The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-02-19
GEN. FUNSTON denies
CHARGES OF CRUELTY
Statement About Water Cure
Torture Declared False.
LIEUTENANT BATSONS TESTIMONY
Chief of the Macabebe scouts Sup
ports Kanshn'S POSItiOn-Secretary
Root Praises Army In Report to
the senate.

1T is an atrOcious lie, without the
slightest foundation OF fact is the way
General Funston characterizes the report
which was called to the attention OF the
Senate last week, namely, that the water
cure is the favorite tcs5ure Of the Amer
lean, especially of the Macabebe scouts. to
force the natives to give information. and
that soldier who was with General
Funston had stated that he had helped
to administer the water cure - $50 na-
tives, OF whom all but twenty-six died ="
General FunstOn's vigorous Genial.
which is supplemented by a letter from
Lieutenant Batson. commander Of the
Macabebe scouts. to the same enec1 was
sent to the Senate today by the Secre-
tary Of War, together With the records
Of thirteen enquiries into similar charges.
The papers we're sent to Senator Lodge
in reply TO a personal letter to the Secre-
tary asking for information regarding
the reports and charges Of cruelty and
oppression exercised by cur soldiers to-
ward natives OF the Philippines.
OmciaI Records Quoted.
The Secretary says the rules governing
our soldiers in the islands are the same
promulgated under Abraham Lincoln in
1883 Continuing, he says:
Il send you a memorandum of Al Of
feers, soldiers, and camp followers who
have been tried and SO OF them con
vieted for violation OF such orders as
are above mentioned. The war on the
part Of the FiIipinos has been conducted
with the barbarOus cruelty common
among unciviiized races and with general
disregard Of the rules OF civilized war
fare. They deliberately adopted the pol
icy OF killing all natives, however pitt
fuI who were friendly to our Govern
ment, and in literally thousands OF in
| stances these poor creatures. dependent
upon our soldiers for protection, have
been assassinated.
THE Filipino troops have frequently
I fired upon our men from under protection
Of flags OF truce, tortured TO death Ameri-
[ car prisoners who have fallen into their
hands. buried alive both American prison
/ ers and friendly natives, and horribly mu-
| tilsted the bodies OF the American dead.
Retaliation Not Improbable.
That the soldiers fghting against such
an enemy and with their own eyes wit
Messing such deeds. should occasionally
act regardless Of their orders and retaIiate
by uniustihable severity is not Incredible
Such things happen in every war, even
between two civilized nations. and they
always will happen while war lasts.
That such occurrences have been sane
toned or permitted is not true. A con
! slant and effective pressure OF prohibition
precept and discipline has been maintain
ed against them That there has been
any such practice is not true.
Cruelty Not n characteristic.
THE cases have been very few and far
between, scattered infrequentiy over a
great area of country along the course OF
three years Of active conflict through
thousands OF engagements and among
many thousands OF troops. That these oc-
casionaI cases have characterized our
army or Its conduct Is not true any more
than the deeds OF Iawless violence which
constantly occur in every large city char
aeterize the people Of that city
High Praise for the Army.
THE war in the Philippines has been
conducted by the American army with
scrupulous regard for the rules Of civil
lied warfare, with careful and genuine
consideration and with humanity, never
surpassed, II ever equaled, in any conflict,
worthy only Of praise and rejecting credit
upon the American people"