The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1916-03-18
FUNSTON CAUGHT
F|L|P|NOS' LEADER
Man Expected to Get Villa Used
Strategy on AguinaIdO.
HIS REPORT ON THE EXPLOIT
Pressed Chieftain's Former Aides Into
Service and Took Him by Surprise.
Captured Papers of the Chief and
Deceived Him Into Believing Re-en-
forcements Were Arriving.

0dPAdiC0 aRS'S nv S''Ss &ha
Deceived Him Into Believing Re-en-
forcements Were Arriving.
Frederick Funston, who directs the
Mexican expedition, is the youngest
major general in the United States
on a Kansas farm. He had beer a re-
porter, a b%otanist, an Alaskan explor-
err and a filibusterer and soldier of for
tune in Cuba before finding his yoca-
ton in the regular army. He joined
the American volunteer forces during
the Spanish-American war. Having
been instrumental in the capture of
Aguinaldo in the Philippines he was
promoted to a %brigadier ~generalship.
He commanded the forces which occu-
pied Vera Cruz and was made a major
general in recognition of his services
in that emergency.
When Funston captured the Filipino
chieftain, Emilio Aguinaldo, in 1901 he
sent to Washington the following Off
cial report of his exploit:
"On Jan. IA a special messenger of
Aguinaldo's headquarters at Palawan,
bearing letters to different generals of
his command and to insurgent chiefs
asking for re-enforcements to be sent
him, gave himself up to Lieutenant
Taylor of the Twenty-fourth infantry,
who Immediately sent him to me at
San Isidro.
"He also had valuable correspond
apoo which Owe ns inflammation nc tO
the whereabouts and the strength of
Aguinaldo's band at that time. We
found among them one in which Bal
domero Aguinaldo was ordered to take
command of the provinces of central
LuZon and requesting to send as soon
as possible 400 armed men to Aguinal-
dos camp.
Native Soldiers Helped Him.
"Then and there | conceived the
idea of arming and equipping a num-
Der of native troops to pass off as
these expected re-enforcements and to
make an endeavor to trap Aguinaldo
In his lair. The expedition was made
up of four Tagalogs, who were former
ly commanding officers in Aguinaldo's
army. and who selected seyenty-eight
men of the Maccabebe scouts. all of
whom could talk the Tagalo. l OBJ
tanned a number of captured insur-
gents uniforms. and ten Maccabebes
were equipped with Remington and
Mauser rifles.
"We embarked or the gunboat Vicks-
burg and landed on March IA at 2
O'clock in the morning. The eXpedi-
ton was nominally placed in command
of Hilario Placido. eX-insurgent colo
mel. After marching twenty miles we
reached the town of Casiguran. We
had sent word to the presidente of the
town through native messengers that
re-enforcements for Aguinaldo were on
the way through his town. The presi-
dente was completely deceived. Ny
troops had captured some months age
some official paper of General Lacuna,
bearing his official stamp and seal. In
order to make the deception all the
more complete we succeeded in forg-
ing the signature of Lacuna to letters
to Aguinaldo. These letters were sent
ahead, and we followed.
THE trip to ~Aguinaldo's camp was
a most severe one upon the men. Our
food supply was entirely exhausted.
and my men were so weak that when
we reached within eight miles of Agui-
naldo's camp we could go no farther.
Got Food From A~guinaldo.
1--WE therefore sent a messenger
ahead to Aguinaldo's camp, informing
him of our plight and requesting that
he send US food before we could go
farther. This was supplied. and the
disguise and ruse adopted by us had
peer complete. AS we had told Agui-
naldo that We had American prisoners.
he sent word that they be given their
liberty.
Gas the Maccabebes approached the
town the troops of A~guinaldo's body
guard. consisting of fifty men, were
drawn up in parade to receive the SUI
posed requirements. The mon who
posed as officers of our expedition
marched into the camp and paid their
respects to Aguinaldo, who received
them in a large house built on the bank
of the Palawan river.
1917 IL Il -Lah5S "a COot LCDlCO
the officers eXcu-ed themselves from
Aguinaldo and his staff for a moment,
stepped outside and ordered their Mac
cabebe troops drawn up into line and
commanded Them to commence firing
into A~guinaldo's troops. The rout of
the insurgents was complete. The ex-
insurgent officers. the five Americans
and several Maccabebe scouts immedi-
ately made a rush for the house which
was used as ~Aguinaldo's headquarters
and took him prisoner.
"Aguinaldo when first taken prisoner
raved and swore at the deception prac-
ticed upon him, but later accepted the
situation with dignity"
Forgot Horse and Buggy.
DaZZled bV the attractiyeneSS of q