The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-03-17
MORE MANILA NEWS
Fred. Nelson Writes, Under
Date of January 30, Con-
corning Army Life.
BERT MILLER WRITES AGAIN
The Strange Features of Philippine
Customs and of Manila-All
the Boys Are Well.

the Boys Are Well.
Gen. OTIS order to do every thing
possible to avoid trouble with the ma
tives was made public by Hong Kong
mail today. The natives will be all
the more insolent. have grown to
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS them. do not think
they are capable of self government.
They can't agree among themselves
and are arbarous, excepting few of
course who have been educated. The
best thing for them would be for the
u. 5. to set up good form of colonial
government here and lick them good
once. If they are allowed to show their
insolence and the U. s. to wants avoid
trouble the best way is for us to move
out into the bay and let violence
and terror reign. The Spanish and
Chinese and friendly Filippinos are
~ afraid as of death that the U. s.
will turn the government over to the
insurgents, l don't suppose it is right
for me to say that, but 1t is the first
time / have "blown Off steam" and
| could blow Off some more. What
leads me TO feel so? Well for instance
Aguiualdo has threatened all those
who show friendlyness to the Ameri
cans. He has issued an order to the
effect that all the Filppinos who wish
to work for the Americans must first
get permit from him, and most OF
them are doing it out of fear. And
listen here-not long ago some natives
were arrested and convicted for MAX
ing and furnishing insurgents with
weapons, which are contraband of
war. Three nights ago poor China
man was seized by natives and taken
to "a secluded and gloomy spot and
compelled to dig grave. He was
then taken to building and stripped
and thrashed until the blood flowed,
then the red.hot irons were applied
to his lacerated flesh, after which he
was bound in stock and gagged and
told that at three a. m. his persecu-
tors would return to kill and bury
him. Before the fatal death watch
was finished Minnesota soldier on
the police force came along and sus-
pectihg foul play entered the house
and found the victim. Help was sum-
moned and when the perpetrators of
the fiendish deed returned eight of
them were captured. They had sus-
pected the Chinaman of "peaching"
on the weapon manufacturers. They
were all tried by the provost court
today. Five of them got one year inn
priionment and 100000 fine; two got
one year and S250.00 and one got one
year and $4,000. How many such
crimes occur no one knows. In city
of such dense population such things
are hard to discover. While | am
telling queersome things | will add
another sight / saw yesterday that
made the cold chills creep all over me.
visited the old Spanish 73rd regular
Infantry barracks yesterday. Our
first battalion is quartered there now.
But there saw the execution cham
Der or yard where the insurgents were
shot. 1t is about l50X25 feet sur
rounded by a high thick wall of ma
sonry. 1t is entered at one end by a
single door, near the other end the
victims were placed and shot. Over
1900 insurgents have paid the penalty
in that one spot and just back of
where they stood the wall Is perforat-
ed with thousands of bullets which
imbed themselves an inch or two.
Relic hunters have dug most ofthem
out hut the thought sickened me. 1t
seemed to me as if blood would be on
them, and perhaps the very one |
might find had carried the death mes
sage through some ones heart.
This is a disagreeaOle letter fear.
When | sat down did not know OF
what / would write, but had thought
of telling something of the duties OF
the Goth Kansas, their location i'm the
city and position on the outpost which
they would have to hold and defend
in case of a battle but / will have to
leave that for another time. All OF
the lola boys are enjoying good health
but some of them are getting
thoroughly homesick. | am very well
and don't figure on getting sick
They think they are getting small.
pox stamped out of our regiment.
The Goth Reg. U. S. A. is expected
here in a week or so and 1t is reported
that Aguinaldo is going to declare
war if the u. S. attempts to land any