arrived just
in time to prevent the natives FROM
casting him into roaring fire, which,
he states, they had prepared to In
cinerate him. The st. Louis Repub.
lie, n democratic paper, tells the story
which shows how utterly unfit the
Filipinos are to be intrusted with
self-government, let alone with the
government of Europeans and Amer.
leans.
Clark is % years old and n member
of company B, Twenty-second United
States infantry, which Is now fighting
around Mexico, small town not fan
from Manila About n month beford
the holidays Clark's company was or
dered to the mountains to break up
and rout the little bands of Filipinos
which were engaged iY guerrilla war;
fare with the Americans. 1t was
tedious march, but the irksomeness
of the journey did not compare with
the hardships they had to undergd
in the mountains. Clark says they
could not carry u large store of pro-
visions with them, and the rations
soon gave out. Then for 81 days they
were compelled to subsist on rice and
water. At length the order came
for the company to return to Mexico,
and there was almost demonstra-
tion among the troops.
On the return march three of tho
soldiers were taken i'll with chills and
fever, with which the troops had al
ready suffered to marked degree
There was no way to carry the sick
men, and as they were unable to
march it was decided to leave them
behind. Young Clark was one of the
unfortunate trio. A weeks rations,
such as they were, were left with
them, and the troops kept on the
march, as they were under orders
to reach Mexico at certain date.
When they had lain in the moun-
tdibS " "ithouo
their lost energy, one of the invalids
started out for the Tenth Colorado
camp, % miles distant. On the third
day after his departure seven natives
came across the two soldiers. Clark's
companion deserted him ut once, and
the st. Louis boy, who was too sick
to run, was seized by the Filipinos.
They put him through all the tor
lures they knew. They stripped him
of his clothing, each of them taking
piece of the uniform and putting
IL on in some ridiculous fashion which
he thought appropriate. When they
had satisfied themselves In this way
they tied Clark's hands and feet and
laid him out on the ground with q
guard over him, while the others coli
lected wood and built fire. Then
they formed in circle around it and
danced.
1t was doubtless their intention 10
cast Clark in the fire, and they were
making merry over the prospect when
squad of ten of the Colorado troop
ers came upon the scene. They had
come at the solicitation of the sick
soldier who had gone into their camp
from the mountains.
The Filipinos started to run, but
the Colorado boys fired in the air and
threatened to shoot them down. The
seven natives were taken prisoners OF
war and led back to the camp.
Clark's companion, who had run
away, came up, and all of them went
to the Colorado camp, where they re-
manned until recuperated, when they
joined their company in Mexico.