The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-21
DAJO FIGHT NOT A MASSACRE.
COY. TDE SAYS ALL THE KILLING
WAS INDISPENSABLE"
Major Scott. VINO Has Experienced Moro
Treachery, CommendS the Action OF
Gen. WoOd,-TroubIe Arose From Out
law Murders In british North BOrneO.

law Murders In british NOru BOrneO'
March 2O.-Henry c. Ide,
acting Governor-General Of the Philippines,
to-day sent a long cable message to Secre-
tarv Taft telling Of the conditions under
which the American troops on March 9
attacked the Moro fortress on Mount Dajo,
Island of .Jolo, in which engagement sew
eral native ome and children lost their
lives, together with several hundred hostile
Moros and nineteen of the American forces.
Gov. Ide is enthusiastic in his praise OF
the heroism of the American troops, and
In answer to the criticism OF the killing
of women and children and, in explanation
If this fact. he said that some women
and children were killed or wounded by
preliminary shelling at distance"
Toward the end Of his despatch he said:
There vas no killing of any one except
such ms was indispensable to end intolerable
situation,
GOV. Idle adds that the attack was not
ordered until every resource looking toward
a peaceable adjustment was exhausted,
The telegram, with a long memorandum
made by Major Hugh i. Scott, Fourteenth
Cavalry, Governor of Mlndanao, who Is
now in Washington on leave, n who
tried for eight months to bring to an end
the depredations Of the Moro outlaws of
Mount Dajo by peaceable means and with
out success, was sent to Congress to-day
by Secretary Taft.
Major Scott tells OF instances where
hostile natives we're brought under Ameri-
can control by moral persuasion, but in all
cases this was brought about only after a
long struggle, and it was always impossible
to make any Roadway unless the leaders
would come out and talk withthe Americans.
In cases where American arguments were
met by bullets. Major Scott says, 1t would
he impossible to make peace without re-
sorting 10 force of arms. Arguments were
tried on the Mount Dajo outlaws without
success. Major Scott is high in his praise
Of Gen. Woods policies and actions and
saws that mo one would take more trouble
to avoid unnecessary bloodshed than he"
This is Gov. Ide's telegram:
Newspaper reports from Manila an
nouncing wanton slaughter women and
children at Mount Dajo extremely sensa-
tional and in all essential details false.
The situation occupied by Moro outlaws
on crater Of volcano. 200 feet high, ex-
ceedingly difficult and required great dis
plav of heroism on the part of the army,
navy Filipino and Moro ~constabulary,
who rendered most valiant service. Some
women and children we're killed or wounded
by preliminary Smelling at distance. Moros
we're outlaws and fanatics and refused to
surrender to the last, attempting repeatedly
to murder our forces who were resouing
wounded Moros. Moro sultan and leading
dattos rendered great assistance and the
surrounding population entiely in sym,
pathy with the course taken to remove
gang Of cutthroats who we're preyipg on
community. retreating as occasion required
to what they supposed to be impenetrable
fastness.
There was no killing of any one except
such az was indispensable to end intolerable
situation. Attack not ordered until every
resource looking to peaceable adjustment
exhausted. Troops and officers deserving
of highest praise"
= II Major Scott is called upon to ppear
before any Congressional committee he
will be a living example Of the f~erooity and
character of the Moro, for he lacks several
fingers on both hands as a result Of soldier
ing in the Moro country. Both hands we're
slashed by a wounded Moro whom Major
Scott was trying to aid.
In the memorandum which he prepared
for the Secretary Of War Major Scott says
that the recent trouble in Jolo began over
a wear ago. when a Sulu Moro named Pala
ran amuck in the streets OF Lahud, Dato,
in British North Borneo. Pala ran away
after killing and wounding twenty-six
persons and escaped to his fort, on the
south side OF the Sulu group and fifteen
miles from Jolo. On account of his muir
dnrng in British territory it was essential
that Pala be captured, and an attempt
WIS made to capture him by surprise. The
Gotta was captured and destroyed, but
Pala escaped in the jungle.
Svmpathizers. relatives and friends in
vnrionS parts of Jolo sided with Pala and
settled around Mount Dajo firing o~n'friendly
Moros and American troops. Gen. Wood
went down to Jolo from Mindanao with
troops to arrest Pala. Pala's followers
fired on the troops from the jungle and a
soldier was killed. The Moro outlawsforti-
fed themselves on Mount Dajo. there was
a fight. and Pala, refusing to surrender,
was killed. The troops subjected another
band soon after without a shot, the leader
being approached by a friendly native.
After the action in which Pala was killed
1t was believed that the Moros had been pun
ished enough and the expedition was dis
banded. But it was soon discovered that
the fugitives from the fight had escaped up
Mount Dajo and had fortified themselves
in the crater, where they set about raising
rice and sweet potatoes. There was water
enough there to last the year round.
Friendly dattos induced the Moros to
surrender their guns and the outlaws prom
ised not to commit depredations uron the
friendly natives. They said they did not
want to fight. During the summer and fall
things were peaceful around Mount Dajo,
but on November 80 some one circulated a
report among those on the mountains that
the troops were going TO make an attack,
The Moros prepared for war and con-
eidered that a state Of war existed.
Depredations began then and tine Ameri-
cans set about trying to make pea CO. Ahko,
one Of the leaders, came down from the
mountain and interviewed the friendly
datto who was trying 10 hold the outla VS. in
check. Ahko wanted a dog and he got it,
thereafter going back up the mountain and
making every effort TO bring an end to
the trouble. The Sultan, too, worked for