The sun., 1902-03-10

WOIh, anu udl gone bdch hoiio'
HAD TO cIRCUMvENT AGUINALDo's oRpEBs.
When we reached this point on the coast
where the trail turns inland we met an old
Tagalog and few Belugas. The old man
said he had been sent down there 20 build
shed where the American prisoners
were To be confined as we were not to be
brought into the town. He also had
note from Simon Villa addressed to Hilario
Placido telling him that he must under no
circumstances bring the Americans into
the town, because IL would not do for them
10 know the trails. He said that we should
be left there with guard Of ten men, and
that the others the following morning
would continue the march.
The situation was now very serious.
We were afraid 10 absolutely dsobey thesa
orders for fear suspicion would be aroused:
we were not sure that we were not suspected,
but finally we arranged that we would
start the next morning; the Americans
left behind the column would follow and
finally join il.
So when day broke on the morning Of the
day on which the capture was made Sigis-
monde, Hilarlo Placido and the other in
sIrgent officers and all OF the Macabebss
except ten started for Palanan, guided by
the old man who had remained behind
building the house We five Americans
Intelligent corporal.
had told this corporal talking TO him In
Spanish, what he was to do. 1 told him
that after the column had gone a note or
letter-you see, we still had this letter
habit-would come back, ordering us TO
Join the column. | had given Sigismondo
his instructions, 20 when Sigismondo got
with his column he sat down and wrote q
note In Tagalog back TO this Macabebe
corporal, saving:
Have lust received orders from the
Dictator 10 bring the American prisoners
into Palanan with the column, the other
orders being rescinded
We were a little bit suspicious OF these
Tagalogs who we're building the house,
so we showed the note, and they said, All
right, 60 along, go along So that thing
worked.
TRAP SPRUNG on AoUISALDo.
The other Americans were better marchers
than | was, so | delayed the procession,
but we mana ged to come up with the rear
column of Macabebes just "a the last de-
tachment of them were crossing the river.
The river probably was $50 yards wide
and fifteen or twenty feet deep; we had
only one boat in which il could be crossed.
and this boat could carry only eight people
at time, consequently the Macabebes
had been feTried across eight at time and
then formed on the other bank, and just
as the last boatload of them was being
taken across we Americans came down.
In the meantime Hilario Placido and
Sigismondo had paid their respects "a.
Aguinado. They found him surrounded
ly eight officers In the reception room of
his house. they were all armed, and out
side. standing at attention, were the men
Of Aguinaldo's escort.
II was most trying experience for
Hilario Placido and Sigismondo, to 60
among these officers and stay there talking
with them for half an hour, killing time
until they could sec us Americans crossing
the river.
Sigismondo kept looking out Of the
window at his right all the time until hs
finally saw us, he knew then that the time
had come for action, but he confessed Ia
me aftcrward that II was terribly trying
experience. and have no doubt 1t was.
Well. the Macabebas marched up, about
a half dozen escorting us, and Sgismondo
walked out of the house and said 10 one
Of the insurgent leutenants who was with
Vs. Give II To them, or something OF that
kind, anyhow We did go for them
GREAT FIUTrER OF THE DICTATOR sTArY.
The Macabebes had been instructed to
load their rifles before starting on the
march, but some Of them apparently mis-
understood their orders and loaded the
magazines instead Of loading the chambers.
They were 40 excited when they fred that
the result was, when the firing began,
that their mar ksmanship was pretty wild
! am very glad. We had no desire
TO kill those insurgent soldiers. All we
wished 20 do was 10 capture Aguinaldo.
| wish the two men had escaped. but that
The Macabel es fired on those men and
two fell dead. the others retreated, firing
as they ran. and might say here that they
retreated with such great alacriiy and en-
thusiasm that they dropped eighteen
rifles and Il thousand rounds Of ammunI-
ton.
Sigsmondo rushed back into tho house.
pulled his revolver. and told the insurgent
officers 20 surrender They all threw up
their hands except Villa Aguinaldo's
chief 81 stan. he had on one Of those new
tangled Mauser revolvers and he wanted 20
try II. But before he had tho Mauser ont Of
It's scsbhard he was shot twice: Sigsmondo
was pretty fair marksman himself
Alambra was shot In the face. He jumped
out Of the window. the house, by the way.
stood on the bank of the river He went
out Of tho window aud went clear down
into the river, the water being twenty-five
feet below the bank He escaped, swan
across the river and got away, and sur
rendered five months aftcrw ards
Villa. shot in the shoulder, followed him
out Of the window and into the river. but
the Macabebe- saw him and ran down To
the river bank, and they wAded in and
fiShed him out aud kicked him all the way
up tho bank and asked him how he liked II.
| Laughter
Santiago Barcelona, Agunaldos treas
llrpr. gave IN nj once and aUnarently was