The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-06-21
MAJ. WALTERS MEN
PRAISE Hin HIGHLY
The Philippine Commander
Greeted in New York
SAYS He DID BEST he COULD
Declines to Discuss Alleged Cruelty to
Natives and the water Cure"-His
Marines Declare Court-Martial Was
Due to JeaIousy-Seeks a Rest.

NEW YORK, June 21.-Major Littlcton
". T. Waller. Of the Marine Corps, who
with 298 marines, Of Companies c, F,
and Il. First Battalion, has returned
from the Philippines, was given a warm
reception when he arrived at the Brook
lyn navy yard.
After a trip Of forty-one days, the
marines reached Jersey City at $50 a
m. yesterday. Major Waller. with $50
men. boarded the tug Marquette, and the
remainder followed on the tug Traffic
As the two Government boats steamed
into the Cob dock the Kearsarge's band
struck up Home, Sweet Home. Many
of the marines joined in the song. The
march 10 the barracks was lively,
Brought Tattered Flag.
All the men looked rem- bly, well
after an absence in the orient OF a
little more than three years, some Of
the marines having been in the Philip
pines q short time before Major Waller
reached there. Major Waller and many
OF his men have been IN the Orient two
years and ten months
One of the most notable mementos Of
the war brought by the marines is a
/ little flag dear to the hearts of all the
men Of the corps It is tattered. The
/ stars and stripes are there, and the
words u. s. Marine Corps are about
all that is left to identity the banner
4 that was carried through Luzon and Sa-
/ mar
( Six mon vrnra hrouobt homo III oud
! others were left ct Mare Island, being
/ too sick to so further.
} Glad to Be Home.
Major Waller was escorted to the res
idenee of Colonel Mead and there had
breakfast IN an interview he said:
/ 4 am glad to be home again, and I
feel pretty well, except for cold that
has gone all through my systeIa
/ There was hoarsencss in the majors
voice which bore out mis- words.
i was two years and ten months in
the Philippines" he continued. While
there twelve of my men died of starva-
/ ton But I cannot talk of my cam
paign until I make my official report,
/ which viii be in four days"
What about the killing and burning
of Samar natives and the water cure.
major?"
Men Stood by Him.
well. I do not care to talk about that
I was contaminated for that and did
not feel very well over it. It vas the
first time in my life that I had been
tried. I suffered a great deal: but 1 .un-
derstand was acquitted. I learned OF
this on the way home Ny men stood
we'll by me. and I did the best I could
1 for the service OF The United States.
an looking forward TO the time when
I can get leave OF abseE3e to rest and
get we'll at my home in Norfolk I ex-
pect I shall get this about the 1st OF
July"
All of Major Walters men speak high
/ " Of him Said one Of them: q was il
the Philippines before Major Waller got
there He is one of the best command
ers IN the United States service.
/ speak not only for myself alone, bat
for the whole battalion
Lay Trouble to Jealousy.
| Here several men spoke In approval
| The marine added:
"All this trouble about Major Waller
is simply jealousy on the part of the
. Z
people at home could sect that It was
the marines who did all the lighting
They cleaned up the hostile country. II
was the marines who landed first. and
it was the marines who did all the fight
ing afteTward. No one who has not
been there has any IDEA Of the hard
work done and the great obstacles IN
the way, yet Major Waller carried al
before him to the glory Of the United
States arms
Says Waller Was Not Cruel.
1T was a silly rumor to spread that
Major Waller deserted his men. He
was never that kind of a man He was
separated from his men when he and
several men went to get supplies and
tmedicine for the army. He had reached
: river that was swollen by thirty days
/ continuous rains The men wait5d, and
while they waited the major went him
self for supplies. There was never any
unnecessary cruelty"
The marines said that they felt that
all his orders we're Just and they car
ried them out Not single man was
found who would say that Major Waller
was cruel.
VIII Be Given q Sword.
NORFOLK. Va. June 81 - Prepara-
lions are now complete for the recep-
ton OF Major L ". T Waller on his re
turn 10 his native city, where he first
saw military service in the sixties as a
member Of the Norfolk Light Artillery
Blues. 4 banquet VIII be given him, on
which occasion q handsome sword viii
be presented by his friends here The
/ preparations were made by the military
Organizations and business men of the
/ city. Norfolk wiIEbe gayly decorated.