Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-05-15
KILLING WAS JUST
MISSIONARY TELLS OF BATTLE
OF MT. DAJo, THE so-cALLED
> MASSACRE OF JoLo
ls Cousin Of ottun1wa Woman-seores
/ New York Divine, Who crlticises
Goyernment-says Battle Was En-
tered Into With Reluctance.

WV WIN S'NiiSy WHO STIIiCtSS8
Governmen t-says Battle Was En-
tered Into With Reluctance.
The band Of Moros, killed by the
government forces at the battle of Mt
Da1o, the so-called "Jolo massacre"
when the natives were practically ex-
terminated, was simply band of ire
concilable outlaws, according to DR..
Homer G. Stuntz. superintendent of
the Methodist Episcopal missions, in
the Philippine islands. DR.. Stuntz is
an uncle of Mrs. E. G. Pierce, 567 West
Fourth street.
DR.. Stuntz Is the author of an arti-
Gle, published in a recent issue of the
Central Christian Advocate, in which
the real cause of the conflict is set
forth. The article is very interest
ing one and reads in part as follows:
What Is the origin of the Jolo mas
sacre?
1.-THE. origin of the battle Of Mt.
Dajo is due to the request Of the Brit
ish authorities in North Borneo for
the extradition of Moro who had
murdered twenty-eight people in one
day in British North Borneo and had
escaped to Jolo
"A band of several hundred Moro
desperadoes gathered around this out
law and promised that he should never
be given up to the American authori-
ties. General Wood and Colonel Scott
have been seeking to secure his peace
full surrender during more than seven
months. At last these desperadoes en-
trenched themselves in the extinct era
ter of Mt Dajo and agreed to defend
him to the last.
The trouble was made worse and
the number of Moro bandits was in
creased by the efforts of our govern
ment there to stamp out slavery.
Abolition Of Slavery a Cause.
can act passed nearly two years
ago went into force few months
since providing for the immediate lib
Grafton of every slave held in the Moro
provinces. This made very bitter op-
position on the part of the Moro peo-
pie, and for this reason the friendly
Morors did not lend as active assist
ance in inducing the outlaws to sur
render as they otherwise would have
done.
GAS all the Moros are Mohammed-
ans, they believe that the surest way
to secure Immortality is to die fighting
the infidel For this reason they will
not accept quarter If it is offered to
them; and will, if possible, murder
the medical officers who attempt to
give them relief on the field. / know
boy who had his left arm cut right
off when he attempted to pick up q
wounded Moro and put him on q
stretcher and the Moro died before
they could get him to a hospital.
Knew Battle Meant determination.
1.-THE bandits had been sallying forth
from this crater, burning towns, muir
dering women and children, pillagine
all the Moros who would not join
them against the American forces;
they were simply gang Of irrecon
cilable outlaws. The reason our forces
were so patient in the long negotia
tons pending the battle was that theil
experience with the Moro fighters con
WINGED them that battle would NEAR
determination.
Therefor to my knowledge, 1t wat
entered upon with the greatest reluct
ance. Colonel Scott said to me, in {
conversation, that he feared battle
was inevitable, but that they would d.
all in their power to prevent it,"
What about the killing Of the WI
men?
1.-THE women dress substantially likt
the men. In time of battle they figh
exactly like men. Our firing wa.
done from such distance that it wa
impossible to distinguish between
men and women. furthermore, J
!, would have been impossible to hav
crushed the desperadoes withou
crushing the women who fought RICH
among them as a part Of the gang.
The Outcome.
what will be the outcome of tn
battle?
at will be the entire suppression {
outlawry by that band, and extremel
discouraging to any of the despers
l does
"How do the Moros as class fee
t towards our government"
1.-THE great majority of the Moro
have accepted the sovereignty of tn
: American people, and are fairly we
satisfied.
, Is IucIS any SuuCdIiOAeti PiO5iu
, for them as yet?
; '"There has been for four or fiv
years. The government has done e'
j, erything for the Moros in the way {
: education that it has done for tn
Christianized Filipinos.
!, "The first superintendent Of educ;
i ton, H. S. Townsend, is an actiy
e Christian man, member of the Met
odist Episcopal church, an educator {
long experience in the Hawaiian 1
lands, and he has put in three faithf,
f years trying to give Moro childre
!. free education. His successor, DR.. 81
0 leeby, son of a Syrian Protestant mi
v sionary, himself educated as a med
cal missionary, is now doing ever,
s thing for the people to increase tn
excellent school work among til
!. Moros. l know both Of these me
!. personally and l am sure that VIII;
fhov bova fai]ad tn apc0nnnliSh cOu1