New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-18

1.-THE ENLISTED YARN-SPINNER."
AND HIS MALIGNANT ECHOES.

From The Boston Evening Transcript
To the Editor Of The Transcript:
soidiers both Regulars and volunteers. As your
Correspondent in the Cuban campaign ! saw and
nerfecty merciful and even fraternal. when making
prisoners after the exasPerauhs re sas a.
from time to time. in papers with whose views
have sympathzed IN the Pas va Psen Wrte by
enlisted men in the regiments now In the Philip
pines alleging that oticers nao is tbat thew
no pa ~ ba sbot you know do not make prs
Oners one Of o hese of the Regular Army had
orderad his men to kill women and children, and
bre or four letters have boosted Of ooting on
mr., lIee o ocaie have seen the statement in one Of
the papers to which nave reterreo ina , We mus
iooH r friends for the truth about these matters
for the reason that the newspaper tents
are prevented by the iH'i''"''
teslng mi nj mis- appears very strange to corre
,nondsnt who knows the customs ana character OF
NV and who has himself worked for several
months under military censorship IN, 'h ne s i9t
nlace the purpose OF censorship If no. 20 sup
press facts 20 1af oeefs b Gt
Which might be unpieas ro GETTING TO the enemy
11 would be likely 10 help him, sucn censor
snip Is 0 oficer who should attempt TO escape
personal criticism by the aia n q ~ trouble and
woI,u oficer knows IL The only case that know
es ~ which the censorship was sppnea IN IN
~ M Ealing OF Skaters expedition from Iafnps
when by understanding dsisIned i at the TAMPA
ant Themselves. -.
esee long enough 10 give the expedition chance
oIno &c, axav before the fun statement OF us com
,os1.,on and numbers could reach the newspaper
40 M, believe that the censorship az ManIIs
49, ~ OBTAINING any letters sent nome, ana
a. nranosteroug TO suppose that PRISONERS shouIu
- 80, ~ been cruelty shot without the press coIIs
sncndents writing home accounts OF tne pIo,,esu-
ssaes THE correspondents Of Al ieast one OF tne
naners which have been publishing tnese Ie,,e. .
~ enlisted men have themselves wrltten agy1unts
~ the humane and generous treatment Oh Ilpiilo
nr,soners Correspondents have Sent nome pno,o
granhs OF the captives being msrchea INTO siania
fooi,n1 not AT all displeased over thelr sltuauon
Undergoing surgical eatment ana rtcelFi go"
care IN our hospitals. We have POSITIVE ihloriiaI
zion that General Otis has some nfieen thousan9i
Fiptno prisoners in his hands. ana thst eaplureu
atives have actually been liberated ana aloWeo 10
GO uhere they would with copies or the proclaiha-
ZION ~ the Philippine Commission In their hahus
An this is perfectly well known HOW does II
hapDen then, that several enlisted men conllns
from all parts OF the country have Sent nome
stories OF shocking bsrbarity saying We 90 nor
make prisoners and at is Kill or be killed, ana
80 on? In seems 10 me that the explanation Is
simple enough Any ons who Is familiar with mill
fary camps knows that there r. always resl-
mental liar-not infrequently company lara
genuine and gifted romancer. who above all tnings
deiights IN telling terrible tales 20 civilians News
ne per pondents IN the early stages OF thel
service have frequently been made the victims OF
these imaginative warriors When the troops came
hack 10 Montauk last summer the reporters were
sent In shoals 10 Interview the men ana re,
gaod stories" and the NewYork papers orlstiea
Tor weeks with thrilling narratives OF incidents Oh