The Grit-advocate., 1902-04-18
STRENUOUS WATER CURE.
Filipino Official Tortured to Secure d
Confession.

Washington. April 15.-The Senate
committee on the Philippines began the
week with the intention of making an
Investigation of the charges to the ef-
feet that the water cure" so-call.d-
is practiced ON the insurgents, AIN!
Charles $. Riley of Northampton, Mas
sachusetts. formerly Il sergeant in
Company NJ. Twenty sixth infantry.
was the first witness called with thas
end in view.
Mr.. Riley said that he had been in
the Philippines from October >, 1889
to March 4. 1901. and had Witnessed
the water cure" at lgDaris, province
of Iloilo. November q, 1890. 1t WAS
administered to the pr"sidcnte. or CHIEF
Filipino official of the town. He said
that upon the arrival of his command
at Igbaris. the prcSidcntc was asked
whether runners had been sent out no
tifying the insurgents Of their presence.
and upon his refusal to give the i'll
formation. he was taken to the cou-
vent where the witness was stationed
and the water cure was administered
to him.
This official was, he said, a mau
about forty years of age. When the
witness first saw him he was stripped
to the waist and his hands tied behind
him. with Captain Glenn and Lieuteu-
ant Conger of the regular army and Dr.
Lyons. a contract surgeon, standing
near, while many soldiers stood about
The man. he said, was then thrown
under a water tank which held about
100 gallons Of water, and his mouth
placed directly under the faucet and
held open so as to compel him to Swai-
low the water which was allowed to cS-
cape from the tank.
Over him stood an Interpreter repeat
ing one word, which the witness said
he did not understand, but which lie
believed to be the native equivalent OF
confess" When at last the prcsidcnte
agreed to tell what he knew he was
released and allowed to start away.
He was not, however, permitted to cs
cape. and upon refusing to give fur
thcr information he was again taken
as he was about to mount his horse
ana the cure administered for the sec
ond time This time the man was not
stripped. nor was he taken into the
building DE- Lyons said the water
could be brought to the spot and given
| there and when it was brought i'll a
tive-gallon can. one end of a syringe
mans mouth AS he still refused, u
second syringe was brought and one
end Of it placed in the PROSTATE mans
nose. He still refused and a handful
of salt wHS thrown into the water
This had the desired effect and the
prpsidcntc agreed to answer all QucS-
tons.
On cruss-eNamination by Republican,
senators Mr.. Riley said the cure haG
been first reSprtcl to to compel the
prGSlcntc to reveal his own attitude
and that il had been learned from his
confession that while he professed rr
be friendly to the United States. he
was in reality a captain of the insur
gent forces and that his police were all
soldiers. As a consequence of this cX-
posure he WAS arrested ana the town
burned
lie said that the victim struggled
ticrccly while the cure was being au-
niuiStcr"d and that his eyes were
blcolShot. but that the next day when
he saw tho man he observed no i'll eff
fcct> Of the dose he had received.
Senator Burrows. referring to the
surgeon in charge. asked;
did any one shoot him."
The witness replied in the negative.
saving the second administration had
been given 10 compel the information
as to runners.
Mr.. Riley also said he had known OF
many crucltics and indignities prac
riccd upon American soldiers by na-
tiveS.