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

estimation a very reputable person. I be-
lieved myself complying with q Christian
duty in being hospitable.
REASONS FOR THE ACCUSATION.
The father insisted on accusing me of fill
clustering and Masonry, on the ground that
Fathers Gaerlan and Garces, who had pro-
tested under oath their innocence of each
charge while at the seminary, had 'at last
confessed themselves guilty at San Fernando
on being Intercepted by the Governor. And
as 1 maintained my innocence and the mani
fest impossibility that a Catholic priest
could take upon himself the disgrace Of en-
tering the Masonic order, which he knew to
be condoned by the church; then. after in
suIting me with the harshest epithets, lie
gave the order to fog me in the very pres
ence of the fathers superior OF the seminary
he who acted as eXecutioner being the very
Rev. Father Brother Antonio Blanco tpro-
fessor of morals, physics and chemistry,
who gave me twenty-five stripes with the
'bejuco Ga sort of rattan about the thlck-
ness of mans hnger). The proNlsor, non
content with this, charged the fathers SUI
peTior that they should give me twenty 1--WE
blows every day until l told the trutn lSan-
tar las Verdades), instrUcting them, Iuriher
more, that until that day was TO nave
nothing but boiled rice and water 70 ear,
this last order being literally complied Win
until left the seminary on Nov 4
On the following morning l was expecting
them to call me to receive the promised
beating, but, happily, it did not take pace.
On the night Of the same day, the 18TH,
about O'clock Father Blanco came to tax
me with the ingratitude of the F'iipinos.
improvising a long discourse and IN ms Vlo-
lence he gave me cruel box on the ear
He then went away for half an hour, re-
turning about 10, with a tough, neNlple
cane (bejuco) in his hand with which ne
aroused me by several blows on the mead
His anger thus allayed, he PRETENDED 10
treat be with great sweetness, telllnS me
that If | would confess the truth the blshop
would try to save my life; II not, / Shoulu
go from bad to worse adding that Father
Gaerlan, in return for having revealed eV-
erything would come back to the seminary
at once and after few days o9 sent 70 nus
from me anything which satshed MIN, ne
declared that this in itself constituted a lie
which would compromise me. But, IN spite
Of his threats of DEATH mingled with
cajoleries about immediate liberty; ne went
away much disguised, and with the threat
on his lips that on the following day |
should be subjected to the severest torture.
AGAIN DEMANDING THE TRUTH.
In fact on the evil morning of Oct. q the
provisor came again with the demand that
l should tell him "the truth;" that is to
say, that l should belle my conscience by
falsely asserting to the charges, and as
did not comply with his desires, he, in ac-
cordance with the fathers Of the seminary,
had summoned four Europeans of the civil
guard to whom they intrusted the degrad-
ing task of torturing me. Then in the pres
ence of my executioners they returned to
their cajoeries and threats, saying Qalsely,
for as was afterward shown there was no
such denunciation) that had been ue-
nounced as an accomplice in the rebellion by
Seniors SiXtO Zandueta, Gabriel IaVora ana
Florencio Baltasar, when their declarations
were taken in Manila. And TINS, SAID the
fathers, was all the more reason why
should denounce the aforesaid gentlemen, Tor
/ could not deny the existence of the con-
spiracy, and it was better to denounce IMAM
n he denounced. to dNOlQ the lOI-
ture presently to he inflicted upon me. never
theless their artifice did not escape me, ana
/ therefore answered that / could NOT de
nounce these people inasmuch as l knew
nothing about them, or about the con-
spiracy in which the fathers sought 10 IN
Seeing the frmness and serenity of mind
with which l maintained my Innocence ana
the truthfulness of my denals, they pro
ceeded to employ inquistoral fortunes as
reasonable means of extracting from me
