Evening star., 1902-05-08
SAW THE WATER CURE"
TESTIMONY OF FORMER voLUN-
TEER SOLDIERS.
Hearing Before the Senate Committee
Friendly Filipinos Treated With
Kindness by Hughes Orders.

1sadore H, Dube of watertowu, Mass,
formerly sergeant OF Company A, 26th Vol
rnteer Infantry, and who also served on
the metropolitan police force of Manila, to-
day testified before the senate committee on
the Philippines regarding the treatment of
Filipinos by United States soldiers, par
ticuiariy the administration of the water
cure. His service, he said, covered a period
Of sixteen months as a soldier and four
months a member of the metropolitan
police force of Manila. While doing duty
at Jaro, in the Island Of Panay, he con-
veyed native, apparently of wealth and
education, to the house of Lieutenant Con-
ger, 18th Infantry, where the lieutenant.
Major Glenn and three privates of the 18th
Infantry administered the water cure, ap-
parently without any cause.
he then cited case, in response to dues-
tlonlng, where woman was put into a
guard house with fifteen male native pris-
oners, the order for her Imprisonment be-
Ing by direction of Major Glenn. He could
not state that she suffered any indignties.
Burning of Houses.
The witness described the burning Of
houses during a march across Panay and
told of the act of their native guide in
cutting off the head of a Filipino with a
bolo, before the troops could get him to
surrender.
Responding to question by Senator Bev-
eridge, the witness declared that Filipino
prisoners were treated exactly as Ameri-
can prisoners and received good substan-
tlal food They were required to work at
times, but this was no hardship. When
sick they were taken to American hos
pitfalls and treated by American surgeons
and nurses. As to the peacefully inclined
Filipinos he declared that the order of
n
kindness and set them an example, and
this was done.
Caused Murderers to Confess.
The witness was excused and January H.
Manning of Boston. formerly first sergeant
in the 2Gth Volunteer Infantry. was sworn.
He testified that the first time he saw the
water cure administered was on August
90 1900, at Leon, Island of Panay. He di-
rected the men under his command, in
response to an order from Captain Gregg
to apply the cure to some Filipinos who
We're supposed to have knowledge of the
murder of Private O'Hearn. He said that
Captain Gregg instructed him to be care
full not to abuse the prisoners. The wit
ness then described the cure and said that
sometimes it would take a good deal of
water to make the victim talk and some
times only little.
Answering Senator Patterson he said they
had no direct proof that these Filipinos
were the murderers of OHearn, although
the ringleader had talked enough about II
to place suspicion on number OF others.
The water cure caused them not only to
confess regarding others implicated, but
to implicate themselves. Some Of them
were given more than one application;
Answering Senator Dietrich the witness
said there was no doubt of the guilt of
the parties, and when asked by Senator
Culberson to explain why they were not
tried, said that before they could be
brought to trial they endeavored to escape
with the result that nine of them were
killed, two escaped and the others were
released.
Kind Treatment of Prisoners.
He had not, he said, witnessed the water
cure given to any but these murderers,
and answering a question by Senator
Beverdge, gave similar testimony TO that
of the preceding witness as to the kind
ness shown prisoners and the attention
given the sick and wounded by the Amer
leans.
In the summer of 1900, he had, he said,
witnessed the burning of several barrios by
United States soldiers. The houses were
supposed to be insurgent quarters. He also
had seen instances of burning on the part
OF insurgents.
He was closely pressed by Senators Gull
berson and Rawlins for information tend
ing to show that 1t was the general un-
derstanding in the army that the water
cure was to be applied wherever informa-
tlon was sought to be secured, but the wit
ness declared that no such rule obtained in
his company.
He was then excused and Senator Pat
terson made a request that Senorita Lopez
OF Boston, daughter of Sixto Lopez, be
summoned. 1t was decided to postpone
action on the request for a day.
The committee adjourned until tomor-
row.