The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-03-31
EXECUTION OF FIIIPINos
TWO NURDERERs HANGED IN FRONT
OF A CHURCH.
States 0hicer-The Philippine
Commission Ready.

tdpluit VI the DOdl anu CTtWs
commanded by him at Bsler. April IL last.
| The report is concise. plain. yet thrilling
account of the tragedy at the mouth OF
the river which resulted I'm the loss OF the
lives of several sailors and the taking into
an eight months captivity of the remainder
| of the little crew. Ii appears for the first
| time from this report that Lieutenant Gill;
| more did not violate his orders in entering
| the river, but did so for the sole purpose
| of protecting two OF the Yorktown's off,
| GERS whom he had been directed to land.
The Yorktown at the time was trying to
relieve small Spanish garrison which was
beset by the Filipinos in church at Baler,
and the two officers referred to had under
taken to make A reconnaissance. Lieuten-
ant Gillmores account of the tragedy
which followed the attempt TO execute his
orders is given in the report as follows:
| Manila. p. L.. Jan S.
'Sir-I have the honor to report the fol-
| lowing in regard TO the capture of the sec
which had charge. by Filipinos at Baler
| April II, 1889. My diary and official eorre-
| spondence with the Filipino officials were
| lost in the rapids OF the Arboluque river
ION the evening of April IL the command
| ing officer of the Yorktown sent for me
and said he wished me. the following MORN
| ing, 10 take charge of a boat TO land En-
sign w. III. STANDBY and a quartermaster.
who were to make a reconnaissance To dis
cover the whereabouts of the church de-
tended by the Spanish prisoners in Baier.
| Mr. Standby and the quartermaster we're
| to be landed at the small cove TO the east
ward of the river running past the town
| o. Baler, province of Principe. The COM
handing officer said he would not hamper
me by orders. but directed me not to land,
| but to sound at the mouth of the river and
| ascertain the distance of the ship from the
| mouth. If necessary, l was to make
demonstration TO call the enemy's attcn-
| ton from the people landed
NAMES OF THE CREW.
About 40 a. m. of April ~ 1 left the
ship with the second cutter. Ensign Stand
| ley and a quartermaster as passengers.
| The boat was armed with Colt automatic
gun in the bow, and the crew with Lee
rifles and belts filled with ammunition.
| Following are the names of the boats
crew: Chief Quartermaster Walton. Sail
makers Mate Voudouit Coxswain Els
worth. Gunners' Mate (thrd class) Ny
| gard. Seamen Rynders and Woodbury.. Or
binary Seamen Brisolese and Mcdonald.
I.andsmen Dillon. Morrissey, Edwards and
| Anderson, Apprentice first class Vanyille
| and Apprentice Second class Peterson
I'VE pulled i'm under muffied oars. and
| landed Mr.. STANDBY and the quartermas-
ter IL was Just early daylight when we
| pulled out of the cove from the rivers
| mouth. When near the river saw that a
sentry on one of the numerous stations ON
the beach had seen us. thought probably
| that he had also seen us land Mr.. Stand
| ley: so, TO let him think that | had been
| sc arching for the river i pulled for IL.
| sounded the bar. ascertained the distance
| of the ship from the rivers mouth and
continued IN for about loo yards. sounding
| slowly and making a rough sketch. This,
] thought. would make them believe that
| | had landed nobody, but was simply sur
i XevinR the river. Il knew that would
| have To sustain the fire of the enemy as
we came out. but trusted TO the Colt TO
| 6isarrange their aim, which at best is not
| good. / was quite sure that this would
| serve to put them off the idea OF any one
| landing in the cove. and have every rea-
| son TO believe now that IL did.
| 1.-THE left bank, the side toward the en-
| envy, was covered by high marsh grass and
| swamp land. and / knew that no outposts
| could be there. The right bank was steep,
| too. and covered with a dense growth. and
| from observation judged the enemy had
| only their stations on the left side OF the
| river. AS we reared the end Of the swamp
| land was about TO give orders To return
| when we rounded the bend and came full
| on an outpost on solid ground. lie hailed
| Us and fired a rifle signal Before I
could answer the hall vOlley was fired
| into us at close range-fifty or sixty yards.
EFFECT OF THE vOLLEy.
1.-THE effect OF this volley was terrible,
Morrissey was killed instantly. his brains
4 Delng scattered over the DOdt anu crew.
| and Dillon was mortally wounded. never
recovering consciousness and dying shortly
| afterward in the boat. Seaman Rynders
had his fingers cut off the hand. but kept
| bravely to his starboard stroke oar. the
starboard oars were riddIed and most OF
them shattered; beside the boat was
| pierced by the Remington DaiiS and made
| water fast.
LAS soon as possible after recovering
/ from the first shock, we opened fire with
/ the Colt and rifles. The ambush was 80
complete that we could not at what TO
| fire. not even the smoke. The Colt
thrown out Of action before the second
| volley. SCATTERING the ammunition box and
| cutting the loading tape. The order was
| given TO back oars, but as only a few
could be used-the others being shattered
| the tide drifted US on sandbank. Els
/ worth, Edwards and Woodbury. tried TO
/ swim the boat out. but did not succeed
| The volleys were poured in on us on the
4 left bank in quick succession, wounding
| MORALLY Mcdonald and Nygard. AT this
| time 1 was under the impression that most
| of the crew were either wounded or killed.
| The bodies of the men who had been killed
| had fallen on the wounded men. who were
| struggling I'm the bottom OF the boat. The
| boat was covered with blood and presented
| fearful sight. The cries of the mortaiiy
| wounded in the stern OF the boat asking
me TO shoot them and not allow them To
fall into the hands of the savages. were
/ heartrendlng At the same time could be
seen coming down the right bank of the
river a band of men armed with Reming-
| tons bows and arrows, boios and spears.
| 81 gave the order 10 hoist the white nag.
which was done by Rynders. who received
| shot i'm the right wrist and dropped the
| flag I thought the enemy intended TO
| massacre all of US. continued To fire. the
fire of the enemy coming faster. We were
| now hailed from the left bank In Spanish.
| an officer saying that IL We did not cease
| firing and surrender he would klai US
then surrendered. Before the officer on the
| left bank could get across. the savages on
| the right bank came up. took us OF the
| boat. robbed us OF rings. watches. hats.
| cans. clothes I'm fact everything they could
! Get at short notice. tied our arms behind
| us with bamboo thongs. ana lined us up
| ON the beach 10 be shot. Those who had
| rifles loaaed them and had them already
| cooked when an officer came out OF the
| brush and ordered otherwise. We were
| then sent on board the boat and after
| plugging up the holes made by rifle balls
| pulled up the river
THE CASUALTIES
81 regret To say that | now found the
following casualties: &orrissey and Dillon
dead: Nygard aud Mcdonald mortaily
wounded; Van ville Rynders and Wood
bury seriously wounded; myself slightly
wounded in the knee by a ball which came
through the side OF the boat. The wound
healed on arrival In San lsidro. We Vert