Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-04-21
CURE.BYW WATER
To CONGRESS
DESCRIBED
SERGEANT DAVIS TELLS HOW
THE TREACHER0US NATIVES
WERE FORCED TO TELL THE
TRUTH TO AMERICANS.

WASHINGTON, April T.-Edward ].
Davis. of Greenfield, Mass, who was
sergeant in company NJ. Fourth volunteer
infantry was before the senate commit
tee on the Philippines committee today.
He was present in the convention at
Iebaras. November q, 1900. when the
''water-cure" was administered to the
presidente of the town Of Igbaras, as tes-
tilted to by Sergeant Riley and Private
Smith, and related the incidents connected
therewith.
and questioned by Senator Rawlins. He
spoke of the arrival of the regulars under
the command of Captain Glenn. He said
that under orders from Captain Glenn, ne,
with a squad, had taken the presidente
into custody on November q. and had es-
eorted him to the convent where the
cure" was administered.
He repeated the story Of the torture OF
the presidente. adding some details. The
man was, he said, about 40 years old.
When he was taken in>o the convent he
was asked to give information as TO
whether runners had been sent out to no.
tify the insurgents of the arrival OF the
scouts in town. Refusing to do THIS the
water detail" consisting of two privates
of the Eighteenth infantry, was ordered
by Captain Glenn to strip him. The man $
clothing was removed and his hands tied
behind him, when the cure was admins
tered.
''He was then" the wItness said. taken
to the water-tank and thrown upon his
back and while an interpreter stood over
him, a stream Of water was directed into
his mouth, which was held OPEN
who gave the command for this treat
ment?"
Captain Glenn"
How was the mans mouth kept open?'
by means of a stick. but Ircould not
see just how 1t was DONE"
Continuing the witness said that the
victim was filled with water. The mem
bers of the detail would force 1t out Of
him by rolling their fists over his stomach
and that the process was kept up for
about ten minutes. He described the sec
ond application of the cure as previously
testified by Sergeant Riley. He said Cap
tain Glenn and Lieutenant Conger were
not present when 1t occurred.
Mr.. Davis said in reply to questions as
to the physical effect of the process that
the man "squealed" terribly and that his
eyes were bloody, but that the next day
he was able to mount his horse and lead
the scouts to the mountains. Afterward,
he said, he was taken to Iloilo and put In
prison. He also repeated the statement
that two police officers of the town Of
Igbaras had been subjected to the water
cure.
There was" he added, "also a native
school teacher there who was maltreated
at the same time. but the water cure was
not administered to him. He was taken
into one of the back rooms of the convent
by Dr. Lyons who secured the information
he wanted from him by placing two Colts
revolvers TO his head. thus rendered 1t
unnecessary to use the cure.
Ibid you see this?'
IT did"
Mr.. Davis gave the details OF the burn
ing Of the town of Igbaras which, he said,
contained about 10000 people, but no bust
ness place. All except about 10 houses
were DESTROYED and men, women and chill
dren were forced out Unfortunately.
Senator Burrows-"Who gave the order
to burn the town.
Captain Glenn"
ITO whom did he give it?'
ITO Lieutenant Conger. He told the
lieutenant to burn the town."
Ibid you hear him?"
"I did,"
ibid he say why it should be burned?
HE did not"
The witness also said that a neighboring
town containing about 1900 people had
been burned, but that he did not know
who had given the order for It's destrue-
ton.
He stated in reply to questions that the
torture in all the instances mentioned had
been conducted by the regular soldiers
and that they had not been participated
In by the members Of his regiment, the
26th volunteers.
my orders were." he said. Ito treat
natives kindly, and so far as observed,
the soldiers generally so treated them
with the exceptions mentioned"
He added that the president had been
traitor to the American cause and that
the other natives did not generally have
any sympathy for him.
Mr. Davis said he had been In charge OF
detachment of men in the town Of Igba-
ras for several months before the arrival
of the regulars, and also for some time af-
terward, and that he had never had any
trouble whatever with the natives. He
had talked with the regular soldiers
about the water cure and had been CIV
en- to understand that its administration
was not of rare occurrence, but said that
they had not given names of persons or
places He replied to Senator Lodge that
he knew of the murder Of several Of the
company of his regiment by natives at
another point, but 1t had been his under
standing that they were killed by La
drones rather than by ne town authori-
ties. as Colonel Dickmann had reported.