The Washington times., 1902-05-04
Sergeant Hallock Tells Of
TortureS Inflicted to
Elicit Confession.
ALL BUT ONE KILLED LATER
Filipinos Subjected to Water Cure Tell
of Murder of Private 0'Hearn With
Bolos and Slow Fire-Pnsoners Shot
Trying to Escape.

Inquiry into the inhiction of the water
cure" on native Filipinos was resumed
yesterday by the Senate Committee the
first witness being l.. E. Hallock. of Wor-
cester. Mass. who was a sergeant of the
Twenty-sixth Volunteer Infantry, Com
pany /, but who was mustered out as a
private.
In answer 10 Chairman Lodge. Mr.. Hal
lock said that he had seen the water
cure" administered to several natives at
Leon, Panay. One OF the members of
Company l named o'Hearn had been MUIR
dered by Filipinos. Ten or a dozen ma
tives, who were suspected of completely
in the crimt were captured and the
| water cure" was given to them. They
then confessed that O'Hearn had been
roasted over a slow fire, and then boloed
The water treatment was given by mem
bers of Company I under orders from
First Sergeant Januarius Manning.
Effect of the Torture.
At this stage of the proceedings M.
Rawlins took up the examination of the
witness. In reply TO him, Hallock said
the water cure was inflicted on some of
the natives on August 2l. 1900. and on
others two days later. The effect of
the torture had been to cause their stom-
achs to distend, and he had seen blood
come from the mouths of some of them.
He had not taken part in giving the cure.
After the natives had confessed they
were confined in the guardhouse. Later.
while they were out working or while at
the river taking a bath, five OF the ma
tiyes were shot while trying to escape.
one was subsequently released, and all of
the others succeeded in escaping.
Were any of those killed who did not
escape?" asked Mr.. Rawlins.
Il think there was one who was given
his freedom was the reply.
Then all the others who did not es-
cape were killed except one?''
Yes, SIR
Villages Burned.
The witness said that he had known of
half a dozen villages being burned. He
had seen one fired and had been told OF
others, but he could not name the man
who had given him the information.
Asked whether it was usual TO apply
the water cure, witness said that any
time Information was desired the water
cure was given. and If the natives con-
fessed that they belonged to an insur-
gent community the town was burned
The first native to whom the water cure
was given confessed to the killing of
o'Hearn, and showed where the body was
buried.
Witness was not present at the time the
raf naip wara cd hut ha bar
later. They consisted Of pieces OF bones,
the head, and different parts Of the skele
ton. The only means Of Identifying them
was the confession of the natives, and the
fact that the surgeon who examined them
recognized the teeth, one of which he knew
O'Hearn had lost.
In response TO Chairman Lodge, witness
said that ON June 80. 1900, O'Hcarn, with
two other soldiers, was sent to floilo. On
their way back. and when about five or
six miles from the camp of Company l.
they were ambushed by about 100 insur
gents.
O'Hearn made a break TO escape, and
fell in with some natives who he sup
posed were friendly. They took him early
in the morning, and tortured him by cut
ting him with bolos and slow fire until
O'Clock at night.
Confessed by the Natives.
This was the confession of the natives
The Americans cid not know
of the treatment given to O'Hearn until
after the water cure had extracted the in
formation.
The natives at first denied knowing any
thing about o'Hearn's death, but after
the water cure was given them and when
the question was asked how they had kill
ed him they told the story.
The witness. in reply to Mr.. Patterson,
said the only reason for administering
the water cure was TO secure from the |
natives what information they had as TO |
the death of OHearn. After their con- |
Iesson, so far as he knew the prisoners |
were not brought TO trial for the murder. |
they were kept in jail seven or |
eight months. |
Answering Mr.. Beveridge witness said |
that the prisoners were well treated, and |
got fat during their confinement.
Generally the American soldiers and the |
filipinos among whom they were located |
we're on friendly terms
The Identification of the body OF 0'Hearn |
by the surgeon was most positive; GER
.ainly the remains were those OF an
American.
Mr. Burrows inquired more particular
y as 10 what became OF twelve Filipinos |
given the water cure for the murder OF |
)Hearn.
Witness explained that six of them es-
q ped at different times; four OF them
we're shot while trying TO escape one day,
nd he had seen their bodies; one more |
vas shot another day while trying TO es-
ape. and the last enc was subsequently
eleased.
This concluded his examination. and the
ommittee then went into executive ses-
ion.