Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-04-10

| Manila, P. L., American, February 18TH
February 7th was pay day with Co |,
| Twenty eighth Infantry, stationed at Das-
marinas, Cayite Province. The men had a
good time, as soldiers will, and their fun
| landed several of them in the guardhouse.
Private Edward Richter was in the guard.
house awaiting trial for some petty infrac-
ton of army regulations, and had taken no
part in the pay day jubilee. But when the
guardhouse began to fill up, liquor of some
sort found its way into the habitation of the
III, fated, in manner known only 10
soldiers. As a consequence Private Richter
became as joyial as his comrades in the
mill.
The men were noisy, and few minutes
after taps sounded Lieut.. William 5.
Sinclair, battalion adiutant of the Twenty
eighth Infantry and commanding officer of
the post, went to the guardhouse and ordered
the men to lie down and keep quiet. For
the time being the order was obeyed; but
almost as soon as he left the room several of
the men began talking, though they did not
raise their voices above ain ordinary tone.
Sinclair heard them, and recognized
Richter's voice. He was angry. He wanted
il distinctly understood that he was in
supreme command, and that anyone who
disobeyed his orders must suffer the conse-
quences. In poor Richter's case death was
the penalty paid for disobeying the orders
of the battalion commander.
When the officer heard the men talking
and recognized Richter's voice, he ordered
the guard to bring the arch offender outside.
He then ordered the sergeant of the guard
TO tie the prisoners hands and legs. The
sergeant obeyed the commands of his
superior officer. Then II was that Richter
came to the conclusion that he would tell
the officer what he thought of such treat
and made thorough job of it, too. The
lieutenant then gave orders to the sergeant
to gag the already helpless man. The ser.
geant obeyed.
When the poor wretch's voice had been
silenced forever, MS 1t proved, Lieut.. Sin
guard tn bring h big can of ice water out OF
the guard room. Again were his commands
obeyed.
The can contained Ave gallons of freez-
ing water. The entire contents of the can
were emptied upon the face Of poor, bound,
silent, helpless Richter. The contents OF
the water can was not dashed or ''doused''
upon the helpless boy. oh, no, Such pun
ishment would have been too light TO mete
out to a soldier with the audacity to talk
after he had been commanded to remain
silent. and who had been so rash as to OBJ
ject TO being treated worse than dog, not
withstanding the fact that the treatment was
administered by order of so important a
parsonage as a full-fledged battalion adju-
tant.
The water-the whole five gallons of it.
as cold as ice could make it, was taken from
the receptacle a dipperful at IA time, and
slowly dropped on kichter's face.
He suffered the agonies of the damned.
He twisted and squirmed his poor, tortured
frame as much as the cords which bound
him would allow. He would probably have
cried out in his anguish had he not been
gagged.
When his punishment, or torture, was at
its height, he began to vomit and 10 bleed
at the ears. The gag would not permit of
the contents of the stomach being ejected
through the mouth and as much us could
find an outlet in that way WIS emitted
through the sufferers nostrils. But this was
a small amount and the yomit being forced
back down the throat resulted in Richter
death by strangulation.
When the mans struggles ceased, the
cords which bound him were cut. and an
attempt made at resuscitation. No signs OF
life We're apparent, and the post surgeon was
sent for. When the surgeon arrived he pro.
nounced the man dead, and said he had
been dead for some time.
Last Sunday afternoon Richter's com.
rades tenderly bore the shell to Gods Acre.
The big hearted, whole-souled soldiers pro.
cured a native band to play dirge and
slowly and silently, with tear dilnmed eyes
they marched behind his bier. volley
was fired over the new grave, taps, the
sad, but beautiful requiem of the brave, was
sounded, and the soldiers who had accom-
panied their comrade on his journey OF
10000 miles from Gods country to the
Philippines, slowly wendell their way back
to quarters.