The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-09-30
The BALANGIGA DISASTER.
Uncertainty Regarding the Off
GERS of Company c.

InsurEcnts-Thc American GarTi-
son Taken ComPIctcly ny Surprise.
Reports of the ATHir Indefinite.
The War Department today issued
corrected copy of General Chans,'s ca
b,egram from Manila regarding The mas
sacre of American troops ga the Island Of
Samar on September ~. BY a mistake i'm
trauslatinE the cipher Jne despatch was
first interpreted as saying that Captain
Conneu, Lieutenant Bumpus. and Surgeon
Griswo'd had escaped. The corrected
copy shows that th- cipher words mista-
ken for have escaped really meant in
vestigation will De made" The corrected
copy docs not show therefore that the
officers mentioned are safe. The correct
ed despatch follows:
''f1ughss reports following received
from B-Sgy. southern Samar- Twenty
four ECl Company G, Ninth Regiment,
L. :. T.. c.tv,u wounded. have just
arrived from Bglaugs-1- remainder
company killed. insurgents secured an
company supplies and al rlnes except
three. Company was attacked during
breakfast. morning September -,
company seyenty-twO strong. officers.
Capt Thomas w ConneU First Lieut..
l.
major surgeon. investigation will be
made
The War Department is anxiously wait
ing for a more dets lied report from Gen
eraI Chaffce.
The meagrcucss Of the information con
tained in General Chance's despatch
leaves in doubt the fate Of Capt Thomas
W. ConneH, First Lieut. Edward A.
Bumpus. and Surgeon r. 5. GriswoId.
There is nothing definite indicating that
they were killed. and at the same time
nothing has been received which indicates
that they escaped Some Of the army Of
fccrs interpret General ChafTCe-s refer
ence TO the officers as showing that they
are not accounted for while others be-
Hcve if ;hey are missing General Charrce
would have said SO. The fact that Serg-
cant Markloy and private escaped to
Leyte without knowledge Of the escape
Of their comrades 10 Easey is taken To
show that during the confusion Of the
melee those escaping took different direc-
tions. II this be true. j. is considered not
unlikely that the officers may yet turn
up
From what appears to have been the
situation at the time of the attack. it is
thought remarkable that any OF the sol
diers were able 20 get away.
Paymastor General Bates received 4
telegram this morning from Judge Bum
pus. at boston. saying that a letter re-
ceived frO-a his son. Lieutenant Bumpus.
said that the officers were quartered in a
convent. thst the soldiers were quartered
In houses nearby and that the camp was
n the town. Ii appears from this infor-
nation that the soldiers kept their arms
in their quarters and probably messed
together in their camp. Presumably the
treacherOus insurgents waited until the
men were at breakfast and therefore un-
armed. The officers would undoubtedly
mess together in the convent and this
would make necessary attacks at di1ere.t
points Unless the natives secured vuop-
posed access TO the convent, IL is thought
the officers would be able 20 make a good
resistance, but the enlisted men being
without their officers at the time and In
unprotected quarters would have been at
the mercy Of their assaiiants.
To those officers familiar with the con-
ditiOns IN Samar the Occurrance is not
altogether surprising. General Lucban,
who has been at the head OF the insur-
rection IN Samar. is one of the crueIest
OF the iusUrgent leaders. When Adiutant
General COrbin was in the Philippines il
was thought IN Manila that Lucbau had
left Samar and WAS in Southern LUz0u,
endeavoring 10 arouse the inhabitants OF
Cebu and stir up an outbreak there. II
Lucban was IN Cebu, he would be well
Informed as TO the movements Of the
Americans and would have known def
niteIy of the strength Of the garrison at
BaianEiEa.
There is no doubt among the officers here
that, having learned OF the assassination
Of President Mckinley ne concluded il
would be an excellent opportunity 10
again stir up mis- followers 10 action.
Company @. Of the Ninth Infantry. went
TO Balangiga August IS and was received
there by the natives with a great show Of
Friendship. This is thought 20 have dis
armed the soldiers Of all suspicion and
led them 70 lose sight of the uufrierdH-
ness Of the natives in the interior.
Sergeant MarI,Iey Reports.
MANILA. sept 3J.-,-.50 %. m.J-SerE-
cant Markley and a private Of Company
c OF the Ninth Infantry, which was sur
prised and many Of the men killed at
Ealangiga. Samar, by a band of iusurg-
euts. escaped across the Bay Of Tauuau
e. Leyte and have made a report on the
action
The sergeant and private evidently did
not know Of the escape OF tweuty-four OF
their comrades TO Basey. Island OF Sa-
mar They report that -Jg DOl0meu at
tackled the garrison OF EJIaugIga. the
men being al breakfast and without
arms. A majority Of The men III the bar
racks were killed and none were left alive
in the town. one hundred and forty ua-
tives were killed IN the melee.
As tweuty-fOur men have already ar
rived at Basey, this story is evidently an
eNagseration.
The American officers AT Manila do not
attempt 90 explain the massacre except
On the ground OF Oyer-COulIdeuCe on the
part Of tn troops al BalaugIga and lack
Of warchtulness. This was due probably
t0 the extreme frieudliuess Of the presi-
dentc and t0wnsDeople, who recently wei
coined the soldiers OF the Ninth with uu-
sic and hcstas.
Native women, who are desir0us Of say
inE their soldier sWeethesrts. have dis
closed 10 the authorities the existence of
new kauuuuau Society iu the province
OF Iarlac. The coustabuIary has crippled
the movement 10y arresti1g the civil pres
Idente. the leader Of the movement. and
many Of The recently armed native Do
lice Other discoveries Of a similar nature
have been made AT Cagayan.
ConneII Reported Killed.
NEW YORK. sept. 3Q-David J. Con
nell. the father of Captain ConneH. who