Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1913-05-03
KILLED BY A MORO
Story of the Murder Of Captain
John Watson.
Was slain In Philippines While Asleep
Lieut.. Edmunds. Hls Companion,
Who Has Marrow Escape, Says
Spear Cut Spinal Cord.

The FIRST detailed story OF the kill
ing OF Capt. John Watson OF the
Eighth cavalry and the serious wound
Ing Of Lieut.. Kinzie B. Edmunds by
wild moro at Sier lake on December
ls. has Just reached here, writes a
Manila correspondent of the New York
Sun. The news is contained In let
ter from Lieutenant Edmunds him
self. to HIS friend. Capt. A. A. King. at
Fort Mckinley.
The letter follows:
Hospital. Jolo. Jan. IT,
suppose you would all like to
hear what happened December 18. the
night poor old Watson was killed, so
I'll write down exactly what happened
az ! saw It. and you may pass 1t
around II you wish
IF and H troops camped the night
OF December 1919 on the sea beach
at Siet lake. about eighteen miles from
Jolo. ! was attached to II troop and
living with Watson II was a bright
moonlight night. and we had a reason
ably heavy guard on Everything
looked safe. but evidently there was
q hole that was not corked Not hav-
ing made camp until three o'clock. we
were tired. After swim. went 70 bed
Mt $3.50 Just before turning In Wat
SON remarked his head was downhill.
said to put something under the legs
Of his bunk to raise it, hut he said It
was easier TO turn around, SO he slept
with hts head at the tent door.
About 10: 80 woke up to see plain
iy In the entrance Moro with o
barong. He was jumping about. cut
ting to the right and left right merri
ly. His position brought him within
easy range OF both hunks. I let forth
a yell that aroused the camp. and
swung my legs in and to the head OF
the cot ending by sitting ON the head
of the cot with my left side toward
the door; then reached for my pistol
and. of course. could not find It, |
had taken It out Of the holster and put
IL where could not miss finding 1t.
but some OF the bed clothes must have
covered II when moved. and ! had
to keep my eyes ON the Moro Instead
az coming into the tent. he stepped
back out OF sight Tor 4 second then
reappeared with spear about ten
feet long. the longest / have seen
With this he made two lunges at me-
swinging far back on his rear foot
then driving forward with all his
might. He was a busy little bee. The
moon light shone on the tent and I
was In the shadow. managed to
parry each thrust with my left arm
stiii trying for my pistol with my
right hand; then he stepped back
again and reappeared coming toward
the tent with his barong.
two pistol shots sounded outside the
tent tSaxton); he staggered but con-
Linued: then the crash of shotgun
(Wells): he was hurled back; could
see his legs fly over his head. He
struggled to an elbow. van Malta
emptied his pistol into him. and he
became good Moro.
Watson had not moved. I called |
him twice. then called for light. |
they brought one. He had slight cuts,
two through the spinal cord l don't |
think he ever woke up; don't sup.
pose the whole business lasted over |
.hirty seconds.
'Cut. right leg. half way between
knee and ankle. SIX inches long. dag
,nai across bone and calf: cut. left
xnee. nearly parallel to Jeg and lit
lie to the left of center through pa
ella and into both bones to Joint.
Spear cut. left little finger. length !
II finger to bone; spear puncture, left
elbow. slight Cant account for this /
Thought parried both lunges to left
3ne went through my pillow
"They sent for the launch that night !
md got me back to Joio about three
lext day. Everything has healed ex-
,ept knee which was infected. Drain.
lge tubes, dressing every day, etc
It's slowly getting well. All but two
Il the tubes have been removed
There were six. An operation may be
necessary after the wound closes to
estore motion
Going to come north as soon as /
II