The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-12-09
AGUINALDO TALKED
MRS. COFFEE SECURES AN IN
TERVIEw.
Imprisoned Leader Talks Diplomati-
cally-Is Afraid Of Lunar's Men.
Plays Good Game of Checkers.

Mrs. Coffee, wife of Colonel Jack
Coffee who has just returned to Ho-
nOlulu while only a few weeks in the
Philippines enjoyed the unique expert
ence of a lengthy talk and conversation
with Aguinaldo in the old palace in
which he is now confined.
81 had an exceptional opportunity to
see him." said Mrs. Coffee this morn
ing, and you may be sure 1 made the
most of it and fully enjoyed the occa-
sion. Lieutenant Lewis, who is in
charge of Aguinaldo, is a personal
friend of Mr.. Coffee and myself and
made the arrangements for us to see
him. We drove out Mindanao way to
the old palace where he is, riding in a
canrromatta, a vehicle that is beyond
description and minus springs. One
has tos ride in one to appreciate, or
rather dlepreciate it. We stayed longer
than we expected because it rained,
not that tht}t was anything unusual, it
always rainipg over there. l had two
weeks of the Ultimate which proved two
weeks too many for me.
well as misfortune had it, we had
been deluded into taking this rig that
was a regular sieve as far as wet
weather was concerned, so that we
had to stay over at 1.-THE palazzio while
another covered arrangement on
wheels was sent for from town.
"Of course you all know what Agui-
naldo looks like, short and swarthy
with a pompadour brush of hair
springing up from a not very high
forehead beneath which CLEAN two
bright black eyes. He lis very cautious
and pretends that his English is most
ly of the no sabe' order but in reality
he has quite a fluent tongue in the
language of the Americanos He
spoke to me nearly all the time in
beautiful Spanish. He converses gen.
orally through the medium of Lieuten-
ant Lewis who acts as general inter-
prefer.
THE place is very closely garrisoned
and Aguinaldo himself keeps inside
the house by preference. The old pal
ace is on the river and he is in mortal
fear of Lunar's men. There seems to
be no doubht that if they had the
chance Del Lunar's people would kill
him without compunction the first OPP
portunity they got.
"Aguinaldo is extremely polite in
his speech concerning America anC
very profuse in his personal compli-
ments. He declares himself to be :
great admirer of az American womer
and insinuates that he is of the one
he is speaking to in particular. The
fact that 1 was married and had a
little girl he protested against as i'm
possible.
He declares that he wants very
much to come to America and that he
is going to do so before long. Wash
ington would seem to be the particular
point of his ambition 1t is a beautiful
city, l have been tok,' he says, as OF
course it should be, seeing that it is
the capital of that great nation Am
erica
I'VE stayed there altogether foul
hours and L spent quite little while
with him. He was extremely courteous
during the visit. He reads and writes
and smokes, passing away the time
much as any other individual in his
circumstances. He plays checkers {
good deal and 1 had game with him
have been told taht play very fail
game of draughts myself, but my ut
most endeavors could not cope will
the strategy of TIE little leader. HI
turned my defeat into victory how
ever with graceful and fiowery compli
ments. Altogether he is a very inter
esting personality, aside from his poll
teal Importance and 1 would have beeI
very sorry to have missed the chanc,
of seeing him"