The San Francisco call., 1906-12-20

A bitter fight against the confirma-
tion of BrIgadfer General John j.
Pershing as major general, on the
ground that he contracted so-calIed
ssFflipfno marriage, which marriage
was blessed or cursed with the birth
of two children, is said TO explain
PershIng's hurried departure from San
Francisco ten days after assuming
command OF the Department of Cali
fornia, and brings 10 a startling climax
the wave OF scandal concerning the re-
Iations of United States army officers
with women of the Philippines
Pershing is one of the most widely
known officers in the United States
army. He first leaped into national
prominence when, owing to the defects
Of law, President Roosevelt, in recog-
milton Of gallantry, was compelled to
make Captain Pershing a brigadier
general or let his bravery go unrecog-
nized- A year ago the gallant gener-
al married Frances Warren. daughter
Of Senator F. z Warren of Wyoming.
On November 2. 1906. Pershing arrived
from the Orient to take command Of
the Department Of California, relieving
Brigadier General Funston. He hur-
riedly and without explanation left for
Washington ten days later, and after q
brief stay there left quite as hurriedly
and mysteriously for the Orient.
It now develops that the further pro-
motion of the brigadier general, who
earned the cnmity of the whole army
through his unprecedented promotion.
is blocked by the charge tnat while
on duty in the Philippines he lived
with q native wonaan. Joaquina Bobdoy
Ignacio, who bore him two children.
one Of the children died of cholera in
1902 The other, named Petronilla, and
who is four and a half years old, lives
with her mother, who is now the legal
wife of william Shinn, a clerk in the
Moro government headquarters. Joa-
ouina declares that Petronilla was
born in 1902, and that Pershing is her
father.
According TO the investigators in
Manila, the relations between Pershing
and JoaQuina began in 1900 IN Zam-
boango, where they lived together al
most openly.
The disclosure was apparently not
made by the Filipino wife Shinn, her
husband, claims that agents of Per-
shing approached her last spring. Of
fering to pay $50 a month as hush
money, which she refused to accept,
.1-,< r,e--ls~~~ 1,,a .1-.-.-.- -.
good TO her and that she would not
expose him Joaquina is one of four
attractive sisters who conducted can
teen, which was frequented by army
officers, in 1900 and 1902 All of The
sisters are now married to Americans.
The investigation which involves
one OF the most prominent officers in
the army, and precipitates great So
cial as well as army scandal. was con-
Quoted by Manila newspaper. There
are il is said. at least fifty similar cases,
involving officers of less prominence.
Many engagements of officers to Amer
ican girls have been broken off on ac-
count OF Filipino marriages" coming
to light. For the most part they have
spparenf1y been temporary alliances,
which the gallant soldiers terminated
at will But occasionally a Filipino
wife has insisted upon an American
wffe's rights
The most notable instance of this
character was the insistence of Mrs
concs ocion Vasquez that she was the
legal wife OF Lieutenant Sidney S. Bur-
hank. Burbank was engaged to marry
Miss Stone, a Leavenworth society
belle. This case served to give the
whole unsavory question Of Filipino
marriages an airing, and with the
Pershing affair the scandal mounts
high toward the commissioned head of
the army.