New-York tribune., 1909-07-13
THE DEATH OF JIKIRI
FIERCE FIGHT At CAVE.
Thrilling Details of the Recent Ac-
ton in .JOIO.
ton in JOIO.

Manila. July 18-whne detailed accounts OF
the last fight Of Jikiri the Moro outlaw ehieftaiu
Who was killed with. the remaining members ot
his band in a fight near Patian. on the island
~ Jolo on July & have not been received. sew
ernl brief dispatches and letter or two from
American officers who fought against the out
law give fairly complete story Of the fight
Hunted from place to place by the regulars
and constabulary. who had been in close pursuit
Jikiri with seven followers. two women and one
child. took refuge In a cave that pierced the side
% the crater 81 an extinct volcano Here the
outlaws gathered to make their last stand As
tho soldiers came UP the scouts located the
party. and the troops worked their way around
the place until II was surrounded
Captain George L Byran1. OF the sth Cavalry.
who commanded the attacking force. then Or
dered white flag to be displayed and through
his Interpreter called upon Jkri TO surrender
The outlaw refused and also declined 70 accept
a safe conduct for the women of his party.
Who remained with the band and bore their
share of the fighting
CAPTAIN Byram ordered up the guns. and i
heavy shell fire was opened on the cave The
missiles broke above and around the opening
b1t the ledge protected those inside from the
FIRE ~ the guns and little damage was inflicted
storn1inr parties worked their way UP the
sraep slope and. finding footing on the ledge.
e7deavored 70 rush the larger entrance 70 the
cave TIE hEhtnE for few minutes was des-
perate but the outlaws drove their assailants
back hv a savage spear charge The soldiers
were not completely routed, however. and. taking
I'D their posts At the end Of the ledge. poured
rife fire into the mouth Of the cave. the bullets
Rlancfng from the rock walls and throwing
showers Of sharp splinters OF rock among the
besieged
Jikiri himself singled out Lieutenant Arthur
r Wilson Of the eth Cavalry, who commanded
one section Of the attacking party. Dashing
from the cave the outlaw 1ung himself upon the
American before Wilson could raise his pistol.
With one hand gripping the officers hair. the
bandit slashed al his neck with the heavy native
knife he carried. endeavoring 70 behead him.
lieutenant Joseph 4. Baer. of the 9th Cavalry.
saw his comrades peril and dashed TO his aid.
AS Jikiri swung back the knife 70 strike again.
Baer shot him dead. and Wilson dropped 70 the
ground It is feared that Wilson will be in
capactated from further service. as muscles and
cords of his neck were severed by the bandits
knife
Writing If the fight, American officers say
that in the desperate hand-to-hand encounter
on the narrow ledge some OF the assailants
may have been wounded by their own fire. In
their anxiety to save each other they were
forced to shoot quickly, using high power rifles
az close range. which doubly dangerous.
the bullets Will plough through several men.
Hundreds of friendly Moros saw the fight at
close range. They perched among the rocks
where they could see the ledge, and not a move
ment Of the combatants escaped their eyes.
Many of them believed that Jkri bore a
charmed skin, irnpervious to knife and bullet
They would not be convinced that he was dead
until they saw and felt his body.