The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 11, 1899, Page 1

I\I ) The Tall This Paper not o be taken from the Library, ttp s . VOLUME LXXXV-—NO. 73. i SAN FRANCISCO, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11 1899. PRICE FIVE CENTS. CALOOCAN FALLS BEFORE THE FIERCE ASSAULT OF AMERICANS THREATENED TO ARREST STRONGE ST POSITION OF THE REBELS Tagallos Cannot Stand Be- fore the Boys in Blue. Warships Open ported by Artil Soldiers Stor the Battle, Sup- lery, and Then m the Town. Bpecial Dispatch to The Call. MANILA, Feb. 10.—| Victory has once more| rested on the American arms, and the town of| Caloocan, undoubtedly! the strongest rebel po- sition in the island of Luzon, is ours. The place was not won with- out a struggle. For the past two days Aguinaldo, the rebel leader, | has been doing evervthing in his! power to draw supporters to his banner, in order that he might attempt to retrieve the disaster that' befell his when he opened the attack on the Ameri- | cans, and regain the prestige lost | through defeat. The rebels had recovered some of their courage, forces and for three hours held their po- sition. Then they could no longer stand the American fire and abandoned their fortifica- tions. It was reported that Aguinaldo 1 gathered the flower: of the army at Caloocan, and all' his preparations indicated that 1e intended to make a desperate attempt to withstand the further e of the Americans. Caloocan, which is about six rth of Manila, is so situ- it is within easy range of the warships. o high ground down to the sea, the town being separated from the bay of Manila by a wide stretch of marsh land. The plan for the attack on the place provided that the warships should open the ball. At half o'clock the monitor Mo- nadnock and the gunboat Con- cord, which had been ordered up the bay by Dewey, opened |fire on.the town. The shells went true and much damage was done. At the same time that the war- ships began their shelling, the Sixth Artillery and the Utah Bat- tery opened fire on the rebel in- trenchments the landward sides of the town. The country beyond the Americans’ position is covered with banana groves, bamboo hedges and paddy fields, with here and there straggling | collections of nipa huts, all of H miles no guns There is n past 2 on age. The Americans declined to answer, but pressed steadily for- ward. They marched through the woods and banana groves from the left, but on the right their route was mainly through paddy fields, which afforded no protection from the rebel fire. Not a single stop was made un- til they reached the intrench- WATER FRONT AT MALABON, WHERE DEWEY’S MARINES WERE LANDED. From a Photograph taken especially for The Call by Chief Engineer Chalker of the McCulloch. D4+ O+ D+ CATADADAOAHDAEADADHD D+ DA DHD +DID+ D+ D+ O+ which, near the town proper, af- forded excellent shelter for the native soldiers who were not in the trenches or otherwise dis- posed of. Some of these men had the reputation of being sharp- shooters, but their work did not justify the title, as the damage done by them was trifling. The artillery and the warships pounded away until 4 o’clock, when orders were given for Gen- eral Harrison G. Otis’ brigade, except the Pennsylvania regi- ment, which was held as a re- serve, to move on the enemy’s works. The men had been impa- tiently waiting for the order, and as the word was passed down the line responded with cheers. The movement was made in the following order from left to right: Twentieth Kanasas In- fantry, First Montana Infantry and Third Artillery, the Twen- tieth Kansas and First Montana being supported by the First Idaho Infantry, and the Third Artillery by the Fourth Cavalry. The Filipinos were awaiting the advance of the troops, and as the Americans began to move forward the rebels started a rat- tling fire, which made considera- ble noise, but did no great dam- BRNARRAARARVUARLLLLERLARBEIRRIRIIRRRR -1 8B 3 % =% % % inconsiderable force between MPnH % % % %8 3 = % Otis was received to-night: This afternoon I swung the left of notth of the Pasig River,.into Calo lef} is now at Caloocan. considerable. Admiral Dewey’s vessels. 8 HENBARUARLRURERBABULERURIURIIRLES THE OFFICIAL REPORT. WASHINGTON, Feb. 10.—The following dispatch from General MANILA, Feb. 10.