The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-06
Lively COIIoauy Resulting from the
CoIoradoan's Attempt to Force the
Witness to Criticise Gen. Otis.
GOVERNOR TAFT's TESTIMONY
MORE ABOUT THE SLAVEHOLDING
sULTANs AND DATOs OF sULUS.
Rescue of Senior AmpiI, Who Was Cap
tured by Reimbursement in the
Province Of Morong.

WASHINGTON, March 5. - General
Hughes was subjected TO a series of ques-
lions by Senator Patterson and other mi
nority members of the Senate committee
on the PHILIPPINES in the course OF his testi-
mony before that committee to-day. In re-
ply to these questions he said the Filipino
forces would have been Of but little as
sistance if it had been necessary to cap
ture Manila from the Spaniards by assault
1.-THE capture of that city was by pre-
arrangement between General Merritt and
Admiral Dewey and the Spanish comman-
der. was it not?' Mr.. Patterson asked.
II know nothing about that" responded
General Hughes.
LAS military man what is your belief,
founded upon your conversation with your
superiors?" Mr.. Patterson then asked.
Senator Beveridge insisted that the ques-
ton was not proper, but Senator Patterson
insisted that it was.
II would ask" said the witness, "if it
would not be much better to excuse me
from answering, in view of the fact that
General Merritt is in Washington and you
can get the information from him first
hand"
81 prefer to ask you and you can answer
as you see fit
II don't think 1 ought to answer that
question" replied General Hughes.
Continuing his testimony, in reply to
further questions the witness said the
Filipinos had aided the Americans materi-
ally by their knowledge of the country and
the accommodations they had supplied,
but the Filipinos have never been consid-
cred a part of the fighting force in the
operations against the Spanish forces. 1.-THE
principal consideration was to keep them
out of the way" he said.
In request to further questioning by Mr..
Patterson General Hughes said he GER
tainly would construe General Otiss re-
mark referred TO in his report of Sept: Is,
1898, that he would use force to compel the
iDsurgent troops to retire to the line
designated by General Merriam meaning
that he would use the United States mill
tary forces
Senator Patterson was pressing General
Hughes as to the motive of General Otis
for requiring the insurgents to retire to
the line designated when Senators Beve-
it was unfair to the witness to ask the
question. General Hughes said however,
That Aguinaldo complied with the order.
except as to one small outlying district,
and that at that time there was no indi-
cation of enmity on the part of the Fill
pino
report of General Otis, in which he had
stated that with the navy on one side and
the insurgents on the other the Spaniards
had been bottled up in Manila, remarked
that this statement did not coincide with
that of General Hughes
why nOt?' sharply asked the general.
Mr.. Beverage vigorously objected to this
line of questioning, tending. he said, TO
put General Hughes in the attitude of
criticising a superior officer.
General Hughes, showing some impa-
thence, said: There is no difference be-
tween us. No civilized man would have
left Manila to the insurrectionists."
Mr.. Lodge, addressing Senator Patterson,
with some degree of irritablity, said: You
must not ask General Hughes to criticise
his superior officer, his reports or anything
else"
General Hughes-GeneraI Otis is strong
enough to stand criticism.
Mr.. Patterson disclaimed that he was
criticsing General Otis, which brought a
quick retort from General Hughes, who
remarked: Then you are trying to criticise
me-"
II am only trying to reconcile the differ
Swered Senator Patterson.
General Otis and myself and you will point
them out l will try to set them right" re-
piled General Hughes with some warmth OF
feeling.
This ended the colloquy and Senator Raw
Inns asked few questions of the witness
intending to bring out admission that
the initial outbreak occurred outside Ma
Mia, but General Hughes insisted that il
happened inside the town.