Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1902-06-28
SIMPLY WANTED 70 LOOT
Admiral Dewey Says Aguinaldo Had no
Patriotic Motives in Visiting
Manila.
Forwarded Proclamations of the Fill
peno Chief to Washington With
out Reading.
Knew Aguinaldo Better Than General
Bell, General Otis OF any Other
Officer.

DGWey COullHuSu his tSSlAluOAy bSIOAS
the senate committee on the Philip
pines during the day. Replying to
questions put by Senator Patterson he.
said he had begun negotiations with
the governor general Of the Philip
pines, General ,Jaudenes, for the sur
render of the city and the negotiations
were conducted through the Belgian
consul who, after the death of the Brit
ish consul, had been very courteous in
acting as go-betWeen. 1t was a Dip
lomatic negotiation, no letters being
written. The admiral said he had in
formed General Merritt of the proffer
of General Jaudenes but he did not be-
lieve that Merritt had taken much
stock in it.'
81 assured him that such was the
case" said the admiral, "and told him
of the arrangement that. before the
surrender was to engage the 'outlying
fort and make the signal according
to the international code, do you sur
render?' after which the Spanish were
to hoist the white flag on the southern
| bastion. I may say that / was the first
! to discover the flag, Notwithstanding
I had stationed fifty men to lool- out
| for it. 1t was a thick day, and |
chanced to be the first to discover it,
| He also said he had read the testi-
mony of General Macarthur saying
that he knew of no agreement @ the
kind mentioned but it had not been his
| (DeWey's) business to communicate
with anyone: except the commander.
Asked by Mr.. Patterson to explain
his statement that General Merritt had
not accepted the report that the Span
iards had agreed to capitulate Admiral
Dewey said that was only his belief.
II don't believe" he said that the
general entirely trusted the Spanish
authorities. Still he did not say so in
so many words. I may add that l have
since learned that some of the Spanish
officers were tempted to fire on us,
though they did not do so. Even my
own flag lieutenant did not accept their
| proffer as in the best faith. I knew,
however, that they would surrender for
I understood the straits they were in -
Poor Opinion of AguinaIdo.
Admiral Dewey said he had forward
ed the proclamations of Aguinaldo to
| Washington without reading them.
"The days and nights were not long
enough for my work at that. time
said the admiral "Since you have
asked my opinion he continued, in an
swer to a question, 81 will say I believe
Aguinaldo was there for gain, for loot,
for money, and that independence nev-
er entered his head"
Senator Carmack asked him why he
furnished such man arms and helped
to organize his army, to which the ad-
miral replied that all was fair in war
and there were no American troops in
the islands to oppose the Spaniards.
When he assisted Aguinaldo he did
not call him robber and plunderer,
but the "insurgent leader"
II say l think he was there for loot
and money! he continued.
"Do you think he was there fop any
thing else?" he asked, turning to Sen
ator Carmack.
II do" responded the senator.
well, I swear I DON'T" said the ad-
miral, emphatically.
! Answering several questions the ad-
/ miral said he thought he knew Ag-
uinaldo better than General Otis, Gen
eral Bell or any other officer, as he saw
4 more of him..
81 had not been in Manila forty-eight
hours before saw he was there for
loot; he was then taking everything he
could lay his hands on from everybody
and expect he got the lions share
1 The inquiry ended rather abruptly
| at 12 o'clock. Senator CaTmack asked ::
"You do not know of single dis
! honest act on the part of Aguinaldo,
yet you regard him as a thief?'
Admiral Dewey arose and said: 81
! think I shant answer that question, y
! and. taking his hat and bowing, left
the room.