The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-09-19

HAD LOOT.
The Sacred Things
From Churches
of Manila.
THE FAMOUS
"BLACK CHRIST !"
Customs Watched for it While
Bufcrd Was in Homo.
lulu.

When the transport Buford was re-
| Gently in this port the customs author
| tiles kept a. very close watch of the
vessel. They had learned that there
was all kinds of loot aboard and the
| only chance they would have to take
it in tow would be if a person on board
the transport attempted to take it
ashore. But as no effort was made to
land it here the stuff was not secured
On the vessels departure for San
Francisco word was sent to that city
of the supposed loot. The San Fran
cisco port authorities are making every
effort to secure it. The papers give a
number of stories relative to the loot.
Nothing has caused so much distrust
among the natives or inspired the Fill
pinos with such illwill toward Ameri-
cans as the ruthless destruction of
churches and the confiscation of church
property. There is now on the Buford
or on its way across the ocean a Won
derful piece of statuary revered with
almost superstitious awe by the natives
of the province of Laguna, in the island
of Luzon. For two centuries at least it
has been known in the native language
as the BLACK Christ" because it is an
ebony figure of the Savior. The face is
of ivory and over the head there is a
halo of solid gold. 1t is said to be a
wonderful piece of carving, recalling in
some measure the composite figures of
some of the Greek sculptors. who occa
sionally used other stones, different
coiored marbles and jewels to give life
like appearance to their statues. 1t is
not SO much, however, the intrinsic
value Of the BLACK Christ as the ven
eration,iin which it is held that makes
its loss, so Ikeenly felt by the F'ilipinos.
With this statue two silver statues of
the Virgin Mary were carried off, as.
furnishings, sacerdotal vestments and
church ornaments.
This stuff is said to be the property
of a number of officers, of the Eighth
Infantry and some of the principal OBJ
jects are believed to be in the possess
sion of Captain Stuad who, however
was a purchaser in good faith,
having secured the articles in Manila,
where they We're offered for sale.
The soldiers tore to pieces the par
ticular church in the province of Lagu-
ma where the Black Christ was en-
shrined and nearly all the loot appear
ed at intervals in Manila shops offered
for sale. In this manner the officers of
the Eighth Infantry secured the arti-
cles that may now be confiscated
About two years ago attention was
drawn to the fact that loot from Ma
Mia, particularly from churches in Lu-
zon and from other places in the Phil
ippine Islands, was being shipped tol
San Francisco and offered for sale. The
exposure checked the unlawful business
for time, but now it seems to have
broken out again. Defenses are not
lacking for the vandalism and sacrilege, |
and it VIII be alleged that the figures
were being used as idols and were be-
ing worshiped by the natives, who paid |
an admission fee to see them; that they |
are intended for West Point, where
they could not be received, and that
they are not of any particular value.
Some of the officers condemn the loot
ing very severely, others wink at it. In
the meanwhile, however, the Govern
ment will take hand in deciding the
question of ownership-when the arti-
cles have been seized.