Evening star., 1902-01-15
American Soldiers Figure in Courts
Martial in Philippines.
GENERAL CHAFFEE SENDS RECORDS
Details of the Shooting of Corporal
Fielder.
ONE INSURGENT HANGED

The War Department has Just received
the records of number of very interest
ing court-martial cases from the Philip
pines, in several OF which soldiers of the
American army figure
The insurgent General Torres was tried
by military commission on a charge Of
murder in violation Of the laws Of war;"
1t appeared that Corp. Crestof A. Fielder,
Company F, 3D. Infantry, while serving as
acting provost sergeant Of the pueblo Of
Bulacan, Malolos, brought down upon him
self the wrath Of the Filipinos Of that sec
ton by strictly enforcing the sanitary regu-
iations. watching all strangers coming into
Malolos and otherwise performing his duty
and causing the insurgent soldiery much in
convenience.
On one occasion, in making arrests of
some disguised insurgents who were visit
ing Malolos in order to gain information re-
garding the movements Of American troops,
Corporal Fielder shot down one Of his cap
tives, who had broken away and made
dash for liberty, and who refused to halt
when called upon. The corporal at once
removed the wounded Filipino to the hos
pital for medical care, but the incident only
served to strengthen the bitter feeling
against the too efficient interference of the
American soldier.
corporal Fielder Was Shot Down.
A final determination was made on the
part Of the Filipinos to take his life, and
accordingly they put him to death one Sep
tember day by striking him with iron mis-
siles, stabbing him with a dagger and
shooting him with a revolver. At the trial
Of General Torres, it is stated, the wit
nesses for the defense showed disposition
to lay the entire responsibility for the muir
der Of the corporal on General Torres,
whose forces were operating in Bulacan
province. General Chaffee expressed him
self as reluctant to record Torres convic-
ton, describing the insurgent leader as
man of high intelligence.
Gen Chaffee stated that, upon the face of
the record. the finding Of guilty and SEN
tence of death by hanging brought forward
by military commission was justified but
that the commanding general of the di-
vision is pleased to give the accused the
benefit of doubt the evidence does not
satisfactorily remove from his mind" The
sentence was therefore disapproved, and
Gen. Torres was set at liberty.
Emilio Santa Maria. an insurgent lieuten-
ant with q band of his companions, all
garbed in the ordinary dress of non-com-
batants, kidnapped an American soldier in
the streets Of the barrio Of Ylogbaced, and
after taking him to a safe distance Maria
with rifle, shot his prisoner and caused
him to be buried. In the specifications for
Maria's arraignment Private Charles A
Baker, Company A, 35th Infantry, is men,
toned as the American soldier who was
In this connection was not established.
General Chaffee approved the sentence Of
death by hanging imposed in this case.
American Joined Insurgents.
John Allane, an American. and formerly
private Of the 33d Volunteer Infantry
was tried on a charge Of aiding the armed
enemies Of the United States in time of in
%I,a oc;+,
1t appeared that the accused accompanied
by some F'ilipinos. presented himself to the
insurgent commander, Maj Reyes at his
camp and stated that he did so because
Of some trouble he had had with his cap
tain. Maj. Reyes took the rifle of the
American, and subsequently transferred
him to the insurgent Gen. Tinio, with whom
Allane remained for some six months
1t was brought out that the American
soldier was not armed during that period,
that he did not take part in operations
against the American forces, and that
finally he returned to an American post,
where he surrendered himself and a Krag
carbine and ammunition which he obtained
from the insurgent leader Aejandrino a
few days previous.
At his trial Alliance contended that he
Joined the insurgents for the sole purpose of
gaining information against the Filipino
forces to present to his captain, whose con-
fidence he desired to obtain.
He further stated that the insurgent SYM
pathizers led him into trap and that he
was confronted with such an overwhelming
number Of Filipinos demanding that he
should accompany them that he had no al
tentative than to carry out his deception
by voluntarily going along with the band.
The evidence, however, General Chaffee
stated convincingly, showed that Allane
went over to the enemy with the expecta-
ton Of winning assistance to escape beyond
the seas, and the surrender Of the insur-
gent forces with whom he was abiding
practically droye him back to the protec-
serted.
The only mitigating circumstances on the
record. Gen. Chaffee pointed out, was the
fact that Allane refrained from bearing
arms against the United States. A MILL
tary commission sentenced the accused to
death, but Gen. Chaffee commuted this to