Evening star., 1902-02-15
ATROCIOUS MURDERS
TRIALS OF FILIPINOS BY MILL
TARY COURTS.
A Degree of Cruelty Revealed Surpass.
ed Only by the Most Savage
American Indians.

An official Philippine mail just received
at the War Department contains the rec
ords OF trials of natives before military
commissions the majority of which were
cases of murder of the most atrocouS char
acter
A native named Estanislao Silvana was
tried and convicted of the charge Of mur-
der. According to the evidence he. with
other outlaws forcibly seized, carried to an
isolated spot and there garroted Lverato
Arcebal, an employe of the United States,
by first bin ding him to tree, wrapping
about his throat pliable piece of green
bamboo and pulling the ends thereof until
the victim was choked TO death. The ac-
cused was sentenced to be hanged but
Gen. Chaffee communted the sentence to
Imprisonment at hard labor for thirty
years
Pedro Bandol and Tomas Vargus were
tried for murder, having, with other out
laws forcibly taken from his home Chi
naman, whom they bound and buried in
the sand up to his neck. and then cut his
throat. The only disclosed motive for the
crime was that the Chinaman seemed To be
friendly with the United States authorities.
Both men were sentenced to be hanged. but
Gen. Chaffee commuted the sentence OF
Pedro Bandol to life imprisonment.
For boloing "a sergeant or police OF the
pueblo of Baretac Nuevo Giro Deocampo
was sentenced to death by hanging. The
sentence was approved by Gen. Chaffee.
In another case Gregorio Jocson, cap
tain Of an insurgent company, was con-
victed of murder In two cases. one OF his
victims was the presidente of the town Of
Loco. Batangas. The prisoner was SEN
fenced to be hanged. 1t was charged
against him that he caused three natives
to be buried alive. Gen. Chaffee disap
proved the sentence and ordered the ac-
cused to be set at liberty the general
ground of insufficiency of evidence. But.
aside from the merits OF the case, says
Gen. Chaffee in his review. (which in f. r
ness to the accused have been set forth,
the trial had upon the charges cannot be
approved. The offense charged was COM
mitted within the lines and practically
within the camp OF the insurgent forces.
and directly affected their methods Of dis
cipline. All the parties involved Were in
surgents the deceased presidente holding
the highest military rank. The laws OF
war do not contemplate. nor could they
wisely assume to regulate, the discipline OF
the armed forces of the opposing belliger
entS."
A native named Pedro Corpus was sem
fenced to death for the murder of native
prisoner Of the United States. confined in
the military guard house, whom he at
tackled while asleep and beat to death with
a piece of tile flooring. His only excuse
was that he acted under the orders of his
guerrilla chief $50 long as men may Sc
cretly give orders to murder or assa ssinate
their fellows" says Gen. Chaffse i'm ap-
proving the sentence land re2 lilly find
other men of such dastardly spirit to
obey their infamous orders. there can be no
safety for law-abiding men. Upon all such
criminals the seVereSt penalties of the law
must be invoked until the reign of the as
sassin throughout these islands shall cease,
and the reign Of just laws be made effect
i've for the protection of all persons in
their right to life, liberty and property.
For screaming and making noise during
the kidnapping Of her husband and family
Cipriano Mendoza. n native woman, was
stabbed to death by Modesto de la Cruz.
chief of band of outlaws He was SEN
fenced to death, and the sentence was ap-
proved
Francisco Carlos. Silvestre Bollecer and
Graciano BOlosaneS We're tried the
charge of numbering four peaceful natives
The last two named prisoners were sem
fenced to death and Francisco Carlos was
acquitted. 1t seems that a party Of ma
tives, men and women. living in Alang-
Alang. went into the country for the pur-
pose of digging camotes and securing other
means of living, and while there We're ap-
preached by band of bolomen, headed by
the accused, and charged with being
"Americanistas." because they lived in a
province under American authority and
protection, after which all were murdered.
Francisco Carlos. who was acquitted. has
been ordered set at liberty. The others
We're hanged.