Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-11

men into ambush. / have room for but one.
This relates to General Jake Smith. who
made the cage of railroad irons near
Bautista and filled it with Filipinos. The
insurgents knew of the bravery of Smith
and they were anxious to capture him,
They persuaded the president of the town
to get up a grand ball and have Smith
attend, expecting to boo him on his way
home. The daring officer learned of the
plot. He went to the ball and found there
fifty guests, including the most prominent
men and most beautiful senoritas of the
district. He played the violin for several
Of the dances and later on tripped the light
fantastic toe with the p~rettiest of our
brown-skinned cousins. He left the ball
about 3 o'clock in the morning and with his
troops captured the kidnapers and then
put them in his railroad Jail.
In that same region l heard many stories
of the antics of Bell and his daring troops.
The Filipinos did not know what to make
of them. They were ready to fight at any
odds and under all circumstances. One Of
the great surprises was at the river at
Porac. Our troops were pursuing the in
surgents when they came to the stream.
The enemy was uot in sight and the com
pany, laying their guns on the bank, strip
ped to the skin and rushed into the water
for a swim. The insurgents, who were hid
ing in the bamboos, came forth and at
tackled them. Whereupon the naked men
rushed out and grabbed their guns, swan
the river and made for the Filipinos, yell
ing as though they were demons. l am
told the brown men became ashy from fear.
They fled over rice fields and through the
bamboos, followed by our soldiers, who trav-
eled rapidly unimpeded by clothes. They did
not regard the wire grass and the thorns
though they cut deep into their skins. Some
Of the Filipinos were chased as much as
three miles and the soldiers came back
scratched and bleeding, but with captive!
in front of their bayonets.
How Cold Water Cured "A Liar.
Speaking of Filipino lying, it has been
very common among the insurrectos when
their guns were demanded. They would
, use the weapons one day and then hide
them in a clump of bamboo or sink then
, In a stream and come out and pretend e
be the friends Of the Americans. To u.
, all FilipinOs lock the same. and We have
again and again treated our foes as friend.
to our sorrow. | remember an instance
I which happened near Calumpit. A band o
I FilipinOs attacked some Of our Macabebei
p and killed most OF them. The next day tn,
soldiers were sent out 10 find the dead an,
r capture the murderers. When they cam,
p to the spot there was no sign Of insurgentI
q and the dead had been buried. On the yer!
o place where the fight had been they fount
p a lonely f lipino blowing with a waite
A buffalo. One OF the Macabebes who haD
@ escaped recognized the man and said h
n was the chief OF the attacking party o
, the dav before. The plowman denied tn
charge and claimed that he was much
Amigo"
The Macabebe insisted, whereupon tn
X lieutenant commanding the company ap
J. piled drastic measures. He had the ma
e taken to a creek nearby. His feet wer
e strapped together, his hands tied benin
Is his back and a rope put around his necl
He was then dropped down into the waite
T. He Heated a while by kicking, but 500
ID sank, 4 moment later he was dragged OF
l. and asked where the rifles were hiddei
or He pretended ignorance and was agai
Of thrown into the water, This time he swa'
~ lowed about a gallon, but when he VIZ
er dragged out he swore he knew nothing. +
Ct was again thrown in and again drawn ou
be when his memory came to him. He prom
re ised everything TO keep dry. He gave u
names Of the insurgents and took cur so
he diers to the very field where he had be-
ur blowing He showed them where to d