—Adjutant General: was reported to be, and threatened to cause an uprising in the city. Our loss was slight, that of the insurgents Particulars in the morning. The attack was preceded by a half hour's firing from two of The insurgents collected a and Caloocan, where Aguinaldo MacArthur's. division, which is ocan, driving the enemy easily. Our OTIS. EERFEEREEEREE P RRR AR ments, from which most of the natives had hastily scrambled as the Americans drew near. The former were attempting to make their way with all speed to the shelter afforded by the town, but scores failed to reach the goal, being stopped by American bul- lets. Just at this time the enemy was thrown into worse confu- sion by the discovery that they | had been flanked. A company of the First Montana Infantry, un- der command of Major J. Frank- lin Bell, chief of the bureau of military information, had volun- teered to execute a flank move- ment, and moving to the east had, without being detected, ar- rived at the enemy’s flank back in the town. The natives saw they were trapped and, scattering, fled like sheep, many dropping their weapons in their anxiety to es- cape. . The Americans jumped into the trenches and, yelling and screaming like madmenin their lust of battle, were in full pur- suit. It was simply a rout and proved that, even with the aid of artificial defenses, the Filipinos are no match for Americans. There is a large church in Ca- loocan, which is really a fort. It was strongly defended, and it was thought that here the Filipinos might attempt to make a stand, but after the capture of the town it was found that the warships | had made the place too hot for the natives, and they had aban- doned this position without a struggle. Barricades had been erected at the place where the Malabon road crosses the line of the Dagupan Railway, in the cen- OROOBCE DERSIISIBIOORLRIR O RARNORORY ter of the town. These had been torn to pieces in many places by the fire from the warships and land batteries. As the Twentieth Kansas and the First Montana regiments en- tered the town from the south, some of the fleeing natives set fire to the huts, whose roofs are made of nipa grass. The Ameri- That Place. Distance. OHOHD+ D4 + OHPHD + OO +CHOHD + O+ O+® + G40 + D+O4D+ 4D+ REFUSES TO RUN FOR PRESIDENCY Under No Circumstdoées Would Dewey Consent to Become a Candidate. NEW YORK, Feb. 10.—The Washington correspondent of the Her- Rear Admiral Dewey will not accept a nomination for This has been the opinion of his close friends here for some time and they have not hesitated to say from their knowledge of the man that nothing was more improbable than that he would allow himself to be drawn into the field of politics. view of the most positive kind has lately come to my knowledge. ald telegraphs: the Presidency. friend of Judge Brawley tion of the propriety involved. i OOONORIRORORONABANOROROR D?;Q!SD}SQ?ZQ%’Q%SO&OS?G&DSOSCO!?% cans extinguished the fires. The losses of the Americans were slight, but the enemy lost heavily both in killed and wound- ed. Most of the casualties to the Filipinos were caused by shrap- nel, the screaming and awful ef- fect of which caused terror among the natives. Among the Americans wound- ed is Colonel Bruce Wallace of the First Montana Infantry. After the Americans were in possession of the town it was found there was only one house in the place that had a flagstaff. This belonged to Higgins, an Englishman, president of the Da- gupan Railway. He loaned the staff to Otis, and at 5:30 o’clock the American flag was floating over the town. The appearance was greeted with enthusiastic cheering by the troops. The insurgent troops were massing to the support of Agui- naldo’s forces at Caloocan and Malabon when the fighting be- gan. It was reported this morn- ing that there were 6000 rebels at the two places, among them being the famous Seventy-third Filipino Regiment, which in the last rebellion killed their Spanish officers -and then deserted to THE SUBURB OF TONDO. Showing Part of the Rallway Line to Caloocan and the Kind of Country Over Which the Americans Advanced to Storm The Cathedral of Manila Is Seen in the of South Carolina, who is an intimate friend of Admiral Dewey, tells me that on his recent visit to this city the Judge showed him a letter lately received from Dewey in which the ad- miral said that he Wwould under no circumstances be a candidate for the Presidency; that his training had been on other lines and that his temperament was such that he could not endure the strain, and that much as he appreciated the sentiments of friendship and confidence which-led to the mention of his name in connection with that office he begged his friends not to consider it a possibility. I