The evening times., 1900-06-16
GOT AGUINALDO'S PAPERS
General Funston Captures the In
gent Leaders correspondence.
IL Includes Letters From Consul
General wfIdman and Admiral
Dewey-Found in Cache in n Rn-
vine-RepOrt of n Hot Fight be
tween CavaIrymen and FIIipinos.

An interesting story Of the capture by
General Funston OF several tons of Agui-
naldo's private correspondence has Just
reached the War Department IN a mail re-
port from Manila. The documents seized
contain Aguinaldo's correspondence with
Consul Wildman and Admiral Dewey. in
cludiug Aguinaldo's letter book showing
copies Of all letters written by him to Jif
ferent officials. An important disclosure
made by the captU of the papers was that
commercial firms In Manila and HOngkong
lad had relations with the Insurgents. Cen
eral Otis confirmed this when in Washing
ton this week He remarked that the in
surgents had been supported not only by
commercial houses of Manila. but had re-
ceived the support OF some firms profes-
sediy American. The officials in Washing
correspondence shows. as only the acco unit
Of its capture mas been reported to the
War Department.
The day of the seizure OF the correspond
ence General Funston had gone on a per-
sOnal reconnaissance with eighteen of his
men. He was not on any special clew but
rounding Bongabon and Pontabangan.
ebout twenty miles up the Rio Grande de
Pampanga from Cahanatuan. On bcth
sides Of the river a fertile plain extends
for some miles with rice fields and cane
breaks here and there. The valley Of the
Rio Grande is shat in by steep bluffs COW
cred with dense forests.
While riding along General Funston dis
covered a small bamboo ladder in a cleft
Of the cliffs. and he stopped 10 inye sti gate
The ladder was perfectly perpendicular a.
and beside il rope hung from TIE brink
Of the eliff 10 the ground One CT the men
back in the woods. Then the men quickly
scampered up tbe ladder. and at the top
found a footpath leading into the forest
They followed th.s =aA found a cache IL
geniOusly hidden among the trees OF q
ravine and rooted over with nipa-
Il was evident that the place had been
guarded. and that the guard hal fed on
the approach Of the Americans. When the
nipa was removed General Funston dis
covered between thirty and forty large
wooden cases packed with papers and i0cu-
ments- Everything that had been saved
from MalOlOs when IL fell after the IS an Z
5y General Wheaton had been removed
here There were about a thou alS 3
pound Hotchkiss shells. a quantity Of dyra-
mite bombs, once furniture from the Ma
Iolos audencia.- ana ancient Spanish school
books dating fifty years back Much OF ths
rubbish was burned. b. order OF Gen-raI
Funston. but the state papers. compTis ng
the correspondence OF Aguinalto and s
chief officials from the time Of Their carl
est dealing with ADMIRAL Dewey down 70
the flight from MaIo,os we're preserved
and sent 70 Manila
The same mall report brings an account
OF the operations Of Captain DOdds' troop
Of the Third Cavalry in the Province OF
Ilocos Norte, during April The report OF
these operations SHOWS h0W azgressively
the Americans are fighting
On April 13. near PaOay there was i fight
which resulted in ths location Of a body os
rebels who were preparing for feast on
the 18th OF April. Captain DOdds' men,
fifty-fye in number. hurried 10 the place
in single file. They dismounted and fought
, On foot. The fight lasted an hour. at the
end OF which ffty-three dead insurgents
were counted on the Held and forty-four
were captured.
Later IL was learned that there was .
large force OF Ladrones on the Batac River
On the morning OF April p Captain Dodd
led his troop around and beyond the Fill
p!nO outpost. About daylight the Filipino
Cutpcsts discovered that the Americans
were between them and the main camp
I
Mountains to the northeast and east and
wooded hills 20 the south with the en-
! trance TO the west.
! The cavalry was entering the plain from
| the west and Captain DOdd Immediately
| divided the troop into four parties. One
| detachment, under Lieutenant Chitty. was
| sent 10 the north OF the camp; one under
| Lieutenant Mckinley TO the east. and one
/ under Lieutenant NacNally TO the west
| and southwest. and Captain DOdd took the
4 rest of the men TO the south. Lieuten-
| ants Mckinley and Chitty first opened fire
\ upon the insurgents who surged to the
| south. where they were stopped by Cap
( tain Dodd. twelve being killed there. They
went 10 the north again, and were met by
| a heavy fire. They again broke to the
| south and charged Captain DOdd's detach-
| ment. but were driven back and led to
| the northwest. and were again stopped.
J They made a stand here. and the Nmeri-
| cans closed in on them The insurgents
| numbered 300 as against 50 Cavalrymen.
| The Filipinos lost 120 killed and five cap
| tured
| In the whole operations only two Ameri-
! cans we're hurt-one was hit with a spear
| and one was cut with boIo. In several
| instances the cavalrymen were in such
| close quarters that their carbiGes were
| useless and had to be thrown aside and
j pistols used.