The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-04-03
THE CAPTURE
OF AGUINALDO.
Funston'e Daring .Exploit-The In
surgent Chief Is Taken in His
Mountain Retreat.

The capture OF A9uinaldo, insurgen
chief of the Filipinos, was effected Oh
the 23rd of March. He was taken il
his hiding place among the mountain
fastuesses IN the province Of Isabella
Gen. Frederick Funston, Of Kansas
is the captor of Aguipaldo, who wa
betrayed by an officer of his staff anc
was invcigled by trcachery into th'
snare set for him.
The capture has been fully confirmed
and the war department has been in
formed by Gen. Macarthur that h,
holds the leader of the insurgents as ;
prisoner In his own residence at Ma
nilla. The details of the capture have
not been received at the department.
President Mckinley very naturally
is much gratitled that the chief moves
in the insurrection has been taken. II
has been the opinion Os the military
authorities for long time that Aguin
aldo was doing more than all the other
agencies combined to keep the rebellion
In the Philippines alive, and every eli.
ergy was directed to compass his cap
ture. I; is rather q remarkable tribute
to the daring and resourcefulness of
General Funston that long before he
made the capture he was selected as
the officer who might accept it.
1t was the intention of General Fun
ston some time ago to return to the
United States, but by direction of the
war department he was detained in
the Philippines in the hope that jus,
such contingency as did arise should
give him the opportunity to test his
prowess. Both the President and war
department were fully informed OF
the trap laid to capture the insurgent
chief, and the result Of the expedition
has been anXlously awaited for several
days.
The disposition of Aguinaldo, now
that he has been apprehended, will be
an interesting one for the administra-
ton 10 determine. The possibility Of
his capture at any time always had
been kept in view and that of his future
has been matter of discussion by the
officials in Washington. 1t is not be-
lieved, however, that any definite line
of action was ever determined upon in
regard to the matter. The attitude of
the government for long time past
has been one of comparative indiffer-
ence to Aguinaldo's capture, it having
been determined to crush the rebellion
without regard to his whereabouts.
Ills recent activity in directing the
course of operations against the Amer
recent change in this attitude.
hn IS
against the United States government
Aguinaldo may he tried and executed, :,
or lesser punishment meted to him
by executive clemcncy, or complete
amnesty extended. While the question
of punishment lests with the military
authorities, it is believed the President
will make the matter one for determi-
nation primarily by the authorities in
this country.
The province of Isabella, where the
capture of Aguinaldo occurred, is on
the island of Luzon, about 200 miles
northeast of Manila and about seventy
five miles north of Baler, on the east
ern coast, which place was made mem
orable by the capture of Lieutenant
Gilmore and his party from the gum
boat Yorktown in April, 1899. Isabella
province is wild and mountainous,
especially along the coast, where the
high range, known as the Grand Cor
dellinas Oriente, extends for hundred
miles or more from north to south,
the highest point of the range being
but few miles from the shore.
Rugged trails in some places bat q
foot or two in width lead across the
mountains frequently crossed by rush
ing streams, and where these ovelfow
their banks the trails are waist deep in
mud. 1t WAS to this uninviting district
that General Funston and hls small
band went short time ago. 1t was a
part of the island that had never been
visited by American troops.
General Funston's plans as outlined
in dispatch from Manila to the AS
socla:ed Press few days ago, were to
make the trip over the Isabella noun
taius TO Aguinaldo's hiding place ac-
companied by Surgeon Harris, Captain
Newton, of the Thlrty-fourth infantry
Lieutenant Admire, of the Twenty
second infantry: Lieutenant Mitchell,
of the Fortieth infantry; six veteran
scouts and & company of native scouts,
all picked men. They were to be land
ed by the Gunboat Vicksburg on re-
mote beach north of Baler and were to
proceed overland guided by a former
officer of Aguinaldo who had betrayed
to Funston the Filipino leaders, abode.
To deceive the enemy it was arrang-
ed that Aguinado's representative, who
had given the information to the
Americans, should lead the native
scouts and ASSUME character of in.
surgents still loyal 20 the rebel cause
They were to make it appear that they
had captured General Funston anC
other American officers of high rank
and were bringing them into the cam,
OF the insurgent chief to be delivered
as prisoners of war. Then was to com,
the daring part of the plan. The pre-
tended prisoners were to throw asid
their assumed character anil meta
morphose themselves from prisoner
to captors, seize Aguinaldo, beat dow,
any opposition that might show itsel
and hold their prisoner.
To carry out the programme require
q long march into the interior, an
never-ceasing caution to guard agai
treachery. The troops in New Vizcay
and New Heija and the gunboat
Vicksburg and Albany were ordered t