The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-04-16
"THE WATER CURE"

Major LittletOn w. L. waller, Oh
the United States marine corps, on
duty in the Philippines, was on trial
before court martial on the charge
of executing natives without trial
which means numbering them-this
week.
Giving testimony in his own be-
half, Major Waller swore that he had
been instructed to kill and burn; the
H. Smith, who explained that the
more that he (Waller) killed and
burned the more satisfactory his ser
vices would be.
Major Waller asked General Smith
to define the age limit for killing
and he replied everything over ten"
The major repeated this order to
Captain Porter, saying: 1--WE do not
make war in that way on old men,
women and children"
Captain David D. Porter, Captain
Hiram l. Bearss and Lieutenant
Frank Halford, all of the marine
corps, testified in confederation.
The report of Major Cornelius Gar
dener of the United States army,
civil governor of the province of Tay-
abas, reported to General Miles that
by reason of the conduct of the
troops, such as the extensive burning
of the barrios, in trying to lay waste
to the country so that the insurgents
cannot occupy it, the torturing of ma
tives by so-called water cure and
other methods, in order to obtain in
formation; the harsh treatment of ma
tives generally, and the failure of in
experienced, lately appointed lieu
tenants commanding posts to distin-
guish between those who are friendly
and those unfriendly, and to treat
every native as if he were, whether
or no, an insurecto at heart; this fav-
orable sentiment above referred to is
being fast removed and a deep hatred
toward us fast engendered. If these
things need to be done they had best
be done by native troops, so that the
people of the United States will not
be credited Herewith"
An explanation of the water cure
will not fail to be interesting, A ma
tive is discovered who is supposed to
have information wanted by the
United States troops. He refuses to
give it, He is tied, laid on his back
with his head raised; then a small
stream of water is poured into him
until he nearly bursts Should he un-
dertake to avoid swallowing the wa,
ter his mouth is pried open with a
stick or his nose is pinched until his
mouth opens. When a gallon or more
of water is thus forced down the
poor devil he is squeezed to force the
water out and then filled up again
and the operation is repeated until
he gives up the information. One
young soldier said that in order to
hasten the process, occasionally some
one would jump on the Filipino, in
order to empty him of the water al
the faster. The torture of this method
is declared to exceed in fiendishness
the process of burning at the stake
1t generally leaves one stark mad il
persisted in, although death comes
along soon and relieves the victim.
In a recent issue, the conservativ,
republican New York Evening Pos
contained a letter written by a for
mer New York merchant now in tn,
Philippines, whose integrity il
vouched for by the editor of the Post
in which the writer afirms that h
has been told of hundreds of case
of the application of the water cure
1t has been applied not only to ma
tives, but to American soldiers guilt
of a breach of discipline A youn
soldier from Milwaukee died fror
the effects of the water cure
These charges are not denied
they are defended as necessary wa
measures. They are said to be e.
fective. But they are fiendish, bal
barous, cruel beyond belief, heinou
in the eyes of men. hated by jus
God, who cannot fail to exact tn
penalty of those responsible.