Evening star., 1902-03-05
LESSON TO SENTRIES
NEED OF WATCHFULNESS ON
PART OF GUARDS.
Gen. Chaffee's Review Of Court-Mar-
tial Case in the Philippines-For-
getfulness of Duty.

"This case should serve as an object
lesson to all soldiers charged with the
duties of sentinels or guards over prison.
ers," states General Chaffee in reviewing
a court-martial case in the Philippines,
the record of which. along with those OF
several other cases. has been received at
the War Department The case referred
to was that Of native named Fiernes.
who was held by the American forces as
prisoner on a charge Of the larceny OF
a small amount of clothing. Viernes was
sent out into the fields near Paniqui. Tar
lac province. under the charge OF Private
John Q. A. Garter. Company L. 18th In
fantry, to cut bamboo with bolo furnish
ed him for that purpose. While so en-
gagged the native suddenly turned on the
American and stabbed and cut him to
death with the bolo. The native was SEN
fenced to be hanged
Said General Chaffee In reviewing this
case: while some measure Of mercy can
be found for any person who kills an
other having lawful power OF holding MIN
in a position of lifelong degradation, IN
order thereby to obtain his liberty: there
can, however, be no justification whatever
for taking the life Of a fellowman mere
ly to hasten the end of temporary re-
straint Of liberty. To accord prison.
ers any confidence whatever. and espe-
cially when armed as was this accused, Is
not only a most serious breach OF d1scf-
pline deserving severe punishment, but In
vites danger of death to the unthinking
soldier who so forgets his duty. In this
instance 1T is evident that the deceased
soldier invited his own destruction by re-
posing confidence in his armed prisoner.
AS that prisoner was only to undergo
brief period of Imprisonment for petty
offense. 1t would seem that the deceased
could not believe sufficient motive existed
for the accused to treacherously assail and
murder him. The murder was wanton and
frNy, fhn
dence that the accused is guilty thereof"
Because Julian Comurio. a native, re-
fused to permit Arcade Mendoza to marry
his daughter, Mendoza. with two Filipino
companions proceeded to the fathers
house at Bauang. Union province. carried
him away to a secluded place in the fields
and killed him with bolos and a dagger.
ComuriO and his two companions were SEN
fenced to be hanged
In another case General Chaffee rebuked
a military commission which tried three
natives on a charge of murder. Major
John c. Dent, 24th Infantry. presi-
dent of the commission. and Captain John
H. Beacom 9th Infantry, was its judge
advocate
General Chaffee declared that this COM
mission. against the proper advice and
objection of the judge advocate. admitted
the testimony OF the wives of two of these
accused and said that. aside from the
disregard of the weighty principles Of pub
lie policy and the unreasonable assump-
tion that such witnesses could be
biased the commission wasted valuable
time and increased expense merely to in
cumber its otherwise voluminous records
with this incompetent and inherently value
less testimony.
The natives were members Of a band
which broke into the house Of a Filipino.
killed him. and then robbed him Of money
and jewelry. The commission sentenced
them to be confined at hard labor for life.
but General Chaffee mitigated this SEN
tence to ten years imprisonment at hard
labor.