The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-07-13
HOW JIs<lRI AND HIS OUTLAW BAND
FOUGHT DESPERATELY TO THE DEATH

MANILA, July 12,-While there is no
detailed account OF the last Tighl OF Jlklrl.
the famous Moro outlaw chieftain. who
was killed and mis- band eNterminated in
a pitcned battle near Patian, on the
island Of Joio. July il. several brief dis
patches and a letter or two from Ameri-
/ can officers who fought against the out
! law, give a fairly complete story OF The
/ ight
Hunted from place to place by the regl-
lars and constabulary, who had been in
close pursuit for DAYS, Jikiri, with seven
| followers. two women and one child. TOOK
refuge In a cave that pierced the side OF
! the crater of an extinct volcano. The
narrow hole had two entrances, tho prln-
| cipal one opening on ledge OF rock hish
up the steep slope Here tho outlaws
gathered TO make their last stand.
Gated the party and the troops worked
their way around the place until it was
entirely surrounded and there was no
| chance of escape.
Refused Chance for Life.
Captain George l.. Byram of the Sixth
force, then ordered n white flag displayed.
and through hls interpreter called upon
Jlkiri TO surrender. Tho outlaw refused
and declined also TO accept A safe conduct
for the women of his party, who remained
with the band and bore their share OF The
! lighting.
q terrific shell fire was opened on the
| cave The missiles broke above and
around the opening. but the ledge pro-
tectcd those inside from the fire of the
! guns and little damage was inflicted,
! SCoTminG parties then worked their way
! mp the steep slope, and, gaining footing
on the ledge, attempted TO rush the larger
| entrance To the cave, The fighting for
! a few minutes was desperate. but the
outlaws drove their assailants back by a
| savage spear charge. Tie soldiers were
not 10 be completely routed, and taking
up their posts at the ends OF the ledge
poured terrible rifle fire into the mouth
OF the cave. the bullets glancing from
the rock walls and throwing showers of
sharp splinters of rock among the be-
sicged.
Accounts OF the final encounter differ.
One dispatch says that the rifle fire
forced tho outlaws out OF the cave; that
| the band rushed from the entrance to
| assault the besieGers, and that all per-
ished on The narrow ledge, fighting with
barongs and krlses against the bayonets
and dubbed rifles OF the soldiers. Tho
other version OF the struggle describes the
natsves as coming from the cave, one
! by one. To face the bullets OF the SOL
diers, Both accounts agree, however, that
they died fighting to the last.
Nearly Bcheaded Officer.
JikirI himself singled out Lieutenant
Arthur II Wilson OF the Sixth cavalry,
who commanded one section of the at
tacling party. Dashing from tho cave.
| the outlaw flung himself upon the Amerl-
can before Wilson could raise his pistol
! With one hand gripping the officers hair.
the bandit slashed at his neck with the
heavy native knife he carried. endeavor-
ing to behead him, Lieutenant Joseph A.
Baer OF the Sixth cavalry saw his COM
rade's peril and dashed TO his aid, As
| Iiiiri swung back the knife to strike
again. Baer shot him dead, and Wilson
| dropped TO the ground. covered with
blood flowing from the gashes in his
throat. 1t is feared that Wilson will be
incapacitated for further service In the
army, the muscles and cords of his
neck were severed by the bandits knife.
Writing of the fight, American officers
say that in the desperate hand-to-h hand
encounter on the narrow ledge some of
the assa!lants may have been wounded