Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-21
GUNS WERE GIVEN UP
Effect on Filipinos of Water
Cure" Treatment.
GROVER FLINT'S STORY
BEFORE THE SENATE PHILIP
PINES COMMITTEE.
Witness Admitted That He Approved
of the Natives.

The Senate committee on the Philippines
today resumed the examination OF Witnesses
in connection with the investigation Of af-
fairs in the Philippine Islands
Grover Flint of Cambridge, Mass who
served first lieutenant in the 35th Vol
unteer Infantry, testified that early in
May, 1900, he had been a witness to the
water cure, as administered to the natives
by the Macabebe scouts. and that this was
done to get Information as to the where
abouts of their guns. The guns were de-
livered The following day some men OF
his own regiment applied the cure but their
act was without the authority of their COM
mandng officers. The Macabebes at the
time referred to were not under command
of commissioned officer, but under a SER
geant of the United States army. Flint
had been, he said, a witnesses TO at least
twenty cases of water cure. He never had
seen any one die as result of the cure.
but had seen a hospital corps man working
on a native who had been rendered uncon-
scious. 1t also had been reported to him
that one Filipino died from the effects Of
the water cure
ThSwitness then described the method Of
administering the cure, and said that in
some cases where it was given to old men
he had seen their teeth fall out.
Mr.. Flint, in response to a question by
Senator Dietrich said he present upon
these occasions Ito draw the line ex-
cesses." He did not recommend to his
major that the practice cease nor did he
give any orders to his men to stop the tor
ture.
Effect of Treatment.
Answering a question by Seneator Bur-
rows, the witness declared that the effect
of the cure was immediate, the victim in
variably turning in his gun a bolo and
giving information to the whereabouts
OF others. He said it was impossible to
judge whether the victims were insurgeut
soldiers or peasants, but they appeared to
be peaceable barrios or villagers. Some of
them were thrown down by force; others,
who were timid, would submit readily,
while those who resisted were simply held
the more tightly. The treatment. he said,
never got. to the point of great brutality.
Had Been Refused Commission.
Replying to a question by Senator Lodge,
the witness said that he had been refused a
commission In the regular army because
his colonel had reported him as using intox-
icating liquors to excess.
The witness deplored the raising OF this
question, but Senator Beveridge said 1t had
an important bearing on the case. Flint
denied that on any of the occasions when
he had witnessed the water cure was he
under the influence of liquor. He insisted
that in Justice to himself he ought to state
he was not drunk, but had been a careless
drinker. He had, he said, released several
men who did not appear to him TO be in
surrectos. Major Geary of his regiment
was always near, but had not interfered in
the administration of the cure. simply as
signing a commissioned officer to see that
the men did not go too far
After considerable questioning he finally
admitted that he approved of the water
cure, and responding to a query by Senator
Beveridge, said that it was not an Ameri-
can invention, but was as old as the "chron-
icles of Newgate."
Asked regarding Fnipinos in guard
houses, he said they were treated exactly
the same American prisoners except
that they were supplied with food which
army ration.
The Concentration Policy.
The witness described the burning OF
small villages, the idea being, he said, to
drive the people to the woods or 10 the
towns and concentrate them.
''Who did the army borrow that from?"
inquired Senator Culberson.
Il saw 1t in Cuba" answered the witness,
under the authority of General weyler."
The witness was then excused, and the
committee went into executive session.
The committee, in executive session, after
discussion, refused to call Edward Atkin-
son of Boston as a witness, but directed
that subpoenas issue for a number of SER
geants and privates who were witnesses of
the water cure The matter of calling Sixto
Lopez. Mabini and Aguinaldo was left for
future determination.
The committee then adjourned until Tues
day, April o. on which day General Mac
Arthur will again be heard.
Morals in the Islands.
Senator Lodge laid before the committee a
report by A. Lester Haziett, who was sent
to the Philippines by the w. c. T. L. OF
Columbus. Wis, to investigate the moral
conditions existing I'm the Philippines and
also alleged violations Of the anti-canteen
law. The report shows that the moral con-
dition in the islands is better than ever be-