LUKBAN
Betron Barracks watching Abanador:“ As the sentinel passed him, the Chief of Police suddenly snatched the rifle out of his hands, knocked him senseless with the butt and yelled, firing at the same time into our group and wounding one of the men.”
George Allen wrote in a letter years later to Adolf Gamlin:“ I can see the chief of police now as he made the attack upon you and grabbed your gun from your shoulder. Things happened so quickly after, that it is surprising to me that any of us were ever left to tell the tale.”
William Gibbs:“ No more than that yell. Some say that the bells were tolled, but I did not hear them; I did not hear anything but that yell.”
John D. Closson:“ I was seated at the south end of the mess table... I looked out and saw the natives coming towards us, and I jumped and ran to back stairs to barracks, reaching them at the same time with the natives. I ran upstairs and into the annex, pushing my way through natives who did not attempt to bolo me. They were crowding in to get the guns. I got in and seized a gun, but somebody grabbed me from behind and then were crowding so that I couldn’ t do anything, and they pulled me down onto the floor …”
Gamlin’ s first awareness of the attack was when he saw Samarenos running towards him, yelling. He heard an American voice shout“ Fire!” but before he could react, the police Chief Abanador was on him and snatched his Krag from him, smashing the gun butt down on his head, wounding and momentarily stunning him. 16
As Abanador attacked Gamlin, the plaza erupted into action. Inside the church, the bell tolled as the men of Lawaan rushed the convent, and the natives rushed simultaneously on the different barracks, the officers’ quarters and those at the breakfast table and kitchen. The sentinel on Post No. 1 was killed, so was the sergeant of the guard. The prisoners and others nearby rushed into the main barracks at the tribunal. From the east of the kitchen, the natives who hid in the forest overpowered the men having breakfast. 17
The officers, who were still in their room in the convent, did not have much chance. Inside the officers’ quarters, Bumpus was reading his mail. He looked up but never saw the bolo that smashed down on him from the side, onto the bridge of his nose, severing the lower half of his face and continuing through, to his neck, a mortal blow that ended his life within seconds.
Surgeon Griswold was lying in bed, reading mail. He lept to his feet, reaching for his sidearm, but to no avail as a swarm of determined Lawaanons enveloped him and killed him before he could take a shot.
Captain Connell on the other hand was able to arm himself before the attackers reached him. Thus, he gained precious seconds as the attackers paused, held off by his Krag. Vastly outnumbered, Connell
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