Evening star., 1902-02-26
HARD BLOW TO CAUSE
Removal of American Sol
diers From Maliobog.
BUSINESS MEN SCARED
THEY PACK THEIR GOODS AND
PREPARE TO LEAVE.
Hard to Educate Fiipinos - Chicken
Fighting the Great Sport
Of the Natives.
BUSINESS MEN SCARED
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
MALIOBOG, Leyte, p. L, Dec. 16 1901.
Orders have been received here to pack
up everything and be ready to proceed to
samar at once. The order was SO sudden
that everybody was dazed. This bay that
we patrol is notorious for insurr. cto haunts,
and now to withdraw the Americans at
this time will lose all that we have gained.
Capile, the insurrecto leader, has sent in
several messages within the last week, ask
ing for conference with a view to sur
render, and think it will be effected with
In ten days. providing LEY permit us to re-
main here that long.
Ahe commanding officer, Lieutenant
Macklin, has treated the native with great
consideration and they all swear by him.
He treats the Filipino as a man, which is
incomprehensible to the latter. having been
more used to be trod on by officials.
Immediately upon receipt Of the telegram
ordering us to Samar the presidente of this
town, accompanied by some of the promi-
nent men, embarked in q small boat for
Tacoban, which Is headquarters on It's
island, to plead with the governor and gen.
eral commanding to countermand the or
der They returned mere yesterday crest
fallen. They say that the governor and
general are at loggerheads and that we are
moved without reason.
Hard Blow to the Cause
If we are moved at this critical moment.
I am Of the opinion that it will be a hard
blow to our cause. My company Is guard
ing three important villages. and the in
habitants are of the opinion that when we
leave the H. -"-ectos will come In and
sack the towns, urn the houses and ravish
the women. They all tell me the same story,
SO / suppose there is some truth in it. A
the Americans were very gallant: tnat
they treated the ladies with politeness,
while the tnsurrectos were exactly the op-
posite. as they recognized no sex. but
TO take our place here twenty-five
native policemen arrived this week.
upon them with favor They place
them I could not understand why they
preferred US to their own people and they
answered that they knew we would fight
to the last. II attacked. whereas they felt
are also OF the opinion that when we leave
the police will run things with high hand,
and they appear to be as afraid Of them
as they are Of an insurrecto raid.
Merchants Preparing to Leave.
All Of the prominent business men Of the
town have packed up their goods and will
leave for more peaceful locations this week
The last steamer that left for Cebu was
packed with peaceful natives who were Of
the opinion that II they remained here
they would be butchered.
The tnsurrectos will no doubt attack this
town first, as the natives here have been
exceptionally friendly toward us. In the
past there has been some severe fighting
In this village. The largest house in town
is a formidable structure and at a pinch
would make good fort: The roof which
relics of a past attack. The only SpanIard
In town tells me there were hot times. all
the men congregating in the house, which
they defended for over a month. He says
that at least 1900 insurrectos surrounded
the house.
He is the richest man in town, but is In
mortal dread of the Filipinos He will not
trust any Of them. although he has a ma
he lives the life Of hermit almost He
will not take walk unless accompanied
by an American. The natives say he is
hard luck" which is the Visayan lingo
$500 reward for his head. which is not very
soothing to a nervous man. He owns the
only steamboat In this section. which he
has placed at the disposal Of the Amer
cans at all times. For these friendly ac-
tions toward us a reward has been placed
upon his head.
Captured Forty-seven Filipinos.
week to try to round up capile and brought
back forty-seven prisoners. and we thought
the back bone Of the insurrection was
broken; but upon Investigation the natives
proved themselves harmless. as they had
marched from the steamer they made a
picture not easy to forget. They were
roped together and each had a fighting
cock in his arms. the property Of the SOL
diers.
The yard Of the barracks has barn yard
appearance. as I counted nfty-flve roosters,
all picketed out with little ropes tied to
the left leg. The bolo or knife Is fasten-
ed to this leg when lighting. which is far
the strongest, caused by constant tugg1ng
to get loose.
I have observed pretty closely the attitude
of American soldiers in general toward the
natives. and l have noticed that the old
sergeants with twenty or more years SER
vice look upon all natives as hostile. They
90 not care to make any acauaintance with
the. the natives; 1a and censurs any Of the men
orally and loyal to fault. but am afraid
they grasp the wrong meaning OF our coun-
try's intentions toward these people.
Chicken Fighting.
Yesterday afternoon there was chicken
fighting at the pit. One fight was between
soldiers chicken and a natives. There
was nearly 500 up on the fight. Both
chickens died in the ring, but the soldiers
chicken lived q little while longer than
the other. The soldiers at once Jumped
into the ring ana claimed victory. insisted
upon 1t and finally got the money.
The presidente and referee. were scared
and decided that the soldiers won. after
ward discovered that they both had money
ON the soldiers chicken. but called 1t
draw among themselves and permitted the
soldiers to. win 80 as not to cause any hard
feelings. Two Of the soldiers who had con-
siderable money on the fight. when they
heard what tho presidents had done, re-
funded the money at once, which greatly
pleased the natives. It IL such actions as
this that will help us to pacify these turbu-
lent islands. The densely ignorant Filipino,
I am Of the opinion, can be handled like a
horse, where kindness will do moro than
force. do not mean the kindness that
verges on weakness, but firm kindness II
such an expression IL permissible.
Aguinaldo Considered Saint.
The present commander here IL exception
ally kind to natives who are loyal and very
severe on those who are not. He attends
all dinners and dances given by the people
and does his utmost to show our good In
tentions toward them.