The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1910-02-16
FOUGHT Rifle WITH FANATIC

rOO1Ill It oH Lit Il Wllil ANAi
A copy of an order issued in the
Philippines, which calls the attention
of the army to the gallant conduct of
Private jeremiah Cronin, of the Twen-
ty-third Infantry, has just been sent
throughout the army by the War De-
partment. The order, officially, cap
toned gallant conduct" tells what
Cronin did, and this, according to Of
ficers on Governors Island, was one of
the bravest acts in the history of the
service.
Army men who have served in the
Moro country in the Philippines are
unit in declaring that the hardest man
to kill in the world is the Mohamme-
dan fanatic among the Moros. Colo
mel Scott, Superintendent of the Mil
itary Academy at West Point, who
was for several years in command of
operations against the Moros, has said
that the Moro bolo is the deadliest
thing in the world in the hands of
Moro.
Jerry Cronin, according to the or
der issued in the Department of Min
danao and signed by Lieutenant F. S.
Young, his battalion adjutant, did
nothing more or less than fight with
stick of kindling wood Moro
armed with a bolo. This was in a
district of Mindanao, where the
Twenty-third Infantry was on duty.
The Moro's weapon, the order
states, was "a heavy, keen edged
working bolo."
The order says that Private Harry
Smith, of the Twenty-third, while
walking unarmed, about seventy-fve
yards in the rear of his barracks at
$40 a. m.." was surprised and as
saulted by a bolo-armed Moro. The
Moro first inflicted wound In the
back of Smiths head, then he struck
him on the left arm. The force of
this blow threw Smith to the ground
with such force that his shoulder was
dislocated. Thus he was absolutely
at the mercy of the Moro.
At this point Cronin comes into the
affair. Cronin happened to leave the
barracks and, hearing Smiths cry,
hurried to the rescue. Cronin had no
arms of any kind, but he knew he
had no time to lose if Smiths life was
to be saved. Selling a stick of kind
ling wood that was lying on the
ground Cronin started for the Moro.
The Moro was just about to end
Smiths struggles with another blow
of his bolo when Cronin rushed upon
him.
Then began the strange single COM
bat. For ten minutes Cronin and the
Moro fought, the soldier deftly parry
ing every swing of the bolo with his
stick of kindling wood The noise of
the struggle was heard in the bar
racks and an armed detachment of
soldiers was sent to aid Cronin.
The rescuing soldiers were unable
to fire at first without danger of hit
ting Cronin. He shouted to them to
take up a certain position, adding
that he would fight the Moro into
range, at the same time covering him
self. He did 1t, and the soldiers be-
gan firing. Half dozen steel capped
bullets were imbedded in the Moro's
body before he gave up fighting and
fell to the ground, dead.
The order in which the story of
Jerry Cronin is told closes by stating
that his Goodness and presence of
mind and his fearless attack with only
club on desperate well armed
Moro, indicate high soldery qualities
and reflect credit not only upon him
self, but upon his company and regi-
ment as we'll"
In passing 1t may be added that
"Jerry" is on the way home with his
regiment now.-New York Times.