saw Judge Brawley just as he was leaving the city and asked if he had any objection to giving the letter for publication. He said that he could not with propriety do so; that while he did not consider it of such confidential nature as to make it improper for him to show it tolany of his friends he was unwilling to make it public. He had not enjoined secrecy upon any of those who had: read the letter, Judge Brawley added, but if the fact that such a letter was received became known through him he would leave it to them to determine the ques- I Aguinaldo. Aguinaldo himself is at Mari- lao, making desperate attempts to reorganize his demoralized forces. His next move is un- known. He cannot go to Mala- bon, as by so doing he would again expose his army to attack from the warships, which would easily get within range of that A confirmation of this A 10185 0 ST 25010 0 8 RIRIRIWOLINTURVRLINO place, and it is likely he will move up the valley in the direction of Malolos, which he constituted the capital of the so-called Phil- ippine republic. e NG SOME REBELS MAKE A STAND AT PARANQUE MANILA, Feb. 10.—In anticipation of a native uprising in this city, unusual brecautions were taken here last night by the American military -authorities. Fortunately this proved unnecessary. The Filipinos are evidently convinced that an uprising would prove suicidal to them. The Viscayan commissioners arrested Continued on Second Page. AGUINALDO Otis Made Demands for the Release of the Spanish Prisoners. The Filipino Leader Pleaded That - Monks and Civil Functionaries Should Be Kept in Jail. Bpecial DLispatch to The Call WASHINGTON, Feb. 10.—From let- ters written to Major General Otis by Aguinaldo, obtained to-day from Senor Luna of the Filipino junta here and brother of Aguinaldo’s Minister of War. it appears Otis threatened Aguinaldo with arrest if he persisted in his re- fusal to release the Spanish civil func- tionaries and monks held as prisoners by the insurgents. General Otig advised Aguinaldo to surrender these people, and when Aguinaldo wrote explaining his rea- sons for holding them General Otis made a stronger request. Aguinaldo refused to comply, and then Otis made a demand for the release of the pris- oners and threatened to arrest Aguin- aldo if he refused. The first letter from Aguinaldo follows: Genéral Otis: Tt is a’pleasure for me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday, and I am persuaded the ob- servations made by you were learned in a free land. First let me tell you it is not my policy to make prisoners of women and children. No nun has ever been held a prisoner by Philippine forces. If among our prisoners is found a child or woman it is because those persons have elected to remain with father or husband. Some prisoners of this class are supported out of the Philippine treasury. I know this is apparently a violation of the rules and usages of war as practiced by civilized nations, but think it is a policy dictated by the principles of humanity. These women and children may have liberty if they desire it. You declare the Spanish civil func- tionaries and Spanish monks may not be imprisoned without violations of the rules of international law. We have never made prisoners of the Spanish sec- ular clergy, but have captured and im- prisoned monks. 1 feel on this subject the foreign mind has been very much misled. I desire to remind you the Span- ish civil functionaries and Spanish monks are such In name only. At the beginning of the war between America and Spain General Augustin organized the civil em- ployes into an armed corps and they con- tinued to bear arms against the Philip- pine people. It is true they did not go much into the fields of battle, but were useful to Spain in harassing and terror- izing unarmed and inoffensive Filipinos. These people subjected thousands of my people to cruel, unnatural and unneces- sary tortures. In the matter of Spanish monks, permit me to tell you they have done more than any other class in enslaving the people. In times of peace this class has levied tribute from my people. The canon laws of the Roman Catholic church forbid that monks shall take up arms, enter military service or actively participate in politics. The Spanish monks in the Phil- ippines have done all these things. They have long decelved the Vatican. When the secular- clergy, who are Filipinos, sought to bring the abuses to the atten- tion of the high authorities in the church they were persecuted and tortured by monks and