The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-10-05
Young Funston and Aguinaldo
Are Students at West Point
Military Academy.

Yves Point, N. Y.->That time makes
queer changes Is once c~-re illustrat-
ed In the case of two boys VINO are
now students at West Point Military
academy. One is the son of Aguinaldo.
the former leader of the Philippine
insurrectionists, who gave Uncle Sam
many uneasy months before he was
captured, and the other Is the son OF
the officer who captured him. the
brave, fearless fighting man of Kan
sas-Gen. Frederick Funston. Both
are plebes at West Point and both are
manly young fellows who, one of these
days, may be called upon to unsheath
the sword In defense of their common
country-these youngsters whose IA
theirs were enemies and the leading
actors in one Of the thrilling dramas
In American history.
Story Of AguinaIdo's Capture.
The story Of how Fred Funston cap
tured Emilio Aguinaldo has been read
probably as often as that of Washing
tons stand at Valley Forge or the sur
render of Lee to Grant at Appomattox
courthouse but 1t will never lose its
thrills, and 1t stands as an episode In
United States history that never fails
to make the most tired schoolboy
turn to- his lessons with vim.
Spain ceded the Philippine islands
to the United States after the War of
1898, but the Americans found that
their troubles just were beginning |;
ix tell
stantly we're rising against the United
States, fighting Uncle Sans soldiers,
killing them, making 1t impossible for
the troops to come home.
The prime mover of this continual
trouble was Emilio Aguinaldo. He
had fought Spains rule In the islands,
so ardent was he In the cause Of Phil
lppine independence, and he fought
the United States rule. The natives
rallied enthusiastically to his cause.
He was not a military man in appear
ance and one never would have pic
tpred him as soldier, but he held
absolute sway over the natives; they
called him general" and would live
or die for him at word.
Get Aguinaldo and we have broken
up the Instructions, the American
army men used to say, but the diff
Guilty was to get Aguinaldo. The man
and his followers were elusive. Aguin-
aldo became almost myth, he was
rumored to be In so many different
places at so many different times. The
United States knew that with him at
large there never could be hope of
peace in the Philippines.
Plan for Rebels Capture.
Gen. Fred Funston was in charge
at San Isidro when one of Aguinaldo's
runners was brought before him. The
man had been captured in the up
country, had gone over to the Ameri.
cans side, and promised to disclose
where his chief was hiding.
"The dictator is in hiding at Pala
man," he told Funston and proved II
to the Americans satisfaction by q
letter he carried.
Palanan was a hamlet eight niles
from the coast, on the cost side Of
Luzon. It was one " the hardest
places in the islands to go to, but
Funston's mind was made up. He was
going to get Aguinaldo.
He thought over every availabh
plan and finally hit on one. He anC
group OF fellow officers woNld trave
to Palanan in the Company of bant
Of natives loyal to the United States
He would pretend to be q prisoner anc
the natives to be insurrectionists. Il
was a daring ruse, but It was the only
plan that looked Mt all feasible. IL
capture Aguinaldo II was necessary
to come upon the man by surprise. anC
he must be captured, not killed. Hi:
death would enshrlne him as a martyr
In the eyes of the natives, and the in
surrections would go on and ON in
terminably.
Funston had conference with Gen
erals Macarthur and Wheaton in Ma
nlla. They told him he had a goot
plan, but that he was going to certain
death. He went ahead. however.
Some native Macabebes were giver
secondhand rebel clothes and guns
Funston got some bogus letters signed
by Lacuna, one of Aguinaldo's cap
tnins, and the party started ont March
8, 1907 on the United Siates STEAMSHIP