Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-04-24
ial use. Here they received attention
from the same doctors who had charge
of the wards occupied by the Ameri-
can soldiers"
MISPLACED JUSTICE.
Filipino Official Rules With Absolut.
ism of Car.

~
of government is manifested by Incl
dents which happen every day in the
localities where the natives are being
allowed to partake in the administra-
ton of AFFAIRS" said well-known OF
tumwa man today who had spent con-
siderable time in the islands during
the opening months of the insurrec-
ton, Many of the natives are natur-
ally bright and quick about taking up
things, but the majority display a
great lack of realization as to how
matters of government should be ad-
ministered or at least they often de-
part from the eternal fitness of things
in the exercise OF the powers of gov
eminent with which they are vested.
Under the wise and judicious tutilage
of the United States together with the
general education and enlightenment
of the race there appears in the dis
tant years hope that the native Fill
pino will come to be capable of self
government"
The Genus Filipino.
An incident is related of the man
ner in which Filipino justice of~the
peace interpreted and administered
the law in his court With the abso-
lutism of Russion czar he passed
Judgment and imposed fine upon one
who was not party to the case men
toned The story is told in an article
in the Manila American, sent by DR..
Harry j. Watson, formerly of Ottum-
wa. but now seeing service in the far
east as surgeon:
The modes Of the genus Filipino
are many and peculiar, but when one
of the gentry gets a little brief author
ity he is worse and more of it. In
the festive suburb of Pasay, where
nightly are heard the click of the roll
ing cubes and the sing-song voice Of
the roulette man, there resides JUS
tice of the peace who in legar proceed
ure shows the originality of genius.
Men in Well.
s'There also reside in Pasay several
persons who compose the "dramatis
personae' of the present comedy. One
of these is native named Carel, who
was kept pretty close under surveil-
lance by the military authorities
year or SO ago. He owns a small plot
of ground near the race track, which
he rents to gambling concern. Ad-
joining his place in another lot owned
by Mrs. Haynes and rented to
man named Rees. There is a large
well or cesspool on Rees' lot and when
the habitues of the nearby resorts lose
their equilibrium they have playful
habit of falling into the we'll. Rees
finally became tired of getting out of
bed to haul them out and placed
fence of three bamboo rails along
row of trees which was supposed by
him to mark the party line.
Trouble Begins.
Then appears Carel with an axe
and demolishes the fence and with
violent gestures threatens Rees with
the same fate. Rees abstained from
any violence, but lodged complaint
before the justice, to which not the
slightest attention was paid. Then
Carel lodges his complaint and in
short order Mrs. Haynes. whose only OF
tense was her ownership of the prop
erty, was notified that she had been
tried and found guilty of 'usnrpation"
and sentenced to pay fine, including
costs, of II pesos.
! Sonora "Care Combate."
| Next appears on the scene Mephis
topheles in the person of Charles
George, Hungarian, who tells the
widow that he thinks he can fix it so
that she can get off by paying the
costs. Instead of accepting his mag
unanimous offer she HES herself to Ma
Mia and consults a lawyer. This, it
would seem, struck terror to the
heart of the village justice and he sent
word that the fine had been taken
from the widow and placed on Rees.
Fine Fixed at Seventy One Pesos.
THE justice, when interviewed yes
4 terday. stated that Mrs. Haynes had
1 been at his Office and that he had read
| the complaint to her, and stated thai
| he himself had visited the scene of the
trouble and had seen that the proper
4 ty line was usurped. He then told hel
i that her fine was fixed at II pesos ant
1 asked her what she had to say in hel
i own defense. She had nothing at al
j to say and his honor didn't seem tt
understand that her standing mute
was equivalent to plea of not guilt.
u and therefore necessitated the intro
duction of testimony. Moreover, Mrs
Haynes denies that she was ever ques
toned on the subject.
His Power Absolute.
"The substance of the matter is thai
without the slightest formality Of {
4 hearing, the judge has, on complain
made against Rees, assessed fins
against Mrs. Haynes, and then whel
! he found that she had little fighting
blood transfers the fine to the origina
defendant. Probably such legal no
cus-pocus was never heard Of before.
1T is claimed that the animus o.
the whole matter lies in the fact thai
Rees and Mrs. Haynes are supposed
, to have given information against al
insurgent agent at Pasay, but it o
course cannot be imagined that per
, son holding an Office under the Amer
, lean government would make his au
thority the vehicle for the vengeance
!, of insurgents"