The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-05-21
ARMY OF huRDERERs.
Testimony of Soldiers Reveals Hor-
rors Of Philippine Campaign.
Refined Women Violated; Women With
Babies in Arms and Old Men Butcher
ed; Their Bodies Burned.

. Washington, May 19.-During the
Philippine Investigation before the
senate committee today letter was
read from Gen. Hughes, denying that
he had ever given orders for the water
cure and saying that if such a charge
was made he wanted the fullest inves-
tigation Of it. Corporal Richard
.O'Brien, formerly Of the Twenty
sixth volunteer infantry, testified to
seeing the water cure administered.
There was, he said, SO Spanish
woman in the town-woman of educa-
tion-who was violated by the Amerl-
can officers. y
This statement was made without
any questioning and as soon as the
witness had made it Senator Lodge
asked for the names of the officers.
These the witness said he could not
give, adding that he had not witness
ed the incident, but that the woman's 9
husband was his authority for the
statement.
Senators Rawlins and Patterson OBJ
jected to the testimony as mere hear
say and urged that it should not go
into the record. The witness then was
asked If be could not give further
proof Of the correctness of his charge.
In response he related another instance
of sdisorderly conduct, which had, he
said, come under his own observation.
This occurred at San Joaquin, the
president Of which place gave recep-
ttion to which a number Of native
women were invited from Iloilo. They
were, Z, he said, above the average
not peasant women. Among those
present were Capt. Mel Donad, Lieut..
Plummer of Company M, and Major
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
waltzing with them, much to the.
disgust Of the women.
Witness said he was not on good
terms with his captain. He also said
that at one place woman with two.
children was burned to death In q
bamboo shack when the troops We're
burning the town. Dum-dum'' or
explosive bullets, he stated, were issued
to the troops IN the regular way and
did horrible executio on.
There were unwritten orders TO
take no prisoners y which were carried
out in open campaign. He did not
know who issued the orders, but they
were understood to be in effect. Upon
close questioning he admitted that be.
had seen many prisoners and they were
being treated kindly by the officers
and men. sss.ss
O,Brien described the capture OF
Lanag in Panay, when a soldier fired
at native boy on a carlboo. He
missed, then all the soldiers fired,
himself included. This was not done.
by orders.
This shooting, he said, brought
the people to their doors, and among
those who came out was an old man
who was shot in the abdomen and af-
terward died. Later, while the firing
was in progress two other old men be-
tween the ages Of so and 20, should
saw, came towards us hand in hand
and bearing a white flag. Both were
shot down and the sergeant reported
to Capt. Mcdonald that he had killed
two more niggers. Another case was
that of a woman and two children.
one In her arms, who were killed. and
then burned upin their house.