Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-04-03
AGUINALDo'S REGALIA.
How Its Present Owner Came Into
Possession of the Famous Fill
pino's Sash.

The regalia of Aguinaldo which ht
wore in full uniform is now in posses
sion of a private soldier of our army
who is fully aware of its value as
relic, states the San Francisco Exam
t 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
ii. Cooper, a Santa Paula young man OF
troop f, 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:
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 il 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 Bedding, a friend
of Cooper, picked up in the trail amid
the bamboo Jungle a small bag Of mus
lin which contained this regalia,
small flag Of the province of Yigan,
and wrapped in il curious dagger
with point of needle-like sharpness.
Bedding took out the sash first, and,
it being similar to a decoration worn
by priest, thought 10 belonged to one
OF them, but hid the bag hurriedly for
fear the Fourth cavalry which was
passing might get it. When he showed
it TO his friend in the morning Cooper
asked him if he might take il and show
it to some one. Belding thereupon
made him a present of the bag and its
Cooper showed it to Capt. Agnew, of
the Eleventh cavalry, who exclaimed
at once at sight of the red and silver
star: why, man, you've got a prize
there! That rcgalia is Aguinaldo's
own, for have seen him wear il many
times during dress parade before the
outbreak. 1 know that star"
The regalia is heavily embroidered |
N solid silver, for which Mr.. Cooper
was offered a goodly sum by the native
5ilyersmiths in Manila. The most in
eresting piece is the silver embroid- !
red shoulder sash, somewhat stained /
BY wear, of yellow satin richly incrust- /
ID with silver, and where ii crosses the
'reast shines a six-pointed silver star
i openwork upon red satin, the badge
If Aguinaldo's highest rank. A broad |
'elt Of yellow satin and silver. wide
.uffs Of blue satin spangled with Sill
err, and four decorations in the form
If silver leaves, which were worn upon
he breast, are also parts Of this gilt
ering insignia. Here are the great sill
er star and hatband that decorated
he sombrero and completed the para
'hernalia which rendered Aguinaldo
gorgeous figure when worn over his
White suit at dress parade-for, he
ever wore this regalia over a khaki
MIR. Cooper was offered large sums
y officers anxious TO purchase this
egalia as a remembrance Of Aguin-
lido, but declined. considering ii the
acre valuable from the fact that only
ne other such suit of regalia owned
y Aguinaldo is known. According to
current army rumor, that suit was
resented to the insurgent leader by
Laj. Gen. E. S. Otis, and is now in
Washington.