The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1900-07-27
Why Funston Hanged Them.

PLANTATION by its correspondent at
Manila, John r. McCutcheon. of the
hanging of two Filipinos by General
Frederick Funston;
Manila, April 49, During the
early part of April some startling
stories came into Manila regarding |
the summary hanging of two natives
near San Isidro by General Funston.
1t was said that no trial had been
given them and that there was like
lihood of an investigation, which
might result in a court-martial.
"Since then | have learned tina
General Macarthur, in command of
the division in which General Funston
is serving, has given his unqualified
approval of the course taken, and
that General Otis has also approved
of it.
SIN order to obtain a correct story
of the incident, which has interested me
as being the first of its kind, | have
got General Funston's story of it. He
had just returned from a scouting trip
and expressed himself as being glad
to comply with my request forthe facts
regarding the hanging of the two
natives on March 27. General Funs-
ton said:
"There was at that time on duty
with my brigade one of the compan-
les of Colonel Wnder's regiment Of
Macabebes. and while the company
was hunting insurgents three of the
men had been left sick in the hospital
at San Isidro. These men had recov-
cred sufficiently to be discharged from
the hospital but had not yet been able
to join their command. On the even
ing of March 26 they were walking
without their guns along one of the
streets of San Isidro, when they were
seized by about twenty men, armed
only with bolos and revolvers, their
arms pinioned behind them and they
were hurried to the town of Gapen,
where they were held over night in a
house. The next morning at day
break they were hurried by an unfreq-
uented trail toward the mountains.
81 was just coming in from an
eleven days scout in the mountains
with Captain Koehler and his troop
of the Fourth cavalry, and by chance
met the outfit in tEe trail just outside
one of the barrios of Gapen. In the
confusion one Of the prisoners, who
had his arms tied behind him broke
away and running to me hastily ex-
planned the situation in Spanish, at
the same time indicating the direction
in which the most of the band had
fled when they saw us. We quickly
ran them down and killed three with
our revolvers and retook the other
two prisoners, but not until both ofthem
had been badly boloed. The men who
were attempting to kill two prisoners
to prevent their rescue were caught
red-handed in the act and surrendered,
evidently thinking they would be
treated as prisoners of war.
"ln view of the fact they had, in
amigo clothing, come within our
lines and Kidnapped three men wear
! ing the uniform of the United States,
and that in order TO prevent the es-
cape of these men they had brutally
cut and hacked them, both acts gross
violations of the laws of civilized war.
fare, determined to make an impress
sive example of them, and so took
them up into the barrio in the vicinity
of their crime, called together some of
the residents to witness the affair, and
publicly executed both men by hang
ing. Immediately reported the
affair in all its details by wire to my
superior officer, General Macarthur.
THE provisions of general order
100 of 1864, which is still in force
provide that in time of war any one
caught in the actual commission of Il
crime of violence may be summarily
executed by the officer taking him. -
Road is Now Vacated.
In compliance with the agreement
with the commissioners that upon the