The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-25
he DENIES THAT
THERE WAS CRUELTY
Son of Mrs. H. c. Manson Of
This City Has Timely Inter
view in the Republican.

In a recent issue of the San Francisco
Republican is printed a timely and ex-
ceedingly interesting interview with one
of the soldiers who fought under Gene
raj Jacob Smith against the Filipinos,
in which interview the alleged cruelty
to inhabitants of the island is denied.
The young soldier who made the state
ment is, B. P. Watson. son OF Mrs.
H. G. Manson, No. 313 East Franklin
Street. Of this city. Mr.. Watson has
been in the army for eight Years and IN
the Philippines for two years. He is
now recruiting officer in Denver, and
will soon go to Fort Douglass. Utah.
The notice published in the Republican
concerning Mr. Watson is as follows:
Il have been in the Philippines for
wear said Bernard P Watson at the
American House last night. Il served I'M
der Gen. Jacob Smith the greater part or
that time, and 1 never saw any evidences
of cruelty aside from what would be e&-
pected during war. The only instances
or water cure being administered that
ever heard of We're when Filipnos gave
it to men of their own race. 1t Is an
ola Filipino custom. but did not kEo"
of an instance OF the American soldiers
adopting it.
Il was in Samar during the greater
part of my service in the Philippines.
and for most of that time l was In the
command of Gen. Jacob Smith. who. l
understand since came home, Is under
going court-martial for alleged cruelty.
l did not know of any instances where
that charge could be brought against
him truthfully. and in ak the time was
there / found him much more severe 10
men OF his own army than he was 10
the natives. This was necessary. for we
J11, trf,a n
borhood and it was important to keep
the soldiers within bounds or they would
have been slaughtered. He issued an
order that any soldier who went out OF
camp without his gun and belt should be
fined a months pay and be sent TO tne
guard house, provided he came back
alive.
I'VE were chasing Lulsban. the Fill
pino leader in Samar. great part OF
the time we We're in the Islands, and the
natives We're especially hard to manage
It was desired to get them to come IN
and surrender. and in order to do this
we were ordered to burn their huts and
capture the natives. 1t seemed the only
way that they could be overcome. or
course, there were cases when harsh
treatment was necessary. On one occa-
sion n sentry was down ON the beach
with three natives doing some work,
when in an incautious moment one or
the Fifipinos struck the sentry with some
implement he was working with and
snlit his head open. The officer in COM
mand ordered three of the prisoners shot
in retaliation for the deed. and he In
formed the Filipnos that the next time
such thing happened he would order
six of their number saot. but it did not
happen again
..In all the time was In the Philip
rines never saw q woman shot by the
American soldiers. Y s, there was one.
but that was because she would not halt
when ordered. and she was aiding the
Filipinos to, escape. She was not killed.
the bullet grazing her arm. The women
are much more ready than the men to
come into camp and when they did they
had to be protected because the insur-
recsos killed them as soon as they caught
them again. was discharged from the
army in March, and Is5came direct to