Waterbury Democrat., 1902-03-06
CRUEL TREATMENT
American Officers Will Have
 Court Martial at Manila.
SHOT A NATIVE BY INCHES.


 Thigh, Arm and Body on Three Sue
 cessiye Days-Friends of the Men
 Who Perperated the Deed Attribute
 Their Actions to Loss of Mind Due
 to Many Priyations.
 Manila. March GA court martial has been ordered to try Major Little ton W. T. Waller and Lieutenant John H. 4. Day of the marine corps, March IT next, on the charge of executing na- tives of the island of Samar without trial. Some of the circumstances n the case are peculiarly atroeious. One native was tied to q tree and publicly shot in the thigh The next day the man was shot in the arms. The third day he was shot In the body, and the fourth day the native was killed.
 Friends of the two officers attribute their actions to loss of mind, due to the privations which they have sui fered in the island of Samar.
 The privations suffered by Major Waller and Lieutenant Day, referred to in the dispatch from Manila to-day, were probably endured during the ex- petition of Major Waller and q de tachment of marines, who started d'lr- ing the last week Of December, 1901. from Ianag. on the east coast of Samar, to cross the island to Basey, about thirty-five miles. on the map. In- cessant rains from the start, swollen streams and other natural obstacles made the marines progress extremely slow. and when their rations were con- sumed the men became exhausted rap- Idly and dropped along the way.
 Major Waller became separated from his brother officers, Captain Porter an1 Lieutenant R. P. Williams. and the greater part of the men, and proceeded toward Basey, where he arrived on January g. with two officers and thir- teen men, and also Lieutenant Lyles of the Twelfth infantry. who accom- panied the command The major re- turned to the mountains the next day for relief. but turned back to Basey, about ten days later his trip having been unsuccessful
 Captain Porter was to have built rafts, but the timber would not float. The second day after separa ting from Waller Captain Porter moved towards Lanang. where he arrived January II with two men. all exhausted physical " and mentally. Lieutenant Williams and over thirty men were left in the mountains in similar condition. X relief expedition reached the marines January Is and saved Lieutenant Will Hams and all his companions. with the exception of ten men who were not found and who undoubtedly died from starvation. Captain Porter. Lieuten- oir taken to the hospital at Tacloban. none of them clear in mind regarding much of the time covered by the period of suffering. Major Waller was disor- dered in his recollections.
 The official report of the war depart ment at Washington said the suffer- tngs of Major Walters command for twenty days could not be described.
 Major Waller rendered gallant ser vice with the United States marines In China during the march of the al- lied forces from the sea to Pekin He was appointed to the marine corps rom Virginia and was commissioned second lieutenant June 16, 1880. His nrst sea duty was on the frigate Lan- caster, in the Mediterranean. which vessel was present at the lombard ment of Alexandria. The Lancaster landed detachment of marines. in- cluding Lieutenant Waller who won distinction in breaking into 3 burning store and removing between 15.OOO and 20OOO rounds of cartridges at the risk of their lives. thus saving the lives of numerous foreigners who were living close by. Waller also rescued . score or more of Greek women from a hospital which had been set on fire A 6rsiO ladder out of bed clotIIng and low cred one woman after another safely to his men on the ground.
 Waller was promoted first lieuten- ant in 1885, and in 1890 he became captain and was stationed at the ma rlne barracks, Norfolk, from March 1891, to March, 1SS5. He again joined the Lancaster in September, 1895. and went to the Newark in July. 1896 Captain Waller was transferred to the Indiana when the destruction of the battleship Maine in Havana harbor in- dlcated war with Spain, and he had charge of the second battery of that ship. When Admiral Ceryera's fleet came out of Santiago harbor Walters battery fired | 744 shots in 65 minutes In November, 1899 Major Waller. who had been promoted to that rank July 25, 1899. was stationed at the marine barracks at Cavite, where he remained until early in June, 1900, when he sailed for Taku with detachment of 100 marines, and took part in thesfight- ing at Tien-Tsin, July Is, assisting in capturing a fort west of the north city
 After leaving China Major Waller returned to Manila, and from there, October 2, 1901, he went to the island of Samar with 330 marines. Soon af- forwards Major Waller attacked a force of insurgents occupying a strsng position at Sojton, and after two days desperate fight, carried the po- sftion. Two of the marines and 26 in- surgents were killed. Major Waller destroyed the insurgent quarters and 70 houses.