Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-06-24
CONDITIONS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Greater Security Of Life and Property
Now Than Ever Before.


| For the first time since the insurrec-
ton against Spain in 1895 the Philip
pine islands are almost entirely at
peace. A dictator general has organ
lied a democratic republic" In the
woods somewhere in the mountains Of
Luzon. but nobody has been able to
locate it; occasionally Gen. Wood Is
compelled to chastise band Of Moros
in the southern islands who are no
more civilized than our North Amer
lean Indians; and the native constab-
ulary in certain sections are kept busy
looking after bands Of "ladrones' or
highway robbers who live by plunder
and in Spanish times were permitted
to levy blackmail upon planters apd
villagers. If payment were refused
death and destruction followed. They
are mostly outlaws, fugitives from JUS
tice. escaped convicts and hereditary
criminals.
One of the most dangerous bands OF
ladrones is led by an American named
Sibiey, who deserted from Company L.
Sixteenth infantry, in 1901, and be-
came a bandit chief. He has a good
education, claims that his parents were
French, and has a good knowledge OF
the French language. He was an Ma
bitual scribbler while with his regi-
ment, and wasted a great deal Of good
stationery writing essays, addresses
and poems, of which he was very
proud. He used to read them to his
comrades. by whom they were received
with jeers, and he became a typical
crushed genius-the butt of ridicule Of
the men and an object Of derision
among the officers. The only person
who appreciated his genius was Am
brosio Logan, a half-breed Spanish
Tagalo, who had a position as inter-
prefer at headquarters, but turned out
to be spy Of the insurrection leaders.
Sibley got commission as major In the
rebel army. Before running away he
wrote his will in French, with fare
we'll address to his comrades, and sew
eral stanzas of poetry in the same Ian
guage, and left them where they could
be found after his departure.
| The ladrones spare individuals. If
they capture a man with large sum
of money upon his person or with
reputation for wealth, they rob him or
compel him to paw blackmail, but or
binary travellers are never molested,
and it is now possible to go anywhere
throughout the islands, except in the
districts inhabited by savage tribes.
The scientific agents Of the govern
ment are scattered all over the archi-
pelago, exploring the forests, the
mountains and the rivers, searching
for new varieties Of timber, for botan-
cal specimens and for minerals, and
although they have no escort they are
ry Savage Landor, the author, recently
made a tour through Luzon on foot,
visiting every district, and was not
molested in the slightest respect.
Planters who left their estates in diff
ferent parts of the island and fled
to Manila for protection during the
insurTection, have all returned, and are
now In peaceful possession Of their
property, suffering no embarrassment
and meeting no difficulties except from
the lack Of labor.
The ladrones, as these nomadic bands
| Of robbers are called, resemble the da-
colts Of India, which have given the
authorities 80 much trouble. There Is
special law in India for the suppress
sion of a dacoity, which means robbing
and marauding in bands, and the pen
atty Is much more severe than that
imposed upon ordinary robbers. If a
man is assaulted and robbed, or a
house is raided, or II cattle are stolen
by one man or two in India, it is rob-
berry. If there are more than two per-
sons in the party it Is dacoity, and not
withstanding the terrible penalty and
the vigilance of the police it still con-
tinues and breaks out afresh every
now and then, like an epidemic, In
different parts Of the empire. Organ
lied bands Of from five to twenty des-
peradoes will raid towns and villages,
robbing, burning, destroying crops.
and driving off cattle, and usually are
led by escaped criminals, fugitives
from justice or religious fanatics. The
ladrones are similar. Their methods
are the same, and there Is religious
fanatic named Felipe Salvatore at the
] head of a band of twenty or thirty
men, who believe that he is divine and
call him Santa Inglesta. He performs
miracles, heals the SICK and cuts the
throats of people who deny his divine
origin and supernatural powers.
In the southern part Of Luzon an
other religious fanatic named Papa
Rios formerly had gang of about a
dozen desperadoes. He claimed to be
the son of the Virgin Mary and was
evidently insane, but was caught by
the constabulary and hanged year or
so ago.
| LII VI SaNilC WV PAS
fessional highway robbers and escaped
convicts named Mantalon and Feliz-
ado who were engaged in the same
business in Spanish times, have a
band of twelve or fifteen living on
plunder and blackmail.
In the province of Isabella there is
similar band, about thirty strong, call
ed Tumanes, who live in the noun
tains, have cabins and little patches of