The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-06-17
For Which FiIipinos Have Been
Executed and Imprisoned.
Organized Bands of Assassins
and Highway Robbers.
NO HOPE OF PEACE
Says Gen. Macarthur, Until Law
Abiding Citizens
Unite With the Authorities in
SURPRISING LaWIessness.

Washington, June IA Philippine
mail brings to the war department. the
records in eleven cases wherein Fill
pinos were tried by military commits
sions on charges including murder,
criminal assault, kidnapping, assault
and battery, burglary and violation of
the rules Of war.
An especially notable case arose out
of the operations OF a famous oath
bound band of Filipinos called the so
ciety of 'Sandatahans'' The principal
officers of this society. next to
triumvirate of chiefs. are a chief ex-
ecutioner and assistants, and a requisite
number of grave diggers who partic1-
pate in the Self-appointed work of the
band. The leaders select their victim,
capture and carry him away in the
night to a secret rendezvous on a sandy
beach covered with very tall grass,
where the diggers already have pre-
pared the grave. Here, in the presence
of the assembled band. helpless men
and women from time to time have
been stabbed to death and tossed into
the graves. The members of the band
then dispense and trust to the rise and
fall of the nearby waters to hide the
evidence of their CHASTITY work. Ten
members of the band. including two OF
the chiefs. were tried before military
committee, and eight or them We're SEN
fenced to be hanged In approving the
sentences, General Macarthur says:
ITO the reviewing authority it is evil
dent LnaL there can De no nope Oh peace
for the Filipino people, nor security
for their lives and property, until they
shall learn to unite against all bands OF
murdererS and aSSaSSinS, under what
ever name they shall assume. and come
to the assistance of the officers of the
law in their determination to bring
them all to justice
In another case an armed band OF
about twenty-five Filipinos carried
away nine of the inha bitants of the
Barrio of Casantulacian and by repeat
ed blows from the butts of their rifles
drove them to the Presidential of Ca
baruan. Here all hands drank freely of
vino, and the prisoners We're made
drunk. Then, according to the test1-
mony of two of the prisoners who
escaped the other seven were led off
in the direction of a grove of trees,
where two days later their beheaded
bodies were discovered. The members
of the band who were captured received
sentences of death in some cases and
Imprisonment at hard labor for varying
terms in others.
Four native policemen who had been
sent to gather wood for a detachment of
American troops were set upon, one OF
their number was Killed and another
which attacked them was sentenced to
twenty years Imprisonment.
A native named Miranda was tried
on four charges. A band under his
leadership ambushed, robbed and killed
two native brothers Later the accused
led his band against the country house
of a native, set it afire, looted its con-
tents and carried off into the fields
three daughters of the owner, robbing
them of their jeWelry. Three days
later his band attacked the town resi-
dence of the same native and thorough
ly sacked it. His last crime was the
murder of a native named Abelino who
frequented a gambling house kept by
his inamorita. for the sole reason that
AbeIino had not paid a gambling debt
Miranda was sentenced to be hanged.
Three natives were tried charged
with the murder of Private Henry F.
Shafer, com pany L, Seventeenth infan-
try. They were sentenced to be hanged,
but this was cOmmuted by General
Macarthur, in the case of two of them
to imprisonment for life, and in the
case of the other one to imprisonment
for twenty years.
Jose Baligod, the elect of
the pueblo of Tuao under the system
established by the American govern
ment. while exercising the functions of
his office became cognizant of Organi-
zation of a band in a neighborins
barris. for the purpose of attacking the
small garrison of nineteen American
soldiers Stationed at Tuao He traitor
ously co-operated with the leader of
the bitnd, advised him as to tie most
auspit ious time to make an attack in
tercepted a messenger sent to warn the
Americans, and otherwise trea cherous-
ly abused the trust of his Office. He
was sentenced to be confined at hard
labor for twenty years.
SeverinO de Guia, vice president of
RNcoor while returning in a carron alta
60 native vehicle) from San Nicolas.
Cavite province, was set upon by a ma
tive band. They struck the goodman
senseless, and carried off the vice
pre- sident and his two young sons, who
were with him at the time. Some dis
tance off they shot him dead before the
eyes of his children and flung his holy
on pile of rocks A member of the
hand who was captured was sentenced
to be hanged.
Three natives were tried jointly on
a charge of being a part of an armed
baud Of robbers which forced an en-
trance into the home of a native
robbed it of money jewelry and other
valuables, forced the inmates to come
out of the house, bound and maltreated
the men. and brutally assaulted the
women. Two of them We're sentenced
to imprisonment at hard 10 Dor for
twenty years and the other to in pris-
orment at hard labor for a term of
ten years.