The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-04-22
Testifies at Length Before
Senate Philippine
Committee.
had seen ABOUT TWENTY CASES
Alleged Torture Used to Make Supposed
Insurrectos Turn Over Arms, and Re
suit was tantaneous-Atkinson Not
to Be Heard.

The Senate Philippines Committee yes
terday morning heard the testimony O!
Mr.. Grover Flint, of Cambridge, Mass
who described the infiiction of the water
cure torture on several occasions when
he had witnessed it. He served as a first
lieutenant of the Thirty-fifth Volunteer
Infantry.
The cure was administered by>Macabebe
scouts. the object being to get informa-
ton as to where there were guns. The
result was generally the/surrender of the
guns. The Macabebes. when administer
ing the torture, were not under the COM
mand of com pdssioned officer, but under
a sergeant of the United States army.
Mr.. Flint stated that he had witnessed
at least twenty cases of water cure. In
the case of old men he had seen their
teeth fall out. He himself was present
in order ito draw the line on excesses.' -
The effect of the torture was immediate
those who were subjected to it rushing
out to get their guns and bolos and sur
render them.
The Witness Cross-Examined
Senator Burrows - What offenses had
cure was applied?
Witness-They were supposed to be in
surrectos. l do not know enough OF the
language to understand what was said
between them and the Macabebes who
were putting them through this ordeal.
All that l knew was that the man who
was receiving the torture would go out
and get gun or bolo
Senator Patterson-About how many
were subjected to the torture when you
first saw it?
Witness-I cannot say; l can only guess.
1 think about thirty.
Senator Patterson What was the first
village in which you saw this torture
inflicted:
Witnes5--It was not billage, but a lit
tie barrio of about 100 houses.
Senator Patterson-And those on whom
the torture was inflicted were apparently
residents OF this little barrio?
Witness-They were.
Senator Patterson-They did not appear
to be soldiers?
and purposes, country people-peasants
or whatever you want to call them.
Senator Patterson - From about how
many men did they succeed in getting
guns?
witness-I do not know. except from
hearsay.
Queries by Senator Beverage
The witness was cross-examined by SEN
ator Beveridge with the object of max
fas- him admit that he had been habitualIy
LAS a matter OF @fset.&.Senator Bev-
eridge asked, "at the time you have been
testifying to, were you not quite fire.
luently under the influence of intoxi-
cants?"
Witness-No; do not think so. l think
can safely say no. 1 was typographical
officer at the time, and my typographical
work received favorable notice.
Senator Beveridge-Of course, you knew
perfectly we'll that you. as the officer on
the ground, had the right. aud that it was
your duty to stop any barbarity until you
could report to your superior officer?
Witness-I simply regarded my duty
there as being TO prevent anything excess
sive or extraordinary. l let several men
off who did not look to me as insur-
rectos.
Senator Beveridge-This water cure tor
ture, was it a Filipino invention or an
American one?
Witness-It is a very old torture. You
can ind notices Of it in the Newgatr
Chronicle.
An Executive Session.
At the close of Mr. Fnnt's testimony
the chairman said that General MacAr-
thur was present. but that there was no
time to hear him this morning; and he
suggested that the committee hold IN ex-
ecutiye session.
Senator Patterson expressed the opin-
ion that, as the matter TO be decided in
executive session related to the summon
ing of witnesses. it should be heard in
the presence of the public.
The committee then voted five to four
to go into executive session.
After the doors were closed it was de-
cided to summon several witnesses who
had seen service in the Philippines. prin-
cipally petty officers and privates of the
volunteer army.
The request of Edward Atkinson, the
noted nti-imperialist of Boston, to lay
mis- views before the committee was taken
up end by party vote the committee de-
clined to hear him. The majority took
The ground that Mr.. Atkinson had no per-
sonal knowledge of conditions in the Phil
ppines, and 1t was not worth while taking
he time of the committee. Facts, not
theories, were what the committee want
I'd. it was held.
The question of summoning AguinaIdo.
Mabini. Sixto Lopez, and other Filipino
leaders, which was urged by the minority,
was not decided.
Owing to the fact that several mem
oers of the committee would be absent
Turing the coming week, adjournment was
taken until week from today.