Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1901-10-05
MET WITH DISASTER.
Company of American Troops in
Philippines Literally Wiped Out.
While mt Breakfast n Little Band of 72 Was
Attacked by Overwhelming Numbers
and Terrible Slaughter Followed,
Only IL Americans Escaping.


Manila, Oct. 1.-Gen. Hughes,
from the island of Samar, reports the
arrival of Sergt. Markley and one
private at Tannan from the fight at
Balangiga, where over 40 of the 70
men of company C, Ninth infantry,
were killed by insurgents, who at
tackled the troops while at breakfast
Saturday last. The men who have
reached Tannan say that the officers
of the company, who were ut first
reported to have escaped, were killed
with the majority Of the company.
The troops were attacked while UNI
prepared by 400 bolomen, of whom
the Americans killed about 140. Many
of the soldiers were killed in their
quarters before they had time to
grasp their rifles. Gen. Hughes is GO
ing to the scene of the disaster and
will personally command the troops.
A new branch of the Katipunan has
been discovered at Tarlac, capital Of
the province of that name. The oh
ject of the society is the slaughter
of the whites. Marcelino Mariville,
president of Banoang, is the chief Of
the new branch, which includes num-
bers of the native constabulary, who
were recently armed. One policeman
admits that he was taxed 81 and was
ordered to make bolos. A regular col
lection has been made by the organ
ization from the natives, either by
persuasion or threats, and an uprising
had been planned for an early date.
The conditions in Tayabas and Ba-
tangas are not reassuring. The worst
form of guerrilla warfare prevails
there. The insurgent forces are dis
tributed, under cover, along every
road and trail, and wait for travellers
in ambush. The insurgent leader,
Caballos (who formerly belonged to
Gen. Cables command, but who re-
fused to surrender with Cailles), is re-
treating to the mountains. The main
forces of the insurgents are scattered
in bands over the province, where
they dig up rifles and, when there is
an opportunity, use them.
War Department Not surprised.
Washington, Oct. News of the
renewed activity on the part of the
insurgents has been expected at the
war department since the assassina-
ton of President Mckinley. The de-
tails of the shooting of President Nc
Kinley have not been received in the
Philippines. All that is known is that
he was killed by an anarchist. The
natural inference that the ignorant
natives would draw is, that the pres
ident being dead, the United States
would be bordering on a state of an
archy and revolution. This would en-
holden those who are still in the field
to greater activity.
Further bad news would not sur
prise any one in the war department.
Adjt. Gen. Corbin said that Samar was
one of the most fertile of the Philip
pine islands, and had an area equal
to the state of Ohio. 1t was n-ver
subdued by the Spaniards, and is in
very wild and uncultivated state. The
natives near the sea are all friendly,
and Gen. Hughes said, when Gen. Cor
bin visited the island, that there were
only about $50 insurgents in Samar.
These, he said, were scattered, and il
he could only get them together in n
body he felt certain he could facify
the island in an hour. Pursuit will
be very difficult thing, because there
are very few passes through the dense
woods and only recently $4,000 was
sent to Gen. Hughes to be expended in
road building. Gen. Corbin has rele-
graphed Gen. Chaffee for complete
list of the dead and wounded. The
fighting must have been very severe
and the number of insurgents over
whelming, when 4s men out OF ~
were killed and II wounded, leaving
only Is of the entire command to es-
cape unscathed. Company c was q
portion of the Ninth regiment of in
fantry which went to China mt the
time of the boxer outbreak, and
while there performed valiant sery-
ice. Later the troops were returned
to Manila and engaged in provost
duty in that city. During the past
summer a battalion of the Ninth was
cont ~ Camar