The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-25

rrlted States prisoner.
~ Friday, February 2, Capts. John
ussrduan. r., and Fred Mcdonald, Of tho
Tvnety-sixth infantry. were summoned be-
h.fcre q court-martial to answer charges
go upon the sfxty-first and sixty-second
sy4,cIes OF war. which provide severe pun
s-krent for dIgobedience OF orders and for
erIr,ss which may be prejudicial 10 military
.,xer and good discipline. Both officers
!, Boston men They have served with
abduction In the state militia and in vol
r-&psr regiments during the Spanish war,
- one Of them has within a month been
,,eemmended by his superior officer for
rromction for gsliantry I'm action against
~ Filipino insurgents.
ma charges against them originated in
a. execution Of Pedro Gargenero, a no.
tov1ous bandit who for many weeks had
IN terrorizing the country not far from
fefIo along the southern borders Of the
t6and Of Panay destroying property. steal
- what he did not destroy. carrying OF
Women 10 his mountain den and committing
murder
4hs circumstances leading up TO the trial
n these: Gargenero. the native bandit,
- operating I'm the district assigned to
oompanies @ and N Of the Twenty-sixtn,
commanded respectively by capts Board
nan and Mcdonald Capt Boardman for
psriy regimental adJutsnt. upon being as
dgned TO the company was ordered on gar
nspn duty I'm the town OF Leon. On De-
esnbsr Is Gargenero looted the adjacent
yu1aes Of duimbal. killing one Filipino.
voundiag three others and carrying on into
captivity four women.
0argenero was captured q few days later
b ne native police and was taken before
fks junta for hearing. He was found
rdIty Of several crimes and was sentenced
10 death By that semitudicial body. The ex-
ecution, however. was prevented by the
military authorities Capt. Boardman, after
M execution had been stayed and the rob-
~ was In the custody Of one OF his own
IN. fastened 70 Tioiio and reported the cir
eumstances to Col. Edmund Rice regi-
nentaI commander, who In turn reported
= Brig. Cen Hughes.
Meanwhile Capt. Mcdonald and his COM
yany had been ordered to occupy tho town
= MACAO, and on the way to this new
ut the troops passed through Guimba..
Capt Mcdonald remained there for n few
days. and then he sent portion OF hts
company on to Miagao Maj Parker ar
Rived the next day on tour OF inspection,
and Immediately gave orders to Capt Nc
Donald to furnish complete protection to
The bandit. but on December ~ Capt.
Deardman returned from Tioilo and an
nounced that he had orders from Gen.
Hughes to take possession OF the hand.
and 10 see that the prisoner did not es-
sape.
0argenero was turned over to him, and
he In turn transferred toe prisoner to the
native authorities. by whom he was con-
Quoted into the presence OF a priost and
given an opportunity for confession. After
that he was marched. under guard OF
So3diers, to a cemetery In the outskirts
OF the town. and ordered 10 kneei over
m open grave. The executioner biundered
for after striking two blows with 4 boio
be failed To kill the bandit. Then ten
bullets wero fired into his body by the
guards. which comprised sir men OF Capt.
McDonald's company. acting under orders
OF Capt. Boardman.
Capt. Mcdonald. in addition TO permit
ting tho execution OF Gargenero, who. Il
later appeared, was regarded as Uni
ted States military prisoner Is also chars-
BY by Nal. Edward u. Anderson. his bat
TALON commander, with conduct unoecom-
ing an officer and q gentleman In that he
made untrutnfui statements regarding the
case. Capt. Mcdonald. In his defense.
claimed that he knew absolutely nothing
concerning the execution at the time that
Il occurred.
Capt Boardman, on the witness stand.
explained that he had evidently misunder-
stood tho orders OF Gen. Hughes. He had
the prisoner turned over TO him ty Sapt.
Mcdonald after his trip to headquarters.
Gen Hughes had ordered him TO see
that the prisoner does not escape" and
he had construed this TO mean that under
M circumstances was he 90 let the bandit
return to his followers In the mountains,
and that on turning Gargenero over to
the civil authorities for execution he was
to see that the sentence was carried out
He thought that Mai Rarker's order 10
keep the prisoner in safety was suporsed-
Cd BY Gen. Hughes order Capt Board
man testified thar he believed he Sas do
ing his duty tn allowing the natives TO
execute GarEenero. az he considered that
the native court had jurisdiction In the
ease He explained that the reason ha
took the surgeon and six soldiers TO tho
cemetery was to prevent q possible dts
surbance or attempted rescue OF the ban
cit.
The hnding OF the court martial will
probably not ~ made public until Tho
authorities az Washington have reviewed
he evidence and rasssd upon the decis-
In Mi3itary men say, however tina, II Is
possible that Gen, otis win pass upon tho
s~rdlet and his decision would very likely
D. approved hy cable by Secretary Root
and President Mckinley. Conviction
means dismissal from The army.
Capt Roardman u a graduate Of HRr-
ussd class ~ lNa4 and the Harvard law
saVD o. lMh lie hrft eNkeFs3 tN0
mllltia Ia 1855 he has written several
Books en- military affairs. including Drill
NsnaA fof Noncommissioned offieeFS
ulrd Manual, or Outpost Duty" sub
marine Mines" aHd Preparation for facld
NsFSiee" lie WAS military Inspector at
10 Massacaasr;ts institute ag rrcAnol-
eu and laseA seminary last summer, TO
sh'ch pasition be VAS elscscd aiseg ser
Wa aurias the spanish war az captain
u Hs Fsrag he3Nv artillery. AZ v "A.
tep Mcdonald was ne enslv reso'n-
msnrss Tor conspicuous bravery N tho
srxAssmsnt before the oat.le of Iase,
shen With lac mon. he led a h9yons-
.FHsee upon d large body o. Ffipin IS
W Is graduate az Boston schools and
hss hssa connected with the militia ssnee
NA lie served during the spanish war
- cartain * the FIFTH Massachusetts,
volunteers
While charges az lo0ting churches In the
tNiAfftnes mere made s0ms time ago
AsArst tegors from the Western states
AM were. in the main. denied, BY far the
lse-t atsgracegli acts % this kind are new
haeed AZ ~ door II the Twenty sixth
tfs'ment The allegation Is made ~ Phi
sa'f Thomas Dalton. who halls from
hfNei-, Mass who bears an enviahle
sspa'etten tCr Integrity and bravery. He
- a