The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-25
CHARGES BEING
INVESTIGATED
Several Trials in Progress in the
Philippine Islands.
WAFER CURE KILLED PRIEST
GEN. MILES TAKING A LIVELY
INTEREST IN AFFAIRS.

AZ ANILA, Dec. 24.-Several oficiai
M inquiries into charges of alleged
cruelty to natives by soldiers are
at present progressing throughout the
islands. Some of these cases have been
Investigated previously
When General Miles was at Lima. in
the province Of Batangas, Luzon. GER
tain natives laid: charges before him
that during the campaign of recOncenz
tration American soldiers had commit
ted acts Of cruelty and violence. Cen
eral Miles referred the matters TO Gen
eral Davis. and the latter detailed
Colonel Morris {. Foote of the Twenty
ninth Infantry to investigate. COIonei
Norris c. Foote found the charge of
violence TO be untrue. but it is believed
he found in some cases that the water
cure had been administered. His report
VIII be sent to Washington.
Charges of Cruelty.
While General Miles was in ~the isl
ands, Major George X. Hunter of the
Fifteenth cavalry repeated TO him GER
tain charges which had been brought
against Captain Robert l. Howe of
the Sixth cavalry when in command at
IaOag, north Ilocos, Luzon, in 1900 AT
the time specified, Captain Howe was
lieutenant colonel of the Thirty fourth
volunteer infantry. Major Hunter said
that native officials of LaOag had
whipped certain prisoners, two of
whom died from the effects of this
treatment.
At the time of this alleged occurrence,
Major Hunter was serving at LaOag.
he reported the matter in a letter to
Governor TAFT, who informed General
Macarthur. Captain Howe denied the
charges. An investigation was ordered
and the bodies of the two prisoners who
died We're exhumed. in their report
the investigators held Captain Howe
to be blameless. General Miles brought
Major Hunter to the north of Luzon
and landed him at Laoag. before leav-
ing the islands for China. At present
Major Hunter is in Manila. He says
the investigation into the charges
against Captain Howe has not yet
been completed.
Bell Asked to Specify.
After leaving Manila, General Miles
sent cablegram to General Bell di-
recting him to report what cases of
misconduct on the part of the enemy
had led him to issue circular number
5. 1t was charged that the enemy had
boloed American wounded, had made
use of American uniforms, had planted
internal machines, shot poisoned ar
rows, violated their paroles, assas-
mated friendly natives, accepted Office
under the Americans for the purpose of
obtaining information and had entered
the American lines by deceit. General
Bell has written an extended report
enumerating the instances which justi- /
fed him in his action.
The inquiry into the causes which led I
to the death of Father Augustine has /
been completed and forwarded to I
The water cure was adj !
to Father Augustine at Ba- /
nate, Panay island. the priest dying l
from the effect of this treatment 1t is l
said that a large sum of money has /
been raised amongnthe natives of the |
southern islands and sent to Boston to /
aid in the private prosecution OF the l
case. The claim has been /
made that this money was intended for /
use against Major Edwin F. Glenn Of 4
the Fifth infantry, who is charged with /
and wilfulIy killing seven
prisoners of war, and whose trial will 1
be continued here in January Major /
Glenn. however. was in no way con
nected with the Augustine case.