The Philippines: Past and Present (Volume 1 of 2)Worcester, Dean C. (Dean Conant)
History
The Philippines: Past and Present (Volume 1 of 2)
Worcester, Dean C. (Dean Conant)
Philippines; Philippines -- History -- 1898-1946
"Artacho, who had received 5000 pesos as his share of the
second payment, arrived in Hongkong and on April 5 demanded
200,000 pesos of the insurgent funds, probably under the
agreement that he should establish a company in Hongkong
for the benefit of the former leaders and not merely of
those who had accompanied Aguinaldo. But the leaders in
Hongkong had denounced that agreement, and refused to pay. He
then entered suit before the supreme court of Hongkong,
calling upon Aguinaldo for an accounting of the trust funds
deposited in his hands for the benefit of Artacho and others,
and asked for an injunction restraining Aguinaldo or any
member of the junta from handling or disposing of any part
of said funds. He filed as evidence copies of the Biacnabató
agreement and of the agreement made by the leaders on December
19. This suit was brought not merely in the name of Artacho,
but in that of all the exiles who were described as living
in exile in Hongkong in accordance with an agreement made
with the Spanish Government. Artacho probably had adherents
among these men, some at least of whom were utterly weary
of waiting in Hongkong and of living upon what was doled out
to them. Some at least saw no chance of any other fate than
indefinite exile spent in dependence upon the inner group
for even the means of existence.
"The suit was in equity, and called for an accounting for the
trust funds which the complainant recognized were legally
in the hands of Aguinaldo. It could be carried on only
with great difficulty without his presence and without his
account books. Meetings were held, and Artacho was denounced
as attempting to extort blackmail, but he refused to yield,
and Aguinaldo, rather than explain the inner workings of the
Hongkong junta before a British court, prepared for flight. A
summons was issued for his appearance before the supreme court
of Hongkong on April 13, 1898, but he was by that time beyond
its jurisdiction.
"He drew out the 50,000 pesos from the Chartered Bank,
which had become due according to the terms of the deposit,
and perhaps such other sums as could be drawn upon by check,
engaged passage for Europe by way of Singapore for G. H. del
Pilar, J. M. Leyba, and himself under assumed names, appointed
V. Belarmino to succeed to his functions, and gave him checks
signed in blank to draw the interest of the sums on deposit to
provide for the support of the exiles. He gave as his reason
for departure that he was going to remain under cover until
Artacho could be bought off, but he intended to go far afield
for this purpose, as he gave his destination as Europe and
the United States.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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