Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-19
DENIED BY GEN. HUGHES
NEVER GAVE ORDER TO RESORT
TO THE WATER CURE"
Former Corporal o'Brien Testifies Be-
fore the Senate Committee on
the Philippines.


North Adams, Mass, of Company NJ, 2sth
Volunteers, who served in the Philippines
for eighteen months, was before the Sen
ate committee on the Philippines today
Before Mr.. O'Brien took the witness stand
Chairman Lodge laid before the committee
a letter from Gen. R. p. Hughes, inclosing
letter from Senator Culberson of the
committee to Capt. V. H. Bridgman of
Baltimore, Nd, and a reply to that let
ter. In his letter Senator Culberson said
he had been informed that Captain Bridg-
man could give testimony of having heard
General Hughes and other officers give
ders for the administration of the water
cure. Captain Bridgman's reply contained
denial of this report. General Hughes
in his letter said that If there was to be
an investigation it should be thorough. and
he inclosed roster of officers in his COM
mand whom he said he would like to have
summoned if his conduct was to be in
quired into.
Gen. Hughes Denial.
General Hughes in his letter said: 81 pre-
sumo there were about twenty-five thou
sand troops in my command, first and last
and 1 am certain that none of them can
truthfully assert that l ever consciously
verbally or in writing, directly or indi-
rectly, by sign or signal, authorized, in
SliuClSu VI any OF tneln TO use the
so-called water cure in any form of any
character whatever
Senator Patterson read a letter from w.
S. Sniffen of Boston concerning the letter
of a son of the Rev Mr.. Walker serving
in the Philippines, in which it was stated
he had given the details of the killing of
1000 Filipinos. Mr.. Sniffen said that not
withstSa nding Mr.. Walkers denial, there
was in his conduct and statements Justifica-
uon of the newspaper report.
witness o Brien after giving the names
of the places at which he had been sta
toned, said that he had been present at
lgbaras when the water cure was admin
istered to the presidente of that town.
Without entering into the details of this
proceeding Mr. O. Brien made a charge of a
serious nature against the American Off
GERS there. There was he said " a Span
ish woman in the town-a woman of edu-
cation-who was violated by the American
officers"
This statement was made without any
questioning and as soon as the witness
had made it Senator I.odge asked for the
names of the officers. These the witness
said he could not give, adding that he had
not witnessed the incident, but that the
wcman's husband was his authority for the
statement.
Senator'S Rawlins and Patterson objected
TO the testimony as mere hearsay and urged
that it should not go into the record
Ihe witness then was asked If he could
not give further proof of the correctness
of his charge.
Alleged Disorder at Reception.
In response he related another instance or
dfsorderly conduct which had, he said come
under his own observation. This occurred
at San Joaquin, the presidente of which
place gave a reception to which number
of native women were invited from Loilo.
'They were,' he said, above the average
not peasant women" Among those pres
ent We're: Capt. Mcdonald, Lieut.. Plumber
of Company NJ and Maj. Cook. The witness
said these officers became intoxicated and
while in that condition threw off all their
clothes except their undershirts and their
trousers, and catching the women about the
waists insisted upon their waltZng with
them, much to the disgust of the women
Further questioning brought out the fact
that o Brien' had not been on good terms
with Capt. Mcdonald. This was due, he
said, to the fact that Mcdonald had failed
to issue the rations due to his men. He
believed, though he had no proof that the
officer had sold the rations which should
have been issued to the men. He said they
had meat only twice week and bread only
twice during the entire eighteen months OF
his stay in the Philippines.
He went on to say that there was a price
on the captains head offered by the insur-
gents because of the officers cruelties He
told of seeing him strike a Filipino prisoner
over the head with a revolver and said
that the water cure was administered to the
same prisoner after he had taken the oath
Of allegiance.