Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-04-29
CHANGE IN THE PLAN.
Gen. Smiths Trial Will Be Held In
Washington.
THE COURT AT MANILA DISSOLVED.
President Roosevelt pesires to Re-
view the Procecdings-Deta
of Recent Fighting with
the Moras.

the Morns.
Manila, April 23.-By orders from
| Washington the court martial or
dered to try Gen. Jacob III. Smith,
who was in command of the United
States troops on the island of Samar
on the charge of conduct prejudicial
to good order and discipline, has
been dissolved. The members of the
court. which will try Gen. Smith, will
be named at Washington.
Reason for the Action.
Washington, April 23.-Although
no statement is yet obtainable as
to the reasons for dissolving the
Smith court-martial, it is understood
that the president is DESTROYS that
he himself should review the pro-
ceedings of the court-martial instead
of having this reviewed at Manila as
would have been the case had Gen.
Chaffee convened the court. 1t also
is understood that the court will
consist of the same members named
by Gen. Chaffee so that there is no
reflection upon that officer involved
in the course adopted.
War with Moros.
Manila, April 23.-Two engage
ments have been fought between the
American troops and the Moros of
the island of Mindanao during the
last "a hours. Moore, of the Twenty
seventh infantry, while out with a
small party hunting for water was
fred upon at long range. Lieut.. Col.
Frank ID. Baldwin, with battalion
of troops and mountain gun, went
to the assistance of Moore's party
and drove off the Moros, who lost
seven men. The firing was at 1,100
yards range.
The Moro villages were flying red
flags, meaning that they intended to
| fight to the uttermost.
Later, Sultan Pualo and force of
natives attempted to reoccupy the
ground gained by the Americans, but
the Moros were forcibly dispersed.
Delay Ordered.
Washington, April 23.-The war de-
partment has instructed Gen. Chaffee
to delay the departure of the proposed
expedition into Mindanao until after
| the receipt of further directions from
Washington. The president desires to
exhaust all other means of effecting
| the capture of the Moros who muir
dered American soldiers before dis
patching an armed expedition for that
purpose. Meanwhile, however, that
| portion of Gen. Davis command which
was selected for the journey will still
| be held in readiness, and all prepara-
lions up to the point of actual de-
rarture will be made.
ChaHee Tells of Advance.
Washington, April 23.-Adjt. Gen.
Corbin has made public the following
telegram, received late Tuesday from
Gen. Chaffee:
Manila, April 22-Adjutant General,
Washington: With reference to my tele-
gram of the 18th and yours Of the 21st:
1 When at Malabang, I authorized Baldwin
| to continue clearing the trail toward the
lake, If not opposed. but he was not to move
| in force until the expedition was fully pre-
pared, which expected to accomplish by
| the 18th. On the 18th he pushed his adj
| vance from his camp eight miles out with
orders to clear the blockaded trail and
halt when 1t reached sufficient water, which
| was not found until the second crossing of
the Malilang river, where it issues from
| Lake Dapao. The advance consisted of one
battalion of the Twenty-seventh infantry
| under Maj Scott. He reached Dapao
without opposition, but found the trail
badly ebstructed by fallen timber Bald
win arrived at the same place on the noon
| of the Goth with Moore's battalion and
mounted battery. In order to find de-
| fensive camp and grazing to the north Of
| him, he sent forward Moore's battalion
with one gun. Moore was fired on from
| the hills, in front and to his left. He re-
turned the fire, but did not advance.
Baldwin brought forward the rest of the
battery and three infantry companies and
drove off the assailants, firing at distance
| Of ], 100 to 1,3OO yards. Excellent firing by
| battery; enemy driven two miles and scat
| tered; no casualties to our troops; seven
Moros' bodies found; opposing Moros from
Pinellas village, whose fort Is In sight,
| flying red flag.
yesterday morning a delegation ar
rived at Baldwin's camp from Genaasi,
making absolute submission to United
States authority under terms Of my proc
lamation. Yesterday morning there was
an affair of a few minutes with the sultan
OF Pgalaos' men, who attempted to reoc-
cupy grounds cleared the day before, and
they We're forcibly dispersed. Baldwin
gays 1t may be necessary to reduce the fort
at P4las If it continues hostile before pass
| Ing 1t, Altitude of camp 2.650 feet. Davis
| says he has ordered Baldwin not to assault
any fort or occupy hostile places until the
two weeks time expires which granted
| the Moros to surrender murderers.
I'm order to expedite yours of yesterday
was sent at once to Davis; received by
| him at t0:50 =, m. He has ordered Bald
win to abstain absolutely from any ag-
! gressive movement, but to favor ip every
| way possible friendly conference. TO witl1-
| draw all our forces will ruin our prestige;
| to withdraw part of our force will be daT-
gerous Have ordered trail cleared to
rear quickly; eight miles was well opened
| when I was there. Shall maintaih ouf
position, but not advance further Until
you are heard froM, Febiger, with bat
vance to SO great a distance was prema-
ture, but was occasioned by an opportunity
to seize advantage in situation and pe-
sition for camping troops.
/ HRoishing, at 1lagan, says everything
is qifet. III is confident the Moros on the
north side have no idea of rising.
Think War Is over.
Washington, April 23.-The state de-
partment has received information by
cable to the effect that Gen. prfbe.
| Uribe, the insurrectionary leader, has
been completely overwhelmed by the
| government troops at place called
| Medina, and has been compelled to
beat q fetreat to Venezuelan territory.
1t is believed ia Eogota that the war