The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-11

my conscience. They then tied my elbows
face on the sand, and stripped on my
clothes One man pulled on the foot rope
another on the elbow rope, and the Ihlru'
Lete, began to fog me most cruelty.
When he had grown tired another one re-
lieveG him, and thus they took turns IN
beating me most despitefully; but they dld
not succeed in making me open my mouth
to lament or to give false assent 10 the
charges which they alleged against me Dy
the help of such brutal castigatlon. Wnel
they were all three tired, they suspehaeu
operations Tor a few minutes 70 take 9
cigarette; then they said they aad plenty OF
time before dawn and entered into an ami
mated conversation. One lit match 10 IN
spect my body; another was sorry ne hau
forgotten to bring a little rum TO pour INTO
the cuts and set il on fire; some one pro-
posed to turn me on my back and Hog my
belly, to whom Lete made answer that they
would have done enough when they NAG
used up my buttocks. Some one suggested
that they should take me to the water
edge and put under.
After this short rest they began to fog
me again even more cruelty. II possible,
and this torture continued till after mid
night, ceasing at last, not for lack OF
strength or will but because they had .brok--
en- and used up the three rods (baJucos)
which they had brought with them.
A LAST DELICATE ATTENTION.
When they stopped. they sprinkled some
handfuls of sand over my wounds for the
purpose Of plaguing me more, and of in
ereasing the pain. On the return from the
beach / could not stand on account of the
Ill treatment 1 had suffered and they made
me take the arms of two of them; but
was so weak that I could not hold on, and
fell again, whereupon Lete struck me in the
right temple as 1 fell, so hard as to injure
my right eye
When Lete saw that it was impossible for
me to walk he went in search of people TO
carry me. Meantime the rest of us were left
behind the two volunteers sitting in the
sand, and | PROSTATE, listening to their con-
versation. Among other matters L clearly
heard one of them ask how many strokes
had been given me, and the others answered
that it was q matter of six hundred. And l
believe, too, that he was not far wrong in
his calculation, for l remember that when
they stopped fogging me to rest one OF
them said that he wanted to give me
send-off with another hundred cuts; and the
other two followed his example, each CIV
ing me as many more or not many less.
After some time, Lete returned with three
men, who carried me TO a vehicle waiting
in the road; in it we returned to town, and
l was taken to the Jail. In the wagon, as l
could not sit, on account of my wounds,
they disposed me on the floor among their
feet, If / had been dog. When had
reached the prison, the jailor took off my
shoes for me- l being so weak that could
not Go ii myself.
For three weeks 1 was d wretched case.
being able neither to sit nor to stand. III
my necessity l had to be helped by the
turnkey Of my prison, AuguStin Mahanta,
constable of Arngay. He assisted me to
which l was disabled from doing on ac-
count of the wounds made in my hands.
The scars will never disappear. During all
this time | was not permitted to use
sleeping mat, nor to have a pillow, nor any
blanket, nor any light after dark. L was
obliged to lie on the hard, bare, cement
pavement, using instead of a pillow my
shoes, wrapped in my bloody coat IN
gloomy little cell, not more than twelve 1eel
square The use of a bed was only granted
me when it was requested by the lieutenant
of the civil guard, Don Jesualdo lgleslas,
the same day that my declaration was
taken before him, acting in the capacity
of delegate judge of instruction. This was
after my companions and had been turned
over to the military authorize
Finally, on Dec. 6 they put m on board
the steamer at San Fernando Wi \ my two
companions, Fathers Gaerlan anu Garces,
and three secular individuals. All OF US
excepting Don Juan Queseda, We're man
acled to be taken on board, where they fas-
tenede us to a large bar, which served as
hitching post for us along with other cier-
zeal and secular persons from Nigan, VINO
were also being taken down on the steamer
for completely in the present bloody 1nSur-
rection. On the evening of the next day we
reached this capital, where we We're received
by several pairs of veteran civil guards, who
bound us before decentralization and con-
Quoted us to the guardhouse of Bnondo.
There they took my secular companions
and the clerics of Vigan to Bilibid prison
(the Presidio of Manila) We three clerics
OF the union Iiey lUOh 10 the COllSiitlti
mary of this archbiShODric, in which we
remained as prisoners. although with all the
courtesies due our sacerdotal dignity, until
the night of Dec. 81, when we We're trans
ferred to the prison of Bilibid where we
now are. While we were in the Seminary of
Manila we presented memorial to his eX-
cellency Captain General Camille de Pola-
vieja. who had just taken supreme command
of this archipelago, and a second to our own
bishop of New Segovia, who had reached
Manila little before us. In these memo
rails we gave an account of the torture and
subsequent coercion which We had under
gone and alleged our innocence OF all the
charges which had been causeleSsly maze
against us for in considering this matter
his Exceency would please take into ac-
count the retraction OF the declarations
aaid tortures and coercion, and might the
most illustriouS deign to take us under his
ii election and defend US from the caluln-
rIas and persecution of our unknown enc
niles.
This is an exact and true account of all
the tortures " hich l endured in the Semi
nary of Vigan and in the prison OF san
Fernando And since many details in this
short narrative might seem incredible for
it is incredible that there are persons CALI
ing themselves Christians and civilized so
hardhearted and peFVerse as those VINO tor
tured me morally and physically, and espe-
ciaIly priests and incredible also that q man
can suffer such horrible torment without
losing his ife) therefore. / declare and
affirm all these things on my very con-
science for it is all certain ana true. ana
am willing to ratify it all before my own
confessOr.
MARIANA DECANAY. Presbyter.
Manila, Military Prison of Bilibid, Depart
uent of Political Prisoners, Feb. 10, 1897.