The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-09-24
ISLAND BUTCHERY
TALE GROU NDLESS
No Engagement Of Importance
Shown in Records, No
Facts Suppressed.

Washington, Sept. 24--Charges that
the war department is suppressing news
of the insurrection in the Philippines
have been today disproven at the de-
partment. A press bureau dispatch
published in the east today says:
emo information has been allowed
to leak out concerning the butchery of
$50 Moros, men, women and children,
by United States troops in the Lake
Lanso country in the island of Min
danao on Aug. l last. Private letters
describe it as the most horrible. since
eral Hell Roaring Jake Smith in the
island of Samar.
'In a private letter mailed in the
island of Mindanao, on Aug. 8, post
marked Manila, Aug. II, and received
here Sept. 10, partial details of the re-
cent massacre were given as follows:
..,T,'Yesteerday we had another battle
with the Moros. We killed about 25O
men, women and children. Those who
were present say it was a most terri
BILE sight. Our troops cornered the
Moros and killed every one in sight
and then burned everything they had.
Wood in Command. $500.
General Leonard Wood is in COM
mand of the district. Since his arrival
all official reports have been made to
read that the troops were not after
insurgents but bands of robbers. En-
gagements have been frequent, but
General Wood omits in his reports to
specify the number of Moros killed or
wounded. The war department has
made no mention whatever of the re-
cent butchery, nor has any information
dispatches.'' .r........,. -.
Careful. examinations, of the official
reports made to the war department
by the commanding general of the di-
vision of the Philippines, covering a
period from last February down to the
middle Of August, fails to disclose any
account of an engagement of import.
ance between the American troops and
of an affair that occurred on the island
Of Cagayen about six weeks ago. Ref
erence was made to this affair in the
press report by cable as we'll as in a
general report from General Leonard
Wood, in command of that department
of the Philippine division wherein
Cagayen is located.
The island is peopled by Moros OF
pronounced Malay type, and according
to General Wood, as they are about
200 miles removed from the nearest
island Of the archipelago and have
never fully admitted allegiance to any
power, they are difficult to control.
About the time mentioned a party
of customs officers attempted to land
on the island and establish custom
house, but they were driven off by the
Moros.
Two Companies Attacked.
Upon the facts being reported to
General Wood he dispatched two com
panies of soldiers to Cagayen from the
island of Mindanao. The soldiers were
attacked by a considerable force OF
Moros, and in the engagement that
ensued twenty-six of the Moros were
killed This had the effect of estab
fishing peace on the island and the rec
ognition of civil government.
There is no account of even incon
siderable conflicts with the Moros since
February, but it is reported that E
force of soldiers is continually on the
lookout for and in pursuit Of Date
Ali. This Moro chieftain is held tt
have been guilty of gross treachery
involving the murder of American
soldiers in violation of all rules of war