The Savannah morning news., 1902-06-01
A GENUINE OUTRAGE
FACTS IN THIS CASE SEEM WELL
ESTABLISHED.
NATIVE OFFICIALS KILLED.
HIGHHANDED WORK BY SOLDIERS
IN SORSOGON.


Outrage Furnished by Gov. Living
stOne-FiIipinO officials Seized
While Investigating Charges
Against Suspects-TOrtured to
Make Them Talk and Then Put to
Death-Presidente Was Compelled
to Dig His own Grave, Then Shot
in the Back-Was Murder, Says the
Governor.
Washington, May 31.-The Secretary
of War has transmitted to the Senate
Committee on the Philippines, a copy
of a report made by j. G. Livingstone,
Governor of the Philippine province of
Sorsogon, of the killing by soldiers of
two native officials of the town of
Santa Magdalena of that province. One
of the men was the presidente of the
town named Ysidro Gallanosa, and the
other a policeman. The secretary of
the town, one Quinten CAN'T was also
tortured for the purpose of forcing a
| confession from him.
Gov. Livingstone says that a native
who was trusted by the American au-
thorities was sent to the town to spy
out men connected with the movement
known as the "Anting Anting" move
ment; that he arrested them and took
| the men with their papers before the
presidente and that while all were
there a detachment of troops under a
corporal entered and arrested all as
| insurgents. They were then taken be-
fore Lieut.. F. w. Harker of the Fiji
teenth Infantry, who put them to work
| on the streets. The report continues:
Hung Up to Make Them Talk.
1.-THE next day the presidente and
| CAN'T were taken out in the woods
and hung until their feet were nearly
off the ground and were asked if they
| would talk to which they replied that
| they would, naturally. They were re-
! turned to Matnog, where the secretary
was again questioned by Lieut. Har-
J ker as to the conduct and character of
| the presidente, giving, according to his
| (the secretary's) statement satisfac
tory answers. He was returned to the
! Jail, and later he, with the presidente,
| and Ciriaco Fumes, a policeman of
! Magdalena, were again taken to the
hills; being compelled to carry a rope,
a pick and a spade, and on reaching
certain spot the presidente was put
to work digging what would appear to
/ be grave. Then the presidente was
| bound and shot in the back. The sec
| rotary states he saw all of this him
self and also saw the policeman bound
in the same way and little later
heard shots which he presumed We're
| fired at the policeman as he was also
| killed"
The report also says:
ut is claimed that the presidente and
| policeman attempted to escape and the
soldiers concerned have made affida-
Wits to this effect, but 1 believe this to
be absolutely untrue"
The Governors Conclusion.
Gov. Livingstone concludes by Civ
| ing his own opinion of the case as fol-
| lows:
Upon careful consideration of the
| whole question, from my knowledge of
the conditions existing at the time and
from my personal knowledge of those
| most directly concerned, 1 am forced
| to the opinion that the original order
for the arrest of these men was abso-
| lutely unwarranted, possibly due to
| malinterpretation and overzealousness
| on the part of the corporal; that the
| two prisoners killed did not attempt to
! escape and that their killing was muir
| der"
Enclosed with the Governors report
| are affidavits of the private soldiers
who shot the presidente and also an
| affidavit from a native prisoner saying
that the presidente had allowed him
to escape for pay.
The other Side Presented.
There is also a report upon the case
| by captain of the Fifteenth Infantry,
| Capt. E. Wittenmeyer, as follows:
IT wish to call your attention to the
! fact that at the time this occurred,
some 400 prisoners had been captured.
most of whom were members of the
'Anting Anting' Society, and have no
doubt that the presidente was a MEM
Der of this gang. 1t is fact that cam
not be disputed that a company of Ant
ing Anting from Magdalena was In the
! fight at Gait, Sept. Z, and some of their
wounded were cared for by their presi-
! dente and his subordinates. There is
no doubt in my mind but that he was
| guilty of melting and sustaining insur-
rection and opposition against United
States forces