The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1902-02-08
AGUINALDo's REeALIA.
How Its Present owner Came Into
Possession Of the Famous FiIi-
Dino's Sash.

The regalia OF AguinaIdo which he
wore in full uniform is now in possess
sion of private soldier Of our army,
who is fully aware Of its value as a
relic, states the San Francisco Exam
iner.
Once it shone in all its splendor of
silver stars and lace upon the white
dress uniform Of the island leader
now, by the fortunes of war and fight,
it is the property Of Private Richard
IL. Cooper, Santa Paula young man of
| troop II, Eleventh United States vol
unteer cavalry, who returned to Los
Angeles on June 20 from the Philip
| pines.
The Eleventh was the only United
States volunteer cavalry in service
since the civil war, and troop NJ of the
Eleventh distinguished itself by its
famous charge at the battle of San
Mateo, where Gen. Lawton lost his
life.
Cooper tells an interesting story: X.
Company G of the Thirty-seventh
United States infantry started out in
pursuit of Aguinaldo in February,
1900, chasing him for ten days or more
up through the mountains of southern
Luzon. They finally lost track of him
and went. over the swamps into CANA
rines province. But so hot was the
pursuit and SO near did it come at one
point to capture that some Of the
ponies in Aguinaldo's band were shot
and the leader threw away bundles OF.
clothing and other stuff in his mad de-
sire to escape his pursuers.
1t was in one of those critical mo-
ments that Corporal Belding, a friend
of Cooper, picked up in the trail amid
the bamboo jungle small bag of mus
lin which contained this regalia, a
small flag Of the province of Vigan,
and wrapped in 1t curious dagger
with a point Of fneedle-like sharpness.
Belding took out the sash iirst, and,
it being similar to q decoration worn
by priest, thought it belonged to one
of them, but hid the bag hurriedly for
fear the Fourth cavalry. which was
passing, might get It. When he showed
1t to- bis friend in the morning Cooper
asked him il he might take 1t and show
it to some one. Belding thereupon
made him present of the bag and its
contents.
Coopershowed it to Capt. Agnew, Of
the Eleventh cavalry, who exclaimed
at once at sight of the red ana silver
star: "Why, man, you've got prize
there! That regalia is Aguinaldo's
own, for have seen him wear It many
times during dress parade before the
outbreak. / know that star"
The regalia is heavily embroidered
in solid silver, for which Nh. Cooper
was offereda goodly sum by thenative''
silversmiths in Manila. The most in
teresting piece isgthe silversembrpitlss
cred shoulder sash, Somewhat staiheG
by wear, of yellow satin richly incrust-
ed with silver, and where it crosses the
breast shines six-pointed silver sta.
of openwork upon red satin, the badge
of Aguinaldo's highest rank. A broad
belt of yellow satin and silver, wide
cuffs of blue satin spangledswith sfls
YER, and four decoratf tfons in the form
Ct silver leaves, which tWeIe worn Hpois
the breast, are also parts OF this gilt
tering insignia, Here are the great sill.
yer star and hatband that decorated |
the sombrero and completed the para
pherIalia which rendered Aguinaldo
gorgeous figure when worn over his
white suit at dress paradefor he
never wore this regaI;a over khaki
uniform.
Mr.. Cooper was offered large sums
by officers anxious to purchase this
regalia as a remembrance of Aguin-
aldo, but declined, considering it the
more valuable from the fact that only
one other such suit of regalia owned
by Aguinaldo is known. According to
a current army rumor, that suit was
presented to the insurgent leader by
Maj. Gen. E. S. Otis, and is now in