Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-11-20
mALAys TORTURE spaxIAaDs.
Horror Of the Instruction in the Philippine
Islands.

olution singularly fierce and bloody.
On the one side is the notorious
cruelty of the decayed nation. which
claims a place among the civilized
peoples of Europe; on the other Malay
vindictiveness and the savagery of a
race depraved with the vices of Eu-
rope and embittered by inhuman ty-
ranny. Only such an appalling con-
flict of decadent civilization and bar
barism poisoned with the same decay
could result in the atrocities described
in the Manila dispatches.
Mr.. j. F.. Stevens Of Boston, Har-
ward graduate, recently returned from
Manila, contributes an article to the
St. Louis Star on the situation in these
islands. He says:
The barbarous medieval garrote,
i the horrors of the Black Hole Of Ma
nilla, are typical of Spain's inhuman
policy in the Philippines. The burn
ing of Spanish monks strung to their
own monastery walls by the thumbs
show the Malay character driven to
revenge by oppression and irrespon-
sible tyranny.
The two men whose execution / sue
ceeded in kodaking from the window
Of house adjoining the platform were
half caste youths about 20. They had
been arrested on suspicion of being in
communication with one of the bands
Of insurgent guerrillas in the country
back Manila. Without even the pre-
tense Of a trial they We're condemned
to garrote. 1t is Spanish policy in
the Philippines to take very little
trouble over the forms of law where
the natives are involved.
On the day set for the execution
thousands of people collected around
the scaffold at sunrise to await the
procession that was to come in from
the pail mile off. First came the
mounted police. then the priests and
acolytes. who bore in their midst the
sacred black and gold banner of the
church next a hollow square of in
fantry, with bayonets fixed. In the
middle of the square rolled two open
tip carts drawn by ponies.
In the carts crouched the condemned
men, robed in black and supported by
priests, who held up the crucifx be-
fore their CLASSY eyes. Behind them
walked the eXecutioner, himself a cor
demned criminal, but privileged to ex-
change a death sentence for life inn
prisonment by accepting the vacant
post Of eXecutioner. Last of all came
the mounted police.
The scene at the scaffold was deeply
impressive. Up through the elevated
platform projected two posts. On
each post vas a small broad seat, ana
above this the brass collar that was %
clasp the prisoners neck. Behind
were the levers of the screw that was
to drive the sharp round back piece
OF the collar forward when the last
moment came.
The priests mounted the platform,
and the holy banner was held far
away at one corner, for, should con
demned criminal but touch thi, ban.
ner he could MOI, according to the
church rules. be executed. The first
prisoner could only topple up the steps
with assistance. He sank in a heap
as the brass collar was snapped round
his throat. The black cap was pulled
down over his face, the priest
splinkled him and said last prayer,
a sword was waved, and the eXecu-
toner gave the handle a sudden full
turn. A short sound of cracking
bones, and without a movement the
first victim paid the penalty of being
patriot suspect.
The second was more defiant, and
even busted off the seat with a por-
ton of his long black death gown as
final piece of bravado. The opera
ton was the same, except that the
executioner was too overweight to
turn the handle far enough, and was
assisted by an attendant, who was
afterward fined $40 for meddling.
Then the priests and officers descend
ed, hollow square was formed
around the scaffold. and the natives
were given a chance to soothe their
embittered feelings by gazing on the
two silent black-robed figures that
baked out in that tropic sun till nool-
day.
Only meagre reports have reached
America of the burning of the Spanish
monks. 1t appears that the monas-
terry, which is small one, was sur
prised by a night attack and the faith
ers captured without blow. In the
they were triced up by the
thumbs to the wall. The guerrillas
then saturated them in oil and the
torch was applied.
The stolid Indifference to suffering
and the disregard of life which char
acterizes the islanders about Manila
Is illustrated by an incident of which
had personal knowledge. 1t also
puts the Spanish authorities in a pc
euliar light.
A native woman, it seems, had found
her husband to be faithless, and call
ng two fishermen to her house prom
sed them $12 if they would kill him.
They readily agreed. and drowned
him on their next fishing trip. But on
the $12 the woman de-
clined to give them more than Sc.
then, they went to the
local Spanish official and demanded
Justice. .'She promised us $12 if we
would kill her husband" they said,
and now that we've done the job she
wont give us but Sc, and we want you
10 have her arrested" The official
laughed them off, and not until they
,ad been gone some time did he think
here might really be some cause for
letaining them. 1t was four months
before these simple fishermen We're
'ound.
Considering, after all, how many