The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-04-16
TO KILL GEN. OTIS
AGUINALDO COMMISSIONED TWO
FILIPINOS.
THIS DISCOVERY WAS MADE
By CAPT. TAYLOR WHILE SEARCH
ING AMONG RECORDS.

Petition Presented AguinnIdO Pro-
testing Against Gen. Otis PrOcIa-
nation of American Sovereignty.
This Was Endorsed by AEuinaldO
With a Note of Two FIIipinOs be-
ing Commissioned to Kill Otis.
This Was Some Days Before the
Americans Were Attacked.
Washington. April 15.-While exam
lining an immense quantity of papers
captured from the Filipino insurgents,
Capt. John r. NJ. Taylor of the Four
teenth Infantry, acting under the di-
rection of Col Edwards of the Depart
ment of Insular Affairs, a few days
ago discovered a remarkable document
Endorsed on the back with a direction
to kill Gen. Otis.
That Endorsement, Capt. Taylor in
sists, is in the handwriting of Aguin-
aldo the insurgent chief. A transla-
ton of the document is as follows:
"Our honorable President: We. the
signers, who subscribe the declaration
appended by these presents, protest
against the American proclamation;
we recognize no authority but that
of God and the revolutionary govern
ment, and we offer our lives and prop
erty for the independence of our coun-
try.
Manila, San Miguel, Jan. IL, 1899.
"Feliciano Cruz" twenty-five sigma
lures follow.
On the back is written in the hand
writing of E. Aguinaldo:
"Leberino Kotionko.
''Feliciano de Cruz.
'"To kill Gen. Otis. Commissioned"
Reported to the Bureau.
Capt Taylor called the attention of
the chief of the bureau of insular af-
fairs to this document in the follow
ing letter:
"Sir-I have the honor to enclose
herewith a copy and translation of an
important document l found among
the records of the Philippine insur-
gent government yesterday. The
note on the back is in the handwriting
of Emilio Agunaldo, a handwriting
with which am familiar and one of
such peculiar mannerisms that it cam
not be mistaken by one who has seen
much of it. l have a quantity of holo-
graphic letters and notes in my off,
comparison between them and the
handwriting of this note will show it's
identity.
''On Jan. 4, 1899, proclamation was
issued by Gen. Otis, in which he de-
clared the sovereignty of the United
States over the Philippines. Many pro-
tests were drawn up in the Philip
pines against this. Most of them were
drawn up by order of the insurgent
government, but this letter was prob
ably an unsolicited evidence of the
adhesion of some Katipunan lodge, or
of one of the popular clubs in Manila,
| organized by Sandico while in the pay
of the United States government; clubs
| whose name covered their real pur-
pose the formation of groups ready
| at given signal to attack the Amer
| leans within the city.
Delegation Presented II.
Probably this paper was handed to
| Aguinaldo by a delegation of the sign
ers. If this was the case, the man
who signs first, Feliciano Cruz, was
one of the delegates. Aguinaldo prob
ably talked with him in private, and
as result of the conversation he
wrote this note on the back of the
paper. The other name does not ap
pear in the signatures. He was prob
ably some follower or intimate of
Cruz.
ut is to be noted that Gen. Otis
residence was in the barrio or ward of
San Miguel. The signers of this paper
were men who lived about it and
knew the grounds we'll; some of them
may have been servants in the house.
THE attack on the American out
posts did not occur until Feb. 4. 1899"