The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-11-05

RRfY ILH the kllll1ng, 1851 <Week, OF
wv Datto Ali, there passed one,
- v of the most picturesque fg5
ures and one Of the most powerful
ehieftains OF the savage Moro warriors
whose treachery and cruelty have cost
the Americans SO much treasure and 30
many lives in tho tropical Businesses of
the Philippine Island Of Mindanao.
And with the passing Of this Moro
leader comes also the telling for the
first time, by Minneapolis physician
formerly surgeon in the regular SER
vice, Of the dramatic part played In
the Moro tragedies by this grim old
warrior and his Mohammedan fighting
men. It is g. story replete with incident
and vivid with local color and tells
how Ali, avowedly a friend Of the
Americans, but Influenced by treacher-
Gus tribal hatred, first caused the breach
that soon widened into chasm that
could only be filed with the bodies Of
murdered men.
The announcement Of An's death at
The hands Of the American troops under
Captain Mccoy, launched the Mime
. apolis surgeon on q sea Of Renaissance,
personal and historical, that has never
before been heard Of by the reading
public. The Minneapolitan saw much
of Datto Ali, his relatives and people
during his stay on Mindanao. He came
in close contact. with their methods
of thought and action and cleaned from
their people the unpublished story Of
the Moro-American enmity for which
this chieftain must always remain re-
sponsible.,
+ + r
"Years ago. said the doctor to 6
Journal representative, "Datto Ali, OF
Chief Ali, altho the head Of tribe
or rather Of a clan, Of Moros, was com
paratively unimportant. He had {
ranchero or fort on the Mindanao river
about thirty-fve miles up from Kate
Batto, formerly the capital of the Islant
of Mindanao. About this ranchero wer,
clustered the matched homes Of his fol
lowers and fighting men. He controlled
only a small strip of land. Gradually
by warfare upon the neighboring clans
Ali increased his prestige. He capture'
slaves, annexed territory and mad
money by trading with less intelligen
Moros until he became something o
a ruler.
"At length one Of AH's daughter
married Datto Piang and an allianc
was perfected between the house of A
and the house of Piang that had pro:
pered until, when I first went to Kat
Batto in 1902, the power of the Al
Paing monarchy extended over a trac
in the Mindanao valley about twent
miles square. In this territory th
heads Of the houses were absolute
their power and beyond it their infl
ence was potent and their name
dreaded. Their wealth was estimate
at about 100000 pesos, or 100000
their force Of fighting men numbere
nearly 5000, and their, alliance an
friendship was sought by their neigl
bors far and near.
f. + + "" s.
"AH, was the great chieftain.. Upo
him developed, the burdens of war an
he divided his time between fighting
capturing slaves and gambling. Daft
Piang was much the more intellectua
and he handled the commercial part o
the business. He was said to be hal
Chinese and half Moro, his mother bein
native Moro woman. From his Chimes
ancestors he probably inherited hi
shrewdness which was far above tn
average of the natives and made hi
natural leader among them.
"These two leaders controlled th
Nin6anao river with their forts on