Somewhat Surprising

SOMEWHAT SURPRISING

FORMER INSURGENT MALVAR TESTIFIES BEFORE GARDENER

SAID TAYABAS PROVINCE FILIPINOS PLAYED DOUBLE HAND

BOTH IS AND AMERICAN ORDERS WERE OBEYED.

Manila, June 19.—Major Cornelius Gardener called the former insurgent, Malvar, who surrendered in Batangas province last April, to testify yesterday before the board which is investigating the charges brought by Major Gardener concerning conditions in Tayabas province, Luzon. This board held its first meetings at Lucena, Tayabas province, but adjourned there to meet in Manila.

The testimony given by Malvar has created considerable surprise. He said that Tayabas province had been one of the best disciplined insurgent strongholds under his control and that each municipality in the province obeyed him. He declared that he could have called 1,500 riflemen and 450 bolomen in Tayabas province, and this without counting upon the men he could have raised in other provinces; that the people in the towns of Tayabas obeyed well the orders issued by the American authorities, as well as his own. They sent supplies to the insurgents, he said, and then after the lapse of a few days would notify the Americans that such supplies had gone out.

This Malvar ordered the townspeople to do in order that they might not be suspected by the Americans of disloyalty. Each body of insurgents in Tayabas was supported by the town to which it belonged. General Malvar said also that the effect of all his orders was to prolong the struggle indefinitely; in small engagements the insurgents were only allowed to attack the Americans when they outnumbered three to one, and in larger engagements only when they had at least equal numbers.