The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-01-22
TWO MEN NAMED.
CONTINUED from First Page.)

|
ial regard for him, and. as I stated,
1 do not know why he should entertain
such bitterness. He made splendid
| soldier
Senator McCumber asked several
! questions. all of which We're answered
| frankly by the general Burton inter-
/ rupted the senator until the latter final
! ly said: This is no persecution: am
| endeaVoring to place the facts before
| the committee and to give Gen Metcalf
an opportunity to answer the charges
When the cross-examination had end
| ed, Fred D. Heisler was called. Heisler
is printer at the government printing
| Office. His home is in Kansas City,
Kas., where his father owns a news
| paper. He was a private in CON pany
| B. He made this statement:
I was sergeant in company 3.
| heard two men had been killed, but did
not see the shooting. Two members of
our company told me they had seen it.
| They said General Metcalf had ordered
the prisoners to be taken to the rear,
| but that they refused to go, and that
! they had shot them on their own hook
who were these menu" asked Sen
M J. Cohen. now dead. and l.. D.
Cumnlins, who lives in Kansas City
and works for the Armour Packing
company. They said they had tried to
get the prisoners to walk, but they
would not do it. and that they had shot
them and left them. There was no or
| der to kill prisoners, but there was an
do you m ean," asked Mr.. Scott,
chat these men, without orders, shot
the priSonerS?'
Yes"
Among the statements offered as evil
dence was a letter from Arthur Nj.
Ferguson, in which Ferguson stated
that he. saw the natives fall and that
Metcalf was standing over them with
a smoking revolver in his hand. To re-
flute this Metcalf filed a letter written
him by Ferguson when the latter was
in hospital at Manila, stating that he
had not written anyone that Metcalf
was connected with the killing of the
prisoners. and adding that he had not
seen Metcalf during the entire engage
ment.
When HeisIer left the stand Senator
Simon adjourned the hearing. Later he
notified General Metcalf that he would
summon any witnesses he would name.
Senator Burton asked if the committee
wanted the testimony of Cummins.
Il would certainly call him." said
Senator McCumber, ''if I were counsel
for a man charged with murder and
knew who the murderer was; / would
bring out that fact the first thing
Mr.. Burton seemed of the opinion
that General Metcalf's statement was
sufficient and that the committee
of it, but the committee was inclined
to the belief that the inquiry should
proceed further and that other wit
neSseS should be called.
STATEMENT OF CUMAIINS.
Kansas City, Jan. 22.-Lemuel D.
Cummins made this statement last
night:
Z am surprised at Fred Heisler's
statement, for the best of feeling has
always existed between US don't
want to go into the details of this case
as I will probably be called to Wash
ington- 1 am more than willing to
testify before the senate committee and
1 can exonerate both Gen. Wilder s.
Metcalf and myself. feel that the dis
1T
ly on my character and am ready to
defend myself, and I can. While it is
true that there is a slight foundation
for this story of the killing of two Fill
pino insurgents, at the same time can
say that the evidence, which is at hand
will entirely clear the reputation of
General Metcalf and myself.
Il do not fear an investigation, and
my testimony and the testimony of
others will prove beneficial to Metcalf
who seems to be the sole target for
those who are Singing abuse and scan
dal at the Twentieth Kansas. Metcalf
was an excellent officer. I like him.
would do anything to clear him of this
serious charge. And I think that near
ly every member of the Twentieth Kan
sas feels as 1 do, although there are
only a few acquainted with the real
facts in this case
Iemuel d. Cummins has lived In
Kansas City, Kas-, for many years. He
is brother of Under Sheriff Jam es
Cummins, and enlisted with company
B of the Twentieth Kansas regiment al
the beginning of the Spanish war. He
served all through the campaign in the
Philippines and his honorable discharge
from the service of the volunteer army
is signed by General Wilder S. MetcaIf.
Maurice Cohen was killed week
after the incident at Caloocan. His
head was shot off completely. He en-
listed in Kansas City, Kas Cohen was
a man of extraordinary bravery. He
was always eager for a fight
Cummins is a powerfully built fellow
and was one of the best soldiers in the
Twentieth Kansas regiment. He is now
employed in the Armour packing house.
He is % years old.