Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-06-13

Evans, of DeS Moines, Ia, formerly
a sergeant of Company F. Thirty-sec-
ond volunteer infantry, yesterday tes-
titled before the senate committee on
the Philippines concerning the admin
iStratiOn of the water cure to Filipinos
on four different occasions during his
service in the islands. He also related
the particulars of the burning of sew
eral native villages. He was ques-
toned by Patterson, Beveridge and
AIcCOmas. All these events occurred,
witness said. during the year 1900, in
the province of Batan, island of LuZOn,
and in or near the town of Orano,
where his headquarters We're. Three
of the cases of water cure occurred
outside the town. In one case the
cure was administered by native
scouts and in the others by a United
States soldier.
Describes the First Case.
The first case occurred at a little
town where there We're supposed to be
some insurgents. The scouts picked
out the suspected people and, taking
one of them to nearby creek,
poured a quantity of water into his
mouth from Il canteen. The purpose
of this, as in other cases. was to Sc
sion during an expedition to neighbor-
ing islands the witnasS said that he
had seen II United States soldier take
two suspected natives into the water
and duck them, holding them under
for perhaps half minute at a time.
He secured n confession as to the
hiding of guns in one case. but none
i'll the other. After the first case of
ducking the victim seemed. witness
said. to have been quite disabled, be-
ing apparently so weak that he was
unable to rise.
Burning of Villages Ordered.
In another instance of the admins
tration of the water cure in OranO a
tooth of the victim was knocked out,
but so far as he know no other injury
was inflicted. Evans said he had been
present at the burning of four or
five native villages, and that the de-
structiOn of those places had been due
to the presence of insurgents. The
orders We're to destroy all the native
hutS along the coast near the noun
tains for thirty miles in Batan pro-
vince. so as to force the natives to
come in; and this. he said. was done.
DID NOT RESPOND TO KINDNESS
Would Not Tell Where Arms Were Hid
den Unless Forced to Do So.
Replying to questions by Beveridge
the witness said the orders to the
troops We're to treat the natives hu-
namely, and that with the exceptions
noted their treatment had been in ac-
cordance with these Instructions The
natives had not, on the other hand |
shown any appreciation of this con-
Sideration. They refused to divulge in |
formation in their possession and in |
many cases they subjected the United |
States troops to indignities. In one |
case. he said. where two soldiers We're |
killed. their ears were cut off.
Edward J. Norton. of Los Angeles, |
late private in Company l.. Eighteenth |
United States infantry, was the next
witness. He served two years in the
island of Panay. Answering questions |
Norton stated that except in solated |
cases the treatment accorded the ma |
tiveS by United States soldiers was |
humane and all that could be eX-
pected or desired" In the isolated |
cases referred to he said the treatment |
was not consistent with humanity and |
the laws of war.
He then related from hereSay the |
story of the administration of the
water cure to the vice presidente of
San Miguel and n native policeman, |
and described one occasion where he
had assisted in water curing" a ma
tive. The mans mouth, he said. was
forced open with a stick and the water
pourned down the throat. The effect |
of the treatment was temporary |
In this particular case,
he said. the native after receiving the
cure delivered up a number of rifles
and pistols. 1T was the practice in
through villages" the wit
ness related, when fired upon by the
natives. to Immediately burn their
houses"
He said that the FilipinOs regarded
the kindness of the troops toward them
as Il weakness and became bold in con-
sequence; also that the general un-
derstanding in the amry was that the
policy of General Hughes was one OF,
kindness and humanity. He took is
sue with Culberson on the subject of
the burning of villages, and declared
It to be Il military necessity.