Omaha daily bee., 1899-01-04
SLAY TO BE SAVED.
Sect of Assassins in Uncle Sans New
DOminiOnS,

Sect of Assassins in Uncle Sans New
Dominions.
The policing" Of our new possessions Is
a matter that the government Is aware
must be arranged without delay. Much ap-
prehension has been felt among those high
In authority in government circles, relates
the Washington Post, lest some outbreak
among the miscellaneous population Of
fanatics, religious and otherwise, should
take place. 1t would be a serious matter
IL the first efforts of Uncle Sam to govern
dependencies outside OF the home territory
should be marred by series Of Jack the
Ripper tragedies. or a slaughter OF the in
nocents. by some bloody minded sect in the
far Philippines.
The governments attention has been
called to the bands Of fiends known as .ho
Juramentados. in the Philippines There
will be no safety in the islands Of the Orient
that are to be brought to a higher level of
civilization until these fanatics are stamped
out. That much is realized here. How best
to begin to do it is the problem. for tho
Juramentados are as secret in their move
ments as nihilists, as sudden and terrible in
their murderous onslaughts as the dreaded
thugs OF India and as to be killed after hav-
ing killed is the height Of their ambition, it
is impossible to cow them by threats Of
death or by executions.
The Spaniards have had reason to dread
the Juramentsdos. Countless graves in the
Philippines are occupied by the victims OF
the Knives Of these terrible assassins. They
originated, like many another evil in those
islands, through the cruelty OF the Span
iards. Being unable to drive from the Phil
ippines the Spanish slave drivers. certain
Of the natives, who were snarting under the
wrongs inflicted on them by the invaders,
bowl themselves into society whose oath
compelled them to kill Christians and to kill
as many as the knife could reach.
The sect is thoroughly organized. They
have their priests. known as Panditas. and
they are regularly drilled and trained to
murder when the opportunity comes. In
order that they may be active murderers,
able to overcome the opposition Of any one
who resists their attack, they are made
to exercise, to fight with blunted weapons,
to run, jump, climb, swim and dive and in
fact to go through all the gymnastic training
that will fit them for the work of Staying
swiftly and. If possible. escaping before a
hue and cry is raised.
After course OF training a member of
the sect graduates as At for the work OF
murder. He is then informed by the priests
that the way to paradise lies for him
through the blood OF the white man. His
imagination is worked upon until he is in a
state bordering on frenzy and then he is
told to throw of all his clothes except
the breechclout. a long knife is thrust into
his hand and he Is sent forth to murder.
Better for the people in that vicinity
that the f1ercest Of tigers or the mo st
Eerciless OF wild beasts were on their
track than this fend. His course has been
mapped out for him before he leaves the
priest. With deadly kris concealed be-
meath the folds Of his breachcloth, he
steals into camp In the dead OF night,
cra~ls silently under the flap OF the tent,
and drives his weapon home before tho
victim can utter sound. From tent to
tent he goes, leaving the awful trail OF
blood behind him, until a slip OF the knife
or false step enables the victim to cry
out, or in some way to warn the camp.
Then the murderer's frenzy reaches it's
height. Casting off all attempt to hide, he
rushes into the thckest OF the avengers.
stabbing right and left. Sometimes, so
great is the dread entertained for these
fanatics. it Is possible for him to open q
line through the living and escape, to con-
tinue his murderous work. Oftener, a
well-directed bullet lays him low, and he
dies with the full expectation OF reaching
heaven by the most direct route.
It is useless ito try to capture the man.
No one attempts this In the Philippines. 1t
would surely add to the victims, for a man
who Is determined to die and wants only
the opportunity to kill as many men as pos
sible before he is himself killed Is not the
man to consent calmly to be taken. On
Corpus Christi day. in 1886, at Cotto Bato,
four Juramentados sprang from a shed into
crowd of Christians who were watching
the procession. and. before they were killed
by the soldiers, assassinated or wounded
over thirty persons. At Jolo, In 1876, one
Of these fanatics. armed with a kris and q
tavelin. attacked a company OF soldiers as
they marched from the beach to the garri-
con. killing two, fatally wounding three and
seriously wounding four Of the force. At
the same place a few weeks afterward a
similar sudden attack was made by three
Juramentados. who killed Ave and wounded
sixteen before they could be bayoneted by
the troops