Evening star., 1902-04-12
HEROES BONES FOUND
MURDERED SOLDIERS UNEARTH-
ED IN PHILIPPINEs.
Slain With Daggers nby Guerrillas-
The Assassins Go to Judgment
at Ropes End

From the Manila Times, February 90
The skeletons of five soldiers were found
In the Candava swamps near Baliuag, on
the evening of the 18th instant, which, upon
examination, were Identified as the remains
of Privates John T. Hickman, William A.
Smith, Hamlet Jarvis, Elmer Dane and
Frank Wilson, formerly members of the
35th United States Volunteer Infantry
The discovery was made by Lieut.. Rees,
with mounted detachment of the Sd In
fantry from Baliuag. The authorities have
never ceased their efforts to locate the rest
ing place of these unfortunate victims of
the assassins' knife, who were murdered in
a most brutal manner on or about Novem-
ber 4. 1900; and now. after many months,
their labors have been rewarded and the
remains or the men will be given proper
Durtal. The discovery of all that is mortal
OF these five soldiers brings I'D again the
story OF their capture and murder by the
orders Of the guerrilla chief known as I'll
moteo Dhalan, alias Doroteo del Rosario.
These men were assigned as an escort to
Jose Buencamino, presidente of San Miguel
De Mayumo no. and left Baliuag on the Both of
October, 1900. They were ambushed on the
way by strong force of guerrillas who
captured the presidente and the detach-
ment, and after holding them as captives
for several days received orders from Dha-
Ian to murder the entire outfit The order
was carried out by Manuel Gonzales who
had previously taken the oath of allegiance
to the United States, and Clemente de la
Cruz. sergeant of the band Of guerrillas
commanded by Gonzales, and was as fol-
lows:
'Senor First Lieut.. Manuel Gonzales and
Capt. Dionisio Santos: Inside of twelve
hours you will report to me what has hap
pened In the ambuscade that you have
done; at what hour. in which place, how
many thew were, how many rifles captured
and also ..risoners. and if Jose Buencamino
M n towel rryi&l
care you will obey the following:
First. Separate Jose Buencamno from
the Americans. and with these Americans
do as II you were to take them to the gen.
eral; but when you reach the tall grass do
with them what we are accustomed to do
but L strictly recommend you not to let
anyone know, even to our soldiers, but to
those of much confidence and with the
lips shut. Once the prisoners are in the
place where the enemy do not pass do with
them what have ordered, but no one must
know, even many soldiers, only those who
will do it; do not use bullets, but daggers
Buencamno must not know of this.
Second. To Jose Buencamino do with
him what you know the suffering Of the
reason, in hidden place: and take great
care with the woman, SO she may not
escape.
"Third-Once you have done all these give
me report Of all that has happened in the
ambuscade, so l may make the report to
the general, what captains and officers
concentrations" Fi-
One year had passed away before the
guilty parties were brought to justice but
finally the above order came into possession
of the military authorities and Timoteo
Dhalan, Manuel Gonzalez and Clemente de
la Cruz, were arrested and placed on trial
for murder in violation of the laws Of war.
They made strong fight before the COM
mission. but the evidence as contained in
the above order was conclusive, while in
addition to that Manuel Gonzales, in an eff
fort to save himself, during his trial testi-
fed that he had sent a written protest to
Dhalan to the effect that'th killing of
prisoners would be contrary to the laws of
war. and Clemente de la Cruz admitted the
murder, but pleaded the order of his Su-
periors, to relieve him Of responsibility
They were found guilty and sentenced to
be hanged on the Sth day Of November 1901
just one year and four days after the crime
was committed. They succeeded in secur-
ing stay of execution for two weeks, but
the law took Its course at the expiration of
that time, and on Friday, November D.
1901. Timoteo Dhalan and Manuel Con-
sentence of Clemente de la Cruz was COM
muted to Imprisonment for life.
Up to the last moment the executed men
refused to reveal the burial place of their
victims, but Lieut.. Rees has finally sue
ceeded in locating the graves and unearth-
Ing the remains which were buried almost
In the very center of the Candaba swamp
Capt. McRea, in command at Baliuag
has wired for instructions to the dspo-
sition of the remains and has been notified
that they will be taken in charge by the
burial by the side of their comrades who
have fallen in he conflict