The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-11-18
CHAFFEE WARNS
THE INSURGENTS
NOPardOD for the MUFd0reFS
Of Prisoners.
TIE FULL PENALTY TO Be EIhGTED.
No Shifting Of RospOnsibi ity to
Those HIGHER in Command
Records of Military
Trials Reviewed.

The military mail from Manila which
reached the War Department today. con-
, tains the records of several most impor-
tant and interesting military trials. Gen
eraI Chanccs remarks in finally passing
upon the records show that ne regards as
serious the proneness Of the outlaw chiefs
of insurgents 20 kin their prisoners. In
reviewing the case Of CIcmente dc Ia
Cruz. a sergeant Of guerrilla band. who
in company with other natives murdered
five American soldiers held 10y them as
prisoners. General Chaffec warns the ma
tivos that they need expect no cIemency
from him. He says:
The prouenoss of the outlaw chiefs Of
insurgents i'm some zones Of operations to
kin their prisoners. native OF Americans,
and the criminal character of their fol-
lowers, call for drastic remedies. The
commanding general owes 20 the soldiers
Of his command the most effective means
Of protection in his power TO save them
from the murderous instincts of the as
sassin. Hence al may take warning that
those who give orders 20 murder the sol
diers of the United States Army. and an
those who execute such orders. when
their own lives are not in imminent dead
" peril from the immediate presence Of
their officers. armed ana ready to execute
death upon them If they refuse obedience.
shall not meet with pardon a, his hands,
Details OF the Massacre.
OF the case itself ne remarks: 1T is
shown that the accused was "a sergeant
in the insurgent forces and was given
charge Of detachment Of six men. with
orders TO conduct TO a safe distance from
the public highway five American prison
crs. taken CAPTIVE Ly Il successful aubuc-
cade two or three days previously and TO
Kill said prisoners with daggers or boIos
In obedience To- his orders. willingly and
unhesitaungly undertaken. tho accused
bound the arms Of HIS appointed victims
behind their backs and taking them 20 a
distance Of about four and one-haIf miles
from camp into "a marsh known as the
Candida Swamp. then and there caused
his men 20 assaH them with their boIos
until they We're dead"
The American soldiers murdered were
Privates John T. Hickman, Company b;
William A Smith. Company g; Hamlet
Jarvis, Company &. Elmer Dane. Com
pany Z. and Frank II. Wilson. Company
L, aH Of the Thlrty-nfth Infantry.
shifting the ResponsibiIity.
General Chafec continues. The aCcus-
cd admitted iu open court the essential
facts Of the murder in language 90 the
import or the foregoing but pleaded the
order cf bis company commander. Lieu
tenant Gonzales. 20 relieve him Of reeDgr-
sibiiity- lie admitted that he knew that
order to be bad but was afraid not to
obey was afraid ne would get a hard
punishment and might have been shot
lie also admitted that he never saw or
heard Of "a Filipino soldier being punished
with death for Jiaobcdicuce OF orders
II the plea OF obedience u unlawful
orders To Kill prisoners Of war were held
10 be sufficient TO eNculpate the accused
from criminal responsibility i'm This cre.
then his lieutenant, who gave him the
order, can successfully plead the order
oi the major, who, I'm turn. gave the order
70 the lieutenant. and So the chain OF
criminal responsibility be carried back
ward until lost in the mazcs or Doubt r.-
EdTding the origin OF the order ig fr-
mind Of some unknown CHIEF assassin f7
nigh place, and so an the guilty parties
escape punishment for their iuhunau
crime
The same military commission which
tried Celeste. tho sergeant. also tried
Tlmotco Dhal1n, the commander Of tho
forces To which Celeste belonged. also
Manuel Gonzales. a lieutenant. With The
capture OF the Americans there yyag ar-r
taken prisoner Jose Butucamilo. ur,s.-
ctutc OF TIE pueblo. and he was murdered
by the same band by Dhalan's or.frrs.
General Chance approved Of the finding Of
the court in each case and orders for rho
execution Of the outlaws were issued
Murder of Spanish Prisoners.
An echo Of the days when the American
troops were pursuing AgUiuald0 through
sorthern Luzon, and of the early difficult
ties encountered by General Iawton and
his forces, is found iu the record Of trial
ia the case Of Trancisco Bracauaz.
charged with murder IN violation of the
laws OF war" IL was soon after the first
Filipino outbreak, and when many Span
iards were prisoners in the custody OF
Agmnaldo.s soldiers. that this massacre
occurred General Chan1ee recites the de-
tails Of the crime He SAYS that the aC-
cused had been 60 lieutenant OF Police OF
san Fernando. party Of l7g Spanish
prisoners were delivered 20 him. ostensi-
btE Api Ailt liAl l''iH' OF btlNS conducted 10
q place Of greater safety from the an
preaching American troops. The morning
following the day ~ assumed charge Of
the escort. BraganZa had the arms OF his
prisoners bound al the elbows with cords
drawn across their backs lie next robbed
the Spauiards. They were then conducted
10 thg r1ce fields. At a preconcerted sig
nal, the blowing Of a whistle by the ac-
cused, tine guards fell upon their Victims
and slaughtered them with daggers. b0IOs,
clubs, and spears; the accused standing
by. encouraging, directing. and urging on
the barbarOus assault.
Those of the victims who were strong
enough. bound as they were made a
break f0T ubetry', and the accused ordered
Norfolk & Washington Steamboat 70
Delightful trips daily az $50 p. m from foot
9TH r. 20 0ld Point Comfort. Norfolk Virginia
Beach, and Newport News See sd. page z