what they wished. They began to torture
me- and to this end the guards -nu sIS
me- (This barbarouS punishment, Whlcn Is
not employed even for ebruteS, Is carried ou i
as follows: The victim crouches, thlek
cane is passed beneath his knees MS arms
are nassed beneath the projecting ends OF
the cane and his wrists are lashed tQSether
in front of his legs: In this positlon the per-
son TO be chastised is utterly helpless, ana
any effort which he may make 10 move
merely topples him over on the ground me
Ilocans call this punishment lod9ng.] 7;,,,,
In this position, which IS as degrading as
II is painful every time that answered
mo, 10 their questions they beat me over
the shoulders with a weighted cane or KNOB
Stick called porra which left me horribly
manged and bruised lie VINO appeaatfeu "
be the chief of my executioners, one Gomez
threatened me with his revolver, telllhS me
that | was in his hands, and that ne was
ready to make an end of me with snot II
I persisted in my denials. AT TINS SAD anu
horrible spectacle there were preSeHl tIS
nrovisor and the seven fathers superior OF
the seminary who, far from beng Horllllg me
at my suferings ana cruel toIt ~ a., go-
ing so far as to urge on my eXecutloherS 70
treat me with still greater harsnnesS; iHus
aid the Very Rev Father Brother Gaplno
Olazo professor of mathematical suggetSht
that il would be well TO surround me WIN
bayonets so placed that when | Iel over LEI
from exhaustion ] should be pierced py
their points. But the eXecutioner, less cruel
did not carry out the SUGGESTION -.
AT length, on the demand OF th9 C ,iN-a
governor of the province of Union, /, IKE
Fathers Garces and Gaerlan, was sent %
San Fernando the provincial capltSt, on
Nov T. On leaving the seminary tn re ID n,l
ordered me to take off the clerical garb' anu
when clad in secular dress was ,. py
two civil guards and conducted to the Steillh-
err where / was Fastened 10 pdI- w iiS e.
presented myself to the governor at san
Fernando at about o'clock on the same
afternoon. he sent me mmedlateiy 70 pIt bort
tiToa q volunteer. Don Enrique Iete, a
Spanish half-breed domiciled in San FER
nsndo had me called to the othce IN Whlch
he was and, as if he had been judge eX-
anined me as to what passed on certain
SncasioY, between Don F1orenciQ Baltazaf
aud myself when we were together IN q con-
H,evance in the town of AgoO. ana what
messages l took to the justice or the peace
Of CaVa. Don Matas Runes, Wheh Nlslteo
his house -, + 20 tho fret
we talked of Indifferent matters. uhcon-
nected with the events when are nov tah-
inc place in the country; ana as LOT Ihe seS-
ond I took him no messages, ana II some
times called upon him. my only opJecl "ds
10 salute him and to pass an hour OF re-
1axation a courtesy observed by wen-edu-
cated neople taking occasion 10 can upon
him when nv parocniai duties TOOK me 10
tbot town either to say mass or to admin
lister the sacraments. he asked me WIZ, WleeilS -
7 knew and corresponded with an llolall au-
1-ooate and professor of secondary lnStfuc-
tion in this capital. Don lgnaclo Nlh9InoI,
To which / answered that dlu Know
biy, we two having been educated together,
I'D +hat T certainly had written TO MN, DuL
4ba+ the object of my letter. as we'll as OF
his answer had nothing whatever 70 90
With noIitics. He also asked me IL pos
sessed a revolver and saber. ana Where :, Ila9
deposited them, TO when dris"J Ied
aftirmatively. adding that naa
For Vigan. Lastly he inquired II | We're
Giibuster or a Mason, and put some olher
nestions with reference to these Two cihat 80 =.
I denied these and he represented thdti ~
ttet case T must prepare myself, Tor they
Lera readv TO kill me like dog if l insisted
mon my denial 1t is TO be observed thal
ali these questions were set down OH soine
ebeets of paper which Lete took from the
noCl<et of his coat. From the questols
Which he put to me. especially tns more l,a
trifing ones and from that whlcn me pIo-
iii-Io ,11.,1-.so5 "a mo concerning Don lrine0