The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-07-03

 wounded U S. soldiers by the Phil- ipinos, Alfred Field Rhodes, formerly quartermaster sergeant in Go. F, Eff teenth U. s. infantry, who was wound ed at the Catdelogan massacre, June 7th, 1900. arrived in Bridgeport today, searching for his 15 year old son, who lives in this city.
 Rhodes was sentenced to 90 years imprisonment for killing Philipino. Last March he was pardoned by Pres- ident Taft, the federal authorities hav- ing taken tardy cognizance of the ex- traordinary malevolance on the part of high officials which resulted in Rhodes sentence.
 Since his pardon he has been beat ing way across this country in an eff fort to reach Bridgeport, his former home where his wife and son are liv- ing. His wife obtained a divorce when Rhodes was wounded.
 In simple language Rhodes tells an amazing story of the horrors of civil ized" warfare in the Philippines
 Rhodes is now fighting to have his standing as a soldier restored, which will give him his pension rights. His
  was the wonder of the surgeons who attended him that he lived.
 On his trial for murder, the court martial found him not guilty, but Gen. Frederick Dent Grant, who Rhodes claims had previously shown evidences of personal animosity against Rhodes. reversed the decision of the court mar tial and sentenced him to 50 years imprisonment It was one of three cases in the history of the United States wherein general has chosen to reverse court martlaPS decision.
 When the facts were brought to the attention of President Taft, he at once gave Rhodes an unconditional pardon. It took Rhodes ten years to get his case before the President.
 In 1895, Rhodes was a fireman on the steamer Nutmeg State, and lived in this city At that time he enlisted in the regular United States army. He was sent to the Philippines in Febru- ary 1899, and took part in IS battles and engagements while the U. S.. sol diers were engaged in putting down the Philippines.
 It was following the massacre in which Rhodes sustained the three ter rible wounds which show upon hls body, that General Jacob Smith is- sued the now famous order, XII everybody" supplementing the com mana WlIQ IH0 I0IIldlh, l II iiiohO liiio island bowling wilderness" Gen eral Smith was recalled and repri- manded, but he made good his threat and subiugated the island of Samar
 On the 9th day of June. 1900, Com pany c of Rhodes regiment, was at mess at aCathdelogen, Islandsof Samar, when a number of Philippines with wagon. loads of hemp came among them. At a secret signal, the loads of hemp" turned into men, armed with bolo knives and rifles. Practic- ally all of the U. S. soldiers were un- armed, and the entire command, 165 men, officers, doctors, and all. were killed The attack upon them was led by an American negro, Mike Rob- ertson. who had deserted the Ameri- can army and gone over to lead the Philippines.
 After killing the soldiers, the Philip pinos mutilated their bodies fright fully. Some of the attackers were Moros, who believed in the practice of eating the hearts of their dead enc mics, to get their courage. One Of the men killed in this massacre was Captain pr. Henry Griswold of Weth- ersfield, Ct.
 When General Smith and the main body of the army came upon the camp at Cathdelogan the next day, the general was overcome with the sight, and the hardened soldiers were sickened. They buried the ITO dead in a trench. It was then that Gen. eraI Smith made his famous threat and he began it by hanging seven native priests whom he caught at Cathdelogan.
 The following day Company c, in which was Private Rhodes, took the trail to avenge Company c. The sol diers started up a steep trail, so steep and narrow that they were obliged to walk single file.
 They were obliged to pick their way with great care for the Philip pines indulged in a couple of dainty tricks; they planted bent twigs in the path, which when stepped upon, would release an arrow aimed to transfix the man who stepped on the twig
 Another plan was to plant little up- right needle-pOinted stakes of ebony in the trail, with poisoned tips. The soldiers would step on these and die of the poison.
 General Smith guarded his men against these little disasters by taking a handful of Philippine prisoners and command The humane general who followed Smith stopped this practice and made the U. S. Soldiers take their medicine.
 The command was proceeding in this order single file. The company numbered about 65 men. Suddenly they were beset by about 400 Philip inos, led by the traitor. The sol diers didn't have a chance to fire a gun. It was all hands to hand fight ing, with the advantage on the side of IL -r.