Detroit evening times., 1945-02-14

SIDE
By Damon
Runyor

Beach, Cal, remarks, a lot or
water has flowed under the old
Bridge OF Spain over the Pasig
River in Manila since the days
of which I was recently babbling
in my beard. A lot of water and
empty beer bottles and here
lately, judge, passel OF dead
-Japs.
Personally, I never thought
the Pasig any great shucks as
a river. 1 mean for rhythmic
flow or scenic beauty or any OF
the other features that cause
songsmiths 10 write songs about
rivers. even some they have
never seen.
l thought the Pasig a most
untidy trickle, though l could
see its advantages as means
of certain forms of transporta-
ton. Yet 1 suppose TO one born
and raised along the banks of
the Pasig, the stream had that
charm that 1 used to find in the
dear old Arkansas, back in my
old home town of Pueblo.
MR.. BRABHAM is one of a
AVA number of old timers who
have commented on my sketchy
tale of Gen. Henry +, Lawton's
civilian chief of scouts in the
Philippines during the so-called
Filipino inSurTection. a man
named Young. whom pro-
nounced one OF the most mys-
terious characters l ever en-
countered.
This statement is confirmed
by my correspondents because
none of them even know
Youngs first name and it does
not seem to be attached to the
title of a camp of Spanish war
veterans in Portl Ian d, Ore,
named for him as just Scout
Young Camp.
Mr.. Brabham is inclined TO
credit one of the rumors popu-
lar in the LuZon soldier pow
der rooms 46 years back, that
Young was caShiered officer
because of the scouts master
ful manner in handling men. He
seemed equally at home in en-
listed mems barracks or Off
GERS quarters and he generally
addressed officers of all ranks
by their last names, rarely
using even mister"
MR.-BRABILAA1- -WaS-a-2.2rd
NA Infantry regular and was
detailed as orderly to Gen. Otis
headquarters at the palace, in
M n a. and he narrates a
strange tale of the death Of
Gen. Lawton, which he places
at La Iona Church, San
Mateo. Mr.. Brabham was one
of a mounted escort for staff
officers carrying dispatches 10
Lawton, whose troops were en-
gaging the en- my at San
Mateo, and he got his story
first hand
| think l have told my read
erS that Lawton was one of the
most spectacular military fig
ures of his day. He was a big.
fine looking man and it was his
size that got him killed. 1t had
rained the morning Of Dec. 19,
1899, and Lawton's war bag
containing his gear had become
lost and he was without poncho
or ralncoat.
LIE TRIED on the coats be-
II longing TO some of his Off
GERS but none of them were big
enough and finally a wagon
master who was as large as the
general loaned him a ye low
slicker and with this wrapped
around him Lawton went out TO
inspect his field positions. AS he
emerged from a bamboo thicket
the yellow slicker made him a
conspicuous target and he was
plugged by an insurgent sharp
shooter. Mr.. Brabham saw the
body of the general when il was
brought in, still in the yellow
slicker.
1t seems incredible now but
Mr.. Brabham reminds me of the
several different deserterS from
the American outfits who had
joined the insurgents and who
afterwards boaSted of having
shot the general One was de-
serter from the First California,
another was deSerter from the
First Colorado. Then there was
a chap named Bates. a deserter
from the regular army, who was
under sentence of death in the
prison at Batanges W h n MIR.
Brab h a m saw him and who
claimed he killed Lawton.
DATES must have got a re-
ID prieve and eventually been
released as Mr. Brabham saw
him on the street in San Fran
cisco 10 years later. Bates was
with a desertcr from Mr.. Brab-
hams own outfit who had joined
the insurgents, married Fill
pino girl and made quite repu-
tation as a guerilla chieftain
under an ssumed Filipino
name. He, too, was once sem
fenced 10 be shot by the Ameri-
cans but got clear through some
FnThniCa IitU and VUaC dppnrt aJ a 4