Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-29
HOW AGUINAlDOWAST TAKEN
GEN. FUNSTON TELLS STORY OF THE
CAPTURE.
Rebel Chief Surprised and SeI.ed by
Former Major In 1nsur-
gent Army.

A dispatch from Manila last night says:
| Gen. Fred Funston. who. March D. cap
| tured Emilio Aguinaldo. when interviewed
| today by the representative of the Asso-
ciated Press authorized the following state
ment concerning the capture OF the Fill
| Pine leader:
| The confidential agent of Aguinaldo ar
rived February % at Pantabangan. in the
| province of Nueva Ecija, northern Luzon.
| with letters dated January IL. L. and IA.
| These letters We're from Emilio Aguinaldo
and directed Baldermero Aguinaldo TO take
| command of the provinces Of central Luzon.
supplanting Gen. Alejandrino. Emilio Agui-
naldo also ordered that 400 men be sent
! him soon possible. saying that the
bearer of the letters would guide these men
| to where Aguinaldo
Gen Funston secured the correspondence
| OF Aguinaldo's agent, and laid his plans
accordingly- Some months previously he
| had captured the camp of the insurgent
| Gen. Lacuna. incidentally obtaining Lacu-
ma seal, official papers and a quantity Of
! signed correspondence. From this material
/ TWO letters Were constructed, oStenSiby
| from Lacuna to Aguinaldo.
| one OF these contained information to
| the progress of the war. The other as
serted that pursuant to orders received
! from Baldermero Aguinaldo, Lacuna was
| sending his best company to Presidente
Emilio Aguinaldo.
| Organization of the Expedition.
His plans completed and approved Gen.
! Funston came to Manila and organized
| his expedition, selecting seventy eight
| Macabebes, all of whom spoke Tagalog
| fuently. Twenty wore insurgent uniforms,
and the others the dress of Filipino la
| borers. This Macabebe company armed
with fifty MauSers, eighteen Remingtons
and ten krag-Jorgensens. was commanded
by Capt. Russell T. Hazard of the 18th
United States Volunteer Cavalry. With
him was his brother, Lieut.. Oliver p. NJ.
Hazard of the same regiment. Capt. Har-
~ w. Newton, Saith Infantry. was taken
because of his familiarity with Casiguran
bay, and Lieut.. Burton j. Mitchell, 10th
Infantry, went as Gen Funston's aid.
These were the only Americans accompa-
nying the leader of the expedition.
With the MacabebeS We're four eX-insur-
gent officers, one being Spaniard and the
other three Tagalos whom Gen. Funston
trusted implicitly.
Gen. Funston and the American officers
wore plain blue shirts and khaki trousers.
They carried each a half blanket but
wore no insignia of rank. The Macabebes
We're carefully instructed to obey the or
ders of the four ex-insurgent officers.
On the night of March the party en-
barked on the United States gunboat
Vicksburg. 1t was originally intended to
take caScoes from the Island of Polillo and
to drift to the mainland. but a storm
arose and three Of the cascoes were lost
This plan was abandoned. At a m March
IA the Vicksburg put her lights out and
ran inshore twenty-five miles south of
Casiguran, province of Principe
The March to Casiguran.
The party landed and marched to Casig-
uran. The Americans had never garri-
soned this place, and the Inhabitants are
strong insurgent sympathizers. Having
arrived there the eX-insurgent officers
ostensibly commanding the party, an
nounced that they were on the way to
join Aguinaldo, between Panta bangan and
Baler; that they had surprised an Ameri-
can surveying party, and that they had
killed number. capturing five. They ex-
hibited General Funston and the other
Americans as their prisoners.
The insurgent presidente of Casiguran
believed the story. Two of the Lacuna
letters previously concocted were for
warded to Aguinaldo at Palanan, province
Of Isabella. General Funston and the
others We're kept imprisoned for three
days, surreptttiously giving orders at
night. On the morning of March IL, TAX
ing a small quantity Of cracked corn, the
party started on ninety-mile march to
Palanan. The country is rough and I'M
inhabited, and provisions could not be Sc
cured. The party ate small shell fish. but
were almost starved Wading swift
rivers, climbing precipitous mountains and
penetrating dense jungles, they marched
seven days and nights, and on March %
had reached point eight miles from Pal
anan. They were now SO weak that it
was necessary to send to Aguinaldo's camp
for food. Aguinaldo dispatched supplies
and directed that the American prisoners
be kindly treated, but not be allowed to
enter the town.
On the morning Of March % the advance
was resumed. The column was met by
the staff officers of Aguinaldo and a de-
tachment OF Aguinaldo's bodyguard, which
was ordered to take charge Of the Amert-
cans.
While one Of the ex-insurgent officers
conversed with Aguina!dos aid another,
a Spaniard, sent a courier to warn General
Funston and the rest, who, with eleven
Macabebes, were about an hour behind.
Having received this warning General
Funston avoided Aguinaldo's detachment
and Joined the column, avoiding observa-
ton. The Tagalos went ahead to greet
Aguinaldo, and the column slowly follow
ed, finally arriving at Palanan.
Aguinaldos household troops, fifty men
In neat uniforms Of blue and white and
wearing straw hats, lined up to receive
the newcomers. General Funston's men
crossed the river in small boats, formed
on the bank, and marched TO the right
and then in front Of the insurgent grena-
diers. The Tagalos entered the house
where Aguinaldo was.
Suddenly the Spanish officer noticing
that Aguinaldo's aid vas watching the
Americans suspiciously, exclaimed.
Now, Macabebes, so for them!"
The Macabebes opened fire, but their aim
was rather ineffective, and only three in
surgents were killed The rebels returned
the fire. On hearing the firing, Aguinaldo.
who evidently thought his men were mere
ly celebrating the arrival Of reinforce
nents, ran to the window and shouted:
Stop that foolishness! Quit wasting am
munition.'
Hilario Placido. one OF the Tagalog Of
ficers, and former insurgent major, who
was wounded in the lung by the fire of the
Kansas Regiment at the battle of Caloo-
can, threw his arms around Aguinaldo, |
eXclaiming: |
AGuinaldo a Prisoner.
you are a prisoner of the Americans"
Col Simeon Villa, Asuinaldo's chief of
staff; Major Alambra and others attacked
the men who were holding Aguinaldo |
Placido shot Villa In the shoulder, Alam-