Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-01-08
WHEELING. WA.

hurried the prisoners from town TO
town, often retracing the trail, not
knowing where the Americans would
attack. After passing almost without
food for three days, they killed several
horses and we lived on horse flesh for
several days. I did not have a full
meal from December 7th until reached
Vigan. Indeed, the rescuing party lived
largely upon rice without salt There
was one day when was reduced to
chewing grass and bark.
while we were in the hands Of Gen.
Tino's men he issued an order that any
person aiding an American by food or
money should be treated as a criminal.
One citizen of Vigan, Senior Vera, was
probably killed for befriending us. We
would have starved but for the kind
ness of some of the residents OF the
town and some of the Filipino Colonies,
but others treated us brutally. Where
ever there was prison we were kept
there. When there was no prison,
they would lodge us in a convent. We
suffered greatly from want OF exercise,
as we'll as lack of food"
For weeks Lieut. Gilmore was covered
with bells and in great pain. When the
Filipinos found the Americans were APP
preaching the treatment became better.
There was a sign painter in the party,
H. thza
rocks throughout the retreat with en-
blems like a skull and the word Even
geance'' by means of whAh the Americans
were able to follow.
1.-THE Filipino treatment of the Span
iards," said Lieut. Gilmore, was brutal
in the extreme. The insurgents had old
grudges to wipe out against them Many
talk about the reconcentrados in Cuba. but
1 have seen Spaniards dying at the rate
of two or three per day of starvation in
the hospitals at Vigan. 1 have seen
Tagalo officers strike Spaniards in the
face with whips and revolvers.'
Lieut. Gilmore declined to speak regard
ing present conditions, except to say that
he thought the insurrecuon would last
as long as there were any Tagalos left.
The members of the party reported to
footed, sunburned and ragged Some car
ried rifles, others pet monkeys. They at
tracked a great deal of attention as they
passed along the streets. Those whose
enlistments are about expiring will be
sent to the United States. The others
will be returned to their respective or
ganizatiors.
Among the prisoners arriving with Lieut.
Tub aV-f ard
Burke and ]. ]. Fadley, sailors from the
Urdaneta; Won Galen, of the Baltimore;
A H Gordon and George Sackett, of the
Third infantry; Leland Smith and Frank
Stone, of the signal corps; Harry Hueber,
of the hospital corps; VIM. Bruce and
Edward Honeyrnan, of the Nevada cav
airy; Martin Brennan and James Curran,
of the Sixteenth infantry; Albert Bishop,
of the Third artillery, and John OBrien
and David Brown civilians.
Brown, who was formerly preacher in
Honolulu, twice revealed to the insur-
gents plots of the Americans to escape, in
the hope of gaining the good will Of the
Filipinos. The rest of the party openly
accuse him of treachery and entertain the
bitterest feelings toward him
Charles Baker, of the Fourth artillery,
was formerly of the prisoners; but he
became too weak to travel and the
Filipino guards bayonetted him during the
last flight through the mountains.
The prisoners of Lieut.. Gilmore's party
who escaped after leaving Vigan were
Macdonald, of the Twerty-frst Infantry;
Won Galen, of the Baltimore, and Farley,
of the Oregon. They were captured by
savages, recaptured by the insurgents,
who had stripped and prepared to beat
them, and ultimately rescued by the
Americans.