powerful religious corpora- tlons. These monks pretended to the Spanish authorities that to them was due in the main the subjection of the Fili- pinos and the maintenance of the Span- ish sovereignty in the islands. The Span- ish functionaries, who were cognizant of this deception, did not disclose it, as they were in the hire of rich ecclessias- tical corporations. ‘The leading cause of the Philippine rev- olution may be attributed justlv to the machinations of these alleged men of God. They have kept a closed door to liberty and progress. All the foreigners who have studied the Philippine situation will bear me out In this statement. General, in view of the history of these monks, and the power which by rea- son of their gold they are able to exer- cise over certain classes of weak and fa- natical Filipinos, it is not good public pol- icy that they should be allowed liberty at this time. I believe the Philippine republic must re- strain fhe civil functionaries until such time as they shall be deported and shall keep the monks in confinement until they shall be forced by the Vatican to abstain from politics in the islands. It is neither hate nor revenge which impels me to maintain these persons in confinement. Their imprisonment is dictated by public policy. My people demand these men be held prisoners, and I can but obey thelir will. If you will present these views and reasons to the free people of America I know you will earn the love and good will of the people of the Philippine Islands. In reply to the demand of Otis for the delivery of the prisoners Aguinaldo wrote as follows: In my previous letter T explained to you my reasons for hilding persons indicated as prisoners of war. You say that accord- ing to the rules of international law men should not be held as prisoners of war unless they have actually borne arms in the service of the enemy. This is my con- tention. The Spanish civil functionaries and monks have borne arms against my people. My conduct has been comform- able to the principles you lay down. In addition to actually bearing arms the civil functionaries and monks have aided and abetted in every way within their power the enemies of my people. If you will read the Spanish newspapers printed at Manila you will find therein a verifica- tion of what I tell you with regard to the conduct of the monks and civil func- tionaries during the Philippine revolution. The monks threw away their sacred robes, violated our women and made slaves of defenseless Filipinos. They con- fiscated the property of my people. In my treatment of these men I am not moved by motives of venegeance. It is a notorfous fact that these monks served as officers of volunteers. There was one volunteer corps recruited altogether from monks. Convents and monasteries were transferred into forts and arsenals. Many arms and much ammunition were taken from these places by my troops. 1 have followed the principle of interna- tional law as lald down by Fiore, Mar- tens, Bluntschli and others. These writ- ers hold that any person who goes forth to war as a part of the force of an enemy may be held as a prisoner. Encyclopedia Hispano-Americano says: “All who form a part of the enemy's force, even includ- ing newspaper correspondents and troops of the commissary department, may be held as prisoners of war.” Rgbrisal is an admitted right by cul- tured nations. I recall that during the war for American independence the great ‘Washington, to avenge the execution of an American colonel taken prisoner by the British, ordered the execution of a British'colonel held prisoner by the Amer- fcans. This order was not carried out, thahks to the intercession of the Queen of France. Even if I have no right under the rules of international law to hold these people as prisoners I certainly have this right under the rules of reprisal, as I wish to compel the Spaniards to release the Fili- pinos held as prisoners and to avenge the horrid tortures inflicted on the Filipinos who fell into the hands of the enemy. As I said in my previous letter, the rules of international law must be silent before the just and righteous cause of a people engaged in a struggle for independence. Although the Filipinos have not been rec- ognized by cultured nations, they have the glory of having obeyed all rules of war as practiced by those of high na- tions. OLD CHURCH AT PARANAQUE. At This Point the Insurrectos Have Gathered a Force Facing General Anderson’s Division, an® They Will Probably Make a Stand Here.