The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-01-01
BUTCHER" WEEYLER IS BEING
OUTCOME By The lAMERIGdNS.
0hlssPaints an Appalling Picture
of War Horrors in The Phil
ippines.
Extracts from Correspondence of Jos

Extracts from Correspondence of Jos.
Oil in Atlanta Constitution.
Cebu, Island of Cebu, P. 1.-The
highly civilized and altogether hu-
name methods that characterized the
rule of the gentle Weyler in Cuba are
being resorted to by the American
Visayans of this island of Cebu, of
Bohol, and would be put into effect in
Samar if the conditions were favor
able. Whole villages have been burn
ed by the orders of the general COM
manding this district, and the recon
centrado policy of which we heard so
much in Cuba is about to be put into
operation here, if. indeed, it cannot
be said to have already been insti-
tuted. General Hughes believes that
war is hell,' as Sherman said, and
be is giving the people of Cebu taste
Of the birthstone.
Only few nights ago an American
officer boasted that be is known as the
Weyler of the district where he is in
command. He also said-though it
proud of being so called.
The people of the United States have
no conception of the conditions pre-
vailing down here. If they had, a
howl would go up from one end of the
country to the other. Army officers
tell of these things in confidence, but
nothing is said with the idea that it
shall get to the outside world. have
no doubt that when this appears in
The Constitution there will be a
chorus of denial; and yet am writing
only that which I get from the very
best authority.
General orders have been issued
that whosoever shall in any way give
aid and comfort to the enemy shall be
visited with dire punishment; that
his house shall be burned over his
head and that he himself shall be dealt
with as severely as is possible.
The officer commanding the battalion
over on Bohol has been given instruc-
tions to kill off everybody suspected of
connections with the insurgents. He
has been told that these orders give
him the widest latitude; that he is not
to be very particular whether the sus-
pect is bearing arms or has been; if
he is a suspect, he is to be treated as
an outlaw and shot down.
The people are to be brought in from
the country and cooped up in the
towns those who refuse to come are
to be hunted down. The only differ
ence can see between this and the
Weyler methods which brought down
the wrath of the world upon the head
of Spain, is that the Filipino recon
centrados will in all probability be
fed better than the Spanish fed those
in Cuba.
These drastic measures are consider
ed necessary by General Hughes be-
cause conditions on this island and its
little neighbor Bohol are worse today
than they have been at any time.
Army officers who tell of these orders
say they think them necessary in Or
der to put speedy end to the troubles
and argue that it will all turn out
best for the FiGpinos, even if they
lose their lives as the result of it all.
Passing Cebu island at night, 1 saw
village in the hills not far from the
beach in the process of being burned.
| could not see, of course, who set it
on fire, but from what I had been told
I incline to the belief that it was fired
by the American soldiers. The prop
erty of innocent people was doubtless
destroyed in that conhagration along
with the property of the guilty. They
who have made their lives in that viii
lage know that war as it is being now
conducted is hell.
do not mean to be a sentimentalist
on this subject, but some of the stories
I have been told are calculated to
arouse the sympathies Of anybody.
General Hughes told me of the burn
ing Of one town. He said 1t had been
found that the people Of that town had
entertained some of the insurgents
giving them food and aid. The condi-
tions in cases like this, as they have
ben told me by officers, would indicate
that the charge is technically correct.
The people Of this village were waited
upon By party OF the Filipinos who
were armed with guns and tolos.
They We're informed that the iasurgent
army expected SO much rice. or corn,
so many chickens and q stated amount
OF money.
Il these requests were refused, they
would be very promptly boioed. They
were helpless In The hands Of this arm
eG band and, with all tie haste posi-
bic, proceeded to produce. Then they
were orl.ered TO JOIN in and give heir
pleasant visitors a feast. Needless TO
say, they did. Our soldiers, getting
wind OF this act OF giving aid ana
comfort 10 tie enemy, proceeded to
burr tae town under orders, Of
coarse. TIE people who have inAabit-
ed chat town were threatened with
death If they refused tee demands Of
the insurgents. and would have got Is:
Shey have had their houses burned
over their heads because thcy were
anxious to save their own lives.