Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-02-06


perfectly familiar with Llcunn's signature,
and before leaving San l-iclro Ind Ind Il
Filipino, very expert with the pen. initiate
Lacunu' S autograph at the foot of two OF these
sheets of paper. Afterwards, ut sea, when
We had more leisure. the letters were con-
structed over the bogus signature.
One of the letters from AEuinaldo TO La
cunn that had fulleu into our hands had
given us the information that the appoint
mcnt of IIacunu to the rank ol brigadier
general made, some time previously by
Aleiundrino. hud been confirmed by the
writer, Aguinaldo. Another letter, TO Bal
deremo ApIinaldo, had instructed that midi
vidual To take command of the province uf
Central l4u2un and send to Aguinnldo
company from each one of his subordinate
commanders, This would refer to Lncunn
among Others, and these iGcts suggested the
wording Of the two letters. .....
Then with perfect Inconsistencies
Gen. Funston says;
Tho following are foundations from the
Spanish of the original of the two letters
1.-THE forgcriesl that were the undoing of the
slippery guerrilla chief.
Both of these letters were ostensibly
from Lacuna, and were addressed ''to
the Honorable President of the Philip
pine Republic " The first one thanked
him for promotion, and said that
there in Nueva Ecija we continue
without cessation the war against tho
hated invader. " The second one, dated
four days later, informed him that the
ostensible writer (Lacunal had 'iust
received communication from the
commanding general of the Center of
Luzon instructing me to send you one
of my best companies. This | am
doing without delay. Your com
missioner, Sr. Cccilio Spgismundo,
who is with mo here, accompanies the
command on its march to your head
quarters. " The rest of the letter en-
planned why Hilario 'Placido was to be
placed in command of the column, and
referred to 1.-THE captain of the com
pany" us ''the indefatigable Spaniard,
Lazaro Segovia, who has rendered such
excellent service and who is so
thoroughly addicted to our cause. y
1.-THE above letters" says Gen.
| Funston, ''wcre written by Segovia,
being dictated by me- -
1t thus appears that a Filipino
| initiated the signature, and Spaniard
wrote the letters on Gen. Lacuna 5
stamped paper, under orders and at
| the dictation of Gen. Funston.
| The expedition landed from the
Vicksburgh in Casiguran Bay with
only a days rations of rice, "thinking
(says the General) that a "full supply
could be obtained at Casiguran. We
could not bring along American food
| for us officers, for the obvious reason
| that it might arouse suspicion in the
| minds of the natives that we were not
prisoners.
After passing u wretched night in
the rain, and marching about 20 miles
through water and Jungle, the ex-
petition, at dark the next day, reached
Casiguran, where their arrival had
been announced by Segismundo, who
had been sent few hours ahead with
letter to the Alcalde. Here they re-
manned three days as the honored
guests of the town, in their disguise
as Filipino soldiers, while couriers
were sent forward to Aguinaldo's head
quarters at Palanan with 1.-THE two
decoy letters, " ostensibly from Lacuna.
These were followed by n third letter
to Auginaldo, informing him of "the
great fatigues and hunger" his soldiers
had undergone, and of the five prisoners
they had captured and were bringing
to headquarters. This third letter was
written in Tagalo by Cadhit and
signed by Halario Placido as "chief OF
the column. ~ The expedition then
Casiguran to Palanan with only three
days provisions, principally cracked
corn, that being all the probable food
which could be collected by the
Alcelde without further delay
After vivid description of theil
hardships during five days march,
Gen. Funston says:
All of the sixth day out from Casiguran vi
| plD1le1 alpnU upuk md Iitptrrx yrithp,,t ,
mouthful of food. Our situation could no
be regarded in any other light than serious
1t was day, too, OF misgivingB. Why. haC
no messenger been sent out from Palanan I,
meet US? Had some one been n traitor ant
sold us? During all of the afternoon of tina
day we half expected Il blast Of rifie-fi
from every cliff We passed under.
But Aguinaldo was completely dc
ceived by the forgeries, and i'm
mcdiately sent two couriers to tn,
column with instructions from hi.
chief of staff, addressed to Placido, t,
, leave their prisoners at Dinundungan
"Under no circumstances, said tn,
order, Unjust they be brought here. ;
The couriers guided the column TO
place "whcre m old Tagalo was ir
charge of half-a dozen Balugas con
structing couple Of small sheds
> which We were told were for tn,
American prisoners who were not to b
} brought into Palanan. -
Q What was now to be done? The me-
e were worn out with fatigue and starva
tion. They could not 90 forward with
out their American officers tth
4 ostensible prisonersl, and they coul
+ not go back So it was determined
e as a last resort, to ask Aguinaldo t
8 send them provisions, and uccordingl
4 the following letter was sent forwart
! Eat once by Baluga furnished us b.
the old man %
To the Colonel and Chief of staff, Simeo
Villa:
| have received your communication. bt
: am unable to continue the march hccmls
Of the weakened condition of the men. I,
$ we were compelled TO begin our march wit
Il but three days food. Would il not h
e possible for you to send us food At once, 4
: order that We may appcase our hunger?
: Ililario Plncido,
IS Lieutenant Colonel Commanding,
n Dinundungan, March ~ 1901.
"The food came early the next morn
c ing" says Gen. Funston, land aftc
n II hasty breakfast the march for Palana
was taken up, We Americans being lei
II behind with 10 Macahcbcs under
IS corporal.
n In fact, however, the "prisoners'
and their guard marched behind tn
1t column at some considerable distance
It and hence were not present at tn
q moment when the firing began.
n From Gen. Funston's narrative
|, apears:
d /. That "after much persuasion
% Gen. Funston induced Aguinaldo'
70 courier, ScgismundO, to turn traitc