Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-04
OURPROPOSED WARDS
TERRIBLE FANATICS OF PrILIP-
PINES. KNOWN As JURAMENTADOs.
HOW DO YOU LIKE THEM =?
They Are Trained TO XIII, blessed
by Their Priests, and Then sent
Ont to Carve n bloody Pathway y"
Paradise.
fcorrosrondence Of the Dlspatch.)

WASHINGTON, December OIL
policing OF our new possessions - I"
matter that the government Is aWaie
must be arranged without delay Muo"
apprehension has been felt among .hOSe
high I'm authority In government c'rCie'
lest some outbreak among the mlsceha-
neous population OF fanatics, religious ana
otherwise, should take place. 1t "ould
be n serious matter IL the first efforts Oh
Uncle Sam 10 govern dependencies OUTSIDE
OF the home territory should be plarred
by a series OF Jack-the-Ripper tragedles,
or a slaughter OF the innocents ~ solle
bloody-minded sect in the far Pnhppihes.
The governments attention mas Deen
called to the need for urgent 9clloh III
this matter by the reports that there are
threatening signs of activity among tne
bands OF fiends known as the Jutamehta-
dos. In the Philippines. There VIII De
no safety in the islands OF the orient ina !
are TO be brought TO higher level OF
civilization until these fanatics are stamp
ed out. That much is realized mere
How best to begin TO do IT IL the prop.
lem. for the Juramentados are as seer
I'm their movements as Nihilsts, as SUD
den and terrible I'm their murderous on
slaughts as the dreaded thugs or lnula,
and ga to be killed after having killed
Is the height Of their ambition, 1t Is nm
possible to COW them by threats OF death
or by execution.
The Spaniards have had reason to dread
the Juramentados. Countless graves IN
the Philippines are occupied by the VIC
tins OF the knives of these terrIhle assas-
sins. They originated, like many another
evil i'm those islands, through the cruelty
or the Spamards. Being unable to drive
from tho Philippines the Spanish. certain
of the natives who were smarpnB under
the wrongs Inflicted on them by the in
vaders bound themselves into society
Ia 1fgH
tians. 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
10 murder when the opportunity comes.
In order that they may be active muir
derers able to overcome the opposition
Of any one who resists their attack, they
are made to exercise, to fight with blunt
ed weapons, TO run, Jump, climb, swim,
and dive, and in fact go through all the
gymnasuc training that will fit them for
the work Of Staying swiftly and IL posi-
BILE escaping before hue and cry is
raised.
After a 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 men.
Ills imagination Is worked upon until he
Is ia a state bordering on frenzy, and
except the breech clout, a long knife is
thrust into his hand, and he Is sent forth
20 mul der.
Better for the people I'm that vicinity
that the fercest Of tigers or the most
merciless OF wild beasts were on their
track than this 1end His course has
been mapped out for him, before he leaves
the priest. With a deadly kris concealed
beneath the folds OF his breech cloth, he
steals into camp i'm the dead of night,
crdRls silently under the flap Of the tent.
and drives his weapon home before the
victim can utter a sound. From tent TO
tent he goes, leaving the awful trail OF
blood behind him, until a slip of the
knife or a false step enables the victim
to cry out or in some way warn the
camp. Then the murderer's frenzy
reaches its height Casting off all at
tempt to hide. he rushes into the thickest
Of the avengers, stabbing right and left
Sometimes so great Is the dread entertain
ed for these fanatics, II Is possible for
him to open a lane through the living and
escape, to continue his murderous work.
Oftencr. wel-directed bullet lays him
low, and he dies with the full expectation
Of reaching Heaven by the most direct
route.
1t is useless TO try and capture the
man. No one attempts this I'm the Philip
pines. II would surely add 10 the VIC
Tins, for man who IS determined TO die,
and wants only the opportunity 10 kill as
many men as possible before he himself
is killed Is not the man to consent calmly
10 be taken. On Corpus Christi-Day, In
1856. at Cotto Bato. four Juramentados
spraug from a shed into a crowd Of Chris
tians. who We're watching the procession,
and before they were killed by the sol
diers. ASA ssinated or wounded over thirty
persons. At Jolo in 1876, one of these
fanatics, armed with a kris and a jaYe-
lin. attacked a company Of soldiers as
they marched from the beach 20 the gar
rison killing two, fatally wounding three,
and seriously wounding four Of the force.
At the same place, a few weeks after
wards. a similar sudden attack was made
by three Juramentadoes, who killed five
and wounded sixteen before they could
be bayonted by the troops.
1t is the stamping out Of this class OF
fanatic that IS at present troubling the
government officials IL seems as though
determination would be the only success
full way 10 do 1t, but Uncle Sam can hard
ly stoOp TO such an essentially Spanish
method as that 1t is a problem that will
require careful consideration, and prob
ably much anxiety TO solve properly.