Evening star., 1902-02-26
Most Important Capture
Since Aguinaldo's.
A Noted INSURGENT
HAD CAUSED REIGN OF TERROR
IN SAMAR
One of the Most Energetic and Fero-
cious of the Rebels in the
Philippines.

Acting Adjutant General Ward this morn
Ing received the following important tele-
gram from General Chaffea-
MANILA, February 26, 1902.
'Adjutant General, Washington:
Lieut. Streblar, Philippine scouts, cap
tured General Lucban, February 30. He
is now confined at Laguan. Second Liert.
Pratt, 1st Infantry, captured at Cagbayan,
Samar. William Dunston, said 10 be de-
serter from Company c, Sth Infantry: lot
of arms, ammunition and all tools for max
ing ammunition. Destroyed cuartel. fac
tory, killed eleven soldiers and captured all
his correspondence CHAFFEE.
An Important Capture.
The officials of the War Department find
1t hard to Overestimate the Importance of
this news, and especially of the capture of
Lucban, which is believed to be the most
important military event since Aguinaldo's
capture. He was run down oh the Island
Of Samar. Th, place of his confinement is
tiny island in a bay on the north coast
of Samar.
Lucban is one of the most energetic and
ferocious of rebels
He is half -breed-a mixture of Chinese
and Filipino stock. and he has been an ir-
recOncilable from the first. He had Vari-
Gus Businesses in the mountains of Sa-
mar, from which he would descend upon
the coast towns and his reign of terror
was so complete that the entire population
of the island paid tribute to him the
price of freedom from attack. Ordinary
campaign methods failed utterly in his
case, and his capture now is believed to
be the natural working out of a system of
dividing the island into small squares by
military garrisons and making it impOssi-
BILE for the insurgents to obtain food or
shelter.
A Deserter Captured.
Another capture is recorded in the same
dispatch. namely that of William Dunston,
said to be a deserter from Company c,
Sth Infantry, who had in his possession a
lot of arms and ammunition. and all of
the tools necessary for the making of am
munition. He was captured by Second
Lieut.. Pratt. LIST Infantry, at Caghayan Gn
the Island of Samar. The lieutenant also
destroyed the cuartel and the factory and
killed eleven soldiers, besides capturing
all of DunstOn's correspondence.
The Captured General.
An army officer gives the following sketch
Of the Filipino chief just captured
"Vincente Lucban (or Lukbam is Tagal
of the province Of Tayabas, where the fam
fly is one of prominence: was educated at
Manila and is a physician by profession;
about fOrty-six years of age, of medium
height and considerable force of character.
He was leading spirit of the katipunans
of 1867. a member of the Malolos congress
Of 1889. and of some influence in and
about Manila at the breaking out Of in
surrection in February, 1890. After the dis
persion of the insurgent government from
Tarlac in the summer of 1880, he was sent
to the Visayas by Aguinaldo to command
the insurrection in Leyte and Samar.
From a narrative of Sergt. George F.
Doe, Company l. 43d Infantry, United
States Volunteers. who was captured in
March, 1900 by the insurgents of Samar.
1t appears that Lucban has a wife and two
children. who are living with brother in
Hong Kong; that one of his brothers is in
business in Mania and another, Miguel.
who was a captain under him. surrendered
In the spring of 1900. When seen by Ser
geant Doe he was dressed In a pair of
linen drawers. tied about the ankles, and
cotton undershirt. bareheaded and bare
footed. He described him to be very brutal
In his treatment of the men under him.
and instances a case in which some eight
or ten ChinoS or 1nsicks. who had been
captured by his forces were punished by
decapitation. On this occasion Lucban had
about 200 rifemen. armed with Mausers,
Remingtons and krags, and about 500 bolo-
men"