Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1914-07-30
.SULU PIRATES
WIPED OUT
Capture of Outlaws Forms a
Thrilling Chapter of Philip
pine History.
u. s. SOLDIERS RAkEp ISLAND
Bold Attempt Of Beieaauered
Moros to Escape In Dueout
ls ThWarted.

New York-In the files of the War
Department the story of the extermina-
ton of the last pirates of the Sulu
Sea Is buried among the reports sent
in by Brig. Gen. Pershing, who was
Military Governor of the Moro Pro-
vince. Only three years have passed
since the last band was wiped out,
and the man who was intrusted with
that mission was Capt. G. B.
Humphrey, U. S. A, who is now stat
ioned at Governors Island.
Capt. Humphrey has seen much SER
vice in the Philippines. He made a
military survey of a considerable por-
ton of the great island of Mindanoa,
a work which not only required con-
siderable patience, but constant watch
fulness and courage. Out in the Philip
pines they still tell how on that eX-
making camp one night, and was sit
ting on log figuring UP results of the
days work, when he happened to
glance in the direction of some Moros
who were chopping down a tree, when
he noticed that they were looking to-
ward him. He turned his read, to find
a Moro, armed with a short bolo,
creeping upon him. He was less than
twenty feet off. At that moment the
Moro made rush forward, brandish-
ing his weapon.
The Captains revolver was strapped
to his leg. He drew 1t and pointed it,
and the Moro, caught on the spring.
dropped to the ground dead. The tree
choppers stood looking.
GO on with your work." shouted
the Captain to them in their lingo.
Then he put his pistol back and went
on with his figuring as if nothing had
happened. For hundreds of years the
natives of the Sulu Archipelago have
had a pronounced leaning toward
piracy. In fact, for most of them 1t
was regular business, and many a
ship voyaging through those parts in
all the time from the Spanish con-
quest down until after the American
occupation was boarded by them, the
crew murdered and the vessel beached
and ransacked. When the Americans
took the Philippines the Spaniards,
who, by the use of steam frigates, had
been able to get things somewhat un-
der control, had not quite succeeded
in stamping out piratical raids, and
these furnished good deal of work
for the new masters of the islands
until a lot of small, swift gunboats
were placed in those waters. Hum
phrey was sent against the pirates in
the early part of 1911.
At the southern end of the Sulu
group Is the Island of Manuck Mancka,
which means tail end of the lock-"
1t is about four miles long by two
miles wide. On each of two sides is
a coral reef. 1t is the nearest land OF
any size to Celebes.
One morning four or five praohs, or
large sampans, filled with armed men.
suddenly appeared at lonely spot on
the Celebes Coast Their occupants
landed, raided three plantations, kill.
ing the Dutchmen who owned them
and ransacking their houses. gathered
together about $4,000 worth of loot in
the form of money, food, clothing and
silverware. This they hurriedly divid.
ed after day and night of rapine
and murder, and the second morning
got into their boats and headed north.
ward.
Discovery Of the Raid
That is lonely part of the world,
and the news got out in a curious fash
ion. One of the Moros in charge of
praoh had not received his share of
the plunder, in cash, and unwisely
put into small port near Sandakkan.
British North Borneo, and attempted
ito sell some booty.
Humphrey was ordered out with in.
structions to cooperate with the Dutch
cruiser in capturing the offenders.
With four launches equipped as gun
boats. and with battalion of infantry
on the coastglfard steamer Samar, the
expedition set out for Manuck Mancka,
where it Joined forces with the COM
mander Of the Serdang. 1t was decided
first that 1t was necessary to maintain
strict blockade of the island.
The five American craft and the
Dutchman formed in column, at even
distance apart, and steamed slowly
around the island, each vessel keeping
"a careful lookout for what might hap
pen on shore or for any attempt to
run the blockade. During the day two
men were kept on watch on each yes.
sci, and at night searchlights on the
bigger craft. moved up and down the
shore as the procession swept slowly
along.
When the blockade proved effective.
Humphrey planned to cut five straight
trails across the island, thus dividing
1t into six sections, and then swept
each division in turn from end to end.
Cutting the trails took two whole days.
This done, two columns were sent
around the shore in opposite direc.
tions, with instructions to break UP
all the vintas and sampans and other
craft. SO as to remove all possible
chance of the pirates taking to the sea
after dark. While on the work one
of the soldiers was wounded by shot