The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-10
AGUINALDO'S CLOSE CALL
A Soldier Tells How the Chicftain
Narrowly Escaped.

The Rebel Leader Surprised While
in His Mothers Home - Passed
Through the American Lines in the
Disguise Of n Young Womnn.
RICHMOND. Va, March "A letter
dated Cavite Viego Luzon January 2S
has just been received here. 1t was writ
ten by John Linck private in Company
X. Fourth Infantry. and tells an interest
ing story, hitherto unpublished, of Agui-
naldo's narrow escape from capture by
the Americans. Linck writes:
'On the morning of January Il my com
pany and several other companies of the
Fourth Infantry and three troops of the
Fourth Cavalry, with a detachment of
the native police (who had obtained the
information that ASuinaldo was visiting
his mother at her residence in the little
town of Binacayon. about one and one
half miles from Cavite VieGol. We're or
dered on secret march. 1t was not until
we had surrounded the little fishing vii
lage. situated on point of land project
ing out in the bay that we learned Of our
mission-that is, to capture the cunning
chieftain. The native police begged to be
allowed to proceed at once to capture
him.
Give us two American soldiers. they
pleaded. and we will go at once to the
house and capture him while we know he
is there The mission was too important
to be left in the hands of few men. At
daybreak the party advanced, surrounded
the little village, and drove everything
in front of them, no distinction being
made of age or sex. Every house was
searched and the inmates were ordered
to turn out and join the roundup.
no iad hN-
Aguinaldo Chis mother) was reached the
uproar of the hunt had already awakened
the household. The invalid mother was
the calmest member of the party, al
though she needed not to be told the OBJ
ject Of the visit, but questions prOpounded
to her were received in silence Nothing
could be learned from the household as
to the whereabouts of the object OF so
many fruitless searches.
The inmates of the village tmen, No-
men, and children). were driven to Cavite
Niego, where they were made to pass
under the gaze of those who knew them,
namely. the native police Women and
children We're passed rapidly through the
ring with little scrutiny. The men then
were passed under the line. and when a
face appeared that had given trouble be-
fore he was given TO the guards with
flNed bayonets to be sent to the guard
house.
This was continued down to the lest
u.
Candida Rati. an eX-insurgent of high
standing, who had taken the oatn of ale
glance to the United States and had
since lived at Cavite Viego. who was cus-
pected of aiding AEuinaldo in his escaue
After several hours of hard work the
guard heard him say that he had held
d conference with Aguinaldo at his
mothers residence In the search at the
house several articles of clothing fndi-
Gated his method of escape-in the guise
of a woman--though nothing could be
CLEANED as to the hour Of the escape. 1t
was probably during the hurried scrIl-
tiny OF the women.
Among those captured was Aguinaldo's
muchacho fbody servanD who was very
rgtcent about the escape of his master
until he was certain he had not b ea ken.
Threats, rewards. persuasion. and prom
lses failed to move him to tell how his
:iaster escaped. Several days ago under
the following story:
For months we have been in the
midst Of the AMERICANS and they have
not suspected us. MY master has even
spoken with American soldiers, block
heads TO be foolcu so easily, and when
my master was wounded in September
We wrapped him in ma tting and fioated
MN down the river past the Americans
who thought il was a dead body How
you FOUND out We were to visit his mother
90 NOT know. but some one betrayed
as, and he will be punished.
At midnight we learned OF the Ameri-
cans belnS npon us and master tried to
reach his boat. but failed. He returned
and disguised himself in his mothers
garments as a bonita senorfta Cprettv
giril. When the officers Taide1 the hous Sc
my master represented himself as a sicx
woman ana was undisturbed. My master
Is now safe with friends in a distant