Notoriety
Because of the black colored defector’s incorrect campaign to help you general, guerilla fighters now handled him because “Heneral” Fagen. On the pursuing the weeks, reports towards challenging Western proliferated. A keen unsubstantiated tale portrayed Fagen due to the fact a cooler-blooded executioner. But several put-out POWs after confronted particularly characterizations and you may testified so you can Fagen’s kindness while they had been in the child custody.
The newest You.S. Army’s famous “guerilla catcher,” Col. Frederick Funston, turned obsessed with the brand new get of the renegade and decried an effective missed possibility: “I had a pretty a look at the well known Fagen on a radius out of one hundred yards, regrettably, got already emptied my carbine. Which wretched child had for the several hours written me personally impudent and you may improperly spelled emails. Fagen try ‘eligible to the same therapy once the an angry dog’.”
Funston captured Aguinaldo as an alternative-as a consequence of an elaborate ploy-toward February 23. 2 weeks afterwards, the latest Filipino chief swore allegiance on United states and you can bought his forces to throw in the towel immediately. In Nueva Ecija, Standard Lacuna or other guerilla leadership obeyed the commander. Lacuna, not, would not stop trying Fagen, and emerged down in the hills along with his officials immediately following opening the fresh new Western regarding his command. Funston now embarked toward a virtually all-away hunt for “the head of the Western Negro.”
For the mid-day off December six, 1901, it checked your wily Funston in the long run bagged their quarry. Anastacio Bartolome, an old guerilla, which today obtained a full time income due to the fact good deer hunter, inserted the new Military barracks into the Bongabong, Nueva Ecija, significantly less than Lt. R.C. Corliss. He applied a material sack on to the floor and you may recited specific occurrences of your own earlier in the day days, that the American administrator registered because an enthusiastic affidavit.
Brand new hunter claimed he had been fishing that have a few companions throughout the Umiray River that morning, whenever Fagen arrived which have one or two Negrito members of the family and his awesome native spouse. He invited Fagen and his people to share a dinner regarding seafood and you may grain. This new affidavit reads: “If you find yourself all the were restaurants, Anastacio with his group suddenly switched on Fagen and his males having bolos. Fagen are mortally wounded and you will went on the 100 yards and you may dropped lifeless. The two Negritos fled improperly injured. Fagen’s partner went on the sea, jumped into the 
and you can sunken by herself.”
Bartolome told you the guy tucked Fagen’s human body for the riverbank, after cutting off their lead. He unsealed their sack to disclose the data, a great “improperly decomposed lead, having Negroid features.” Just like the further facts, Bartolome filed an used photo out of Urbano Lacuna utilized in Fagen’s breast wallet and you can Lt. Alstaetter’s Western Point category band. The new U.S. Military signed the ebook towards Pvt. David Fagen.
Veracity Questioned
While this has actually remained the official membership, historians Michael Robinson and you can David Schubert wrote in the 1974 a blog post wanting to know the veracity. From inside the a battle in which most of the cent, nickel and you will mule is actually very carefully taken into account because of the You.S. Military, indeed there remains no checklist off a beneficial $600 bounty awarded so you’re able to Bartolome. The fresh historians plus receive several legitimate reported sightings out of Fagen by Army soldiers days immediately after their reported passing.
You are going to the deer hunter’s membership was basically a proper-formulated spot hatched by Lacuna and you can Bartolome to keep the black colored defector real time? Could the guy enjoys lived in the newest jungles regarding Luzon clear of Jim crow and you can Frederick Funston, long afterwards the new cessation off hostilities?
As for the remainder of Fagen’s comrades whom stayed devoted in order to the fresh new American banner, more 1000 registered to stay in the islands up on the launch from the war’s specialized prevent to your July cuatro, 1902. Pointing out its “racial attraction” into neighbors, of a lot intermarried which have Filipino lady and you will compensated everywhere Main Luzon. They truly became clerks, instructors, short farmers and you may storeowners.
Chief Frank Steward became the brand new provost legal regarding San Pablo, Laguna, when you’re W. Almost 100 years afterwards, their Ebony descendants exists all over the newest Philippine diaspora, away from Pangsinan so you’re able to Pennsylvania-and you may San francisco, in which they began the historical travels and you may where an early on black guy sailed toward their unique input Philippine history.