New-York tribune., 1902-05-20
ARMY OFFICERS ACCUSED.
REMARKABLE TALE TOLD BY A RE-
TURNED SOLDIER.
MUCH OF HIS TESTIMONY HEARsAY-DEMo-
Gratis OBJECT TO ITS GOING INTO
THE RECORD-A DENIAL FROM
GENERAL HUGHES.

GENERAL HOGdEo
Washington. May 19.-Richard oBrien. of North
Adams, Mass. formerly corporal in Company NJ.
26th Volunteers, who served in the Philippines for
eighteen months, before the Senate Committee
on the Philippines to-day.
Before OBrien took the witness stand Chairman
Lodge laid before the committee letter from
| General R. P. Hughes. inclosing letter from
Senator Cuberson, of the committee. to Captain V.
! H Bridgman. OF Baltimore, and a reply to that
| letter. In his letter Senator Culberson said he
had been informed that Captain Bridgman could
testify to having heard General Hughes and other
officers give orders for the administration of the
| water cure" Captain Bridgman's reply con-
| tained denial of this report General Hughes in
his letter said that if there to be an nvestiga-
tion it should be thorough. and he inclosed list
of officers in his command he would like to have
summoned if his conduct to be inquired into.
| General Hughes in his letter said:
I presume there were about twenty-five thousand
troops in my command first and last and lam am
! that / ever consciously verbally or in writing,
! directly indirectly. by sign or signal. author
/ so-called water cure in any form OF any
| character whatever.
! Senator Patterson read letter from w S.
Sniffen of Boston concerning the letter of son Of
the Rev Mr. Walker serving in the Philippines, in
which it said that he had given the details of
| the killing of thousand Filipinos. Mr.. Snffen
! said that Notwithstanding Mr. Walkers denial
there in his conduct and statements justifca-
ton of the newspaper report
O'Brlen said that he had been present at Ig-
baras when the water cure" was administered to
| the presdente of that town, and then made a
| charge of a serious ma ture against the American
! officers there. There was he said "a Spanish
woman in the town. woman Of education, who
violated by the American officers" This
statement was made without any questioning. and
the witness had made it Senator Lodge
asked for the of the officers. These the
witness said he could not give. adding that he had
not the incident. but that the womans hus-
band his authority for the statement.
Senators Rawlns and Patterson objected to the
testimony hearsay, and urged that 1t
should not go into the record. The witness was
then asked If he could give further proof of
the correctness Of his charges. In response he
lated another instance Of dsordery conduct, which
he said came under his own observation. This oc-
CURED at San Joaquin, the presidente of which
place gave a reception to which number Of native
women were invited from Ioilo. They were he
said, "above the average-not peasant women"
Among those present Captain Mcdonald.
Lieutenant Plummer, Of Company NJ and Major
Cook. The witness said these officers became in
toxcated, and while in that condition threw off all
their clothes except their undershrts and trousers
and. catching the women about the waists insisted
Waiting with them, much 10 the disgust Of the
women.
Further questioning brought out the fact that
O'Brien had not been good terms with Captain
Mcdonald This caused. he said by the fact
that Mcdonald had failed to issue the rations due
to his men He believed. although he had
proof that the officer had sold the rations which
should have been issued 10 the men. He said they
had meat only twice week, and bread only
twice during the entire eighteen months OF his
stay in the Philippines
He went on cay that there was n price on
the captains head offered by the insurgents be-
Of the officers cruelties. Witness had seen
him strike a Filipino prisoner over the head with
n revolver and said that the water cure"
administered TO the same prisoner after he had
taken the oath Of allegiance.
TELLS OF KILLING WOMEN. AND CHILDREN
oBrien then related tho particulars Of the
capture of the town of 10 Nag. in the province
Of Panay. by detachment from company of
which he ? member, As the troops ap-
preached the town they at n distance a na-
tive boy on caraboo. and OF the men ared
a shot at him; but his bullet failed 10 hit its
mark others also fired. himself included At first
the witness said. he had fired in obedience to or
ders. and then said that there had been no
orders to fire. Il can't tell why fired" he added
when pressed; all fired. This shooting" he pro
ceeded, brought the people to their doors and
among those who came out an old man. who
was shot in the abdomen and afterward died
Ia Liter, while the firing was in progress two other
should saw came ont fowsrd ns biau b Senfhty
and bearing white flag. Both were shot down
that he had Killed two more 'nssers 'aa A1ofGer
case was that OF woman and two children, one
IN IN her & arms who were killed and then burned up
- zen Sdlu tndt When the was
marching single file at night in the mountains
the order came back along the line 10 rake no
prisoners, but he did know who issued tho
order In case there fighting the natives
either fled killed. '
me witness also told Of the execution Of tho
which he said, Mcdonald was tried hv conrt
martial. He said it was common taik maj b Sre
Gargamo was killed he was struck on the bacls 81
the head with a boo. ga '''0 ""0N VI
The witness said II was an '',,nv,rt,.o, L.. -.
there to take no prisoners ~" ""'
ne SAID that dumdum bullets were issued In tho
regular way with other ammunition. He had econ
them Strlke q man and take the top of his he'd
on: he could not tell whether II was one of his
own comrades native. He was nlIcetiorHI
closely by Senator Beveridge, and described 49,
as explosive bullets He had not written bny1n
aoout THESE bullets. although he considered the use
of them revolving. Wv "'e
Answering questions as TO the burning ~ =
woman and two children. he said the woman was
IN bamboo shack and appeared at the door or the
Wlndow. NO effort was made to rescue her he
cause ~ YOU'D nave been impossible, although she
came TO the door while the shack was burni1r, 80
lie spoke or some articles that he had Writto,
Tor the papers. but said he wanted II understooi
that he was not under oath when he wrote them
In answer TO Senator McComas he said that his
company occasionally took prisoners that were nor
killed. He had seen many prisoners held bv otber
commands and they all kindly and
were not shot or killed. He admitted that the kill
ing OF prisoners was not general 1t was. he said
a matter that lay with the officers '
Answering Senator Dietrich. he said that bte
command usually treated the Filipinos kindly His
captain was known as d 'nigger hater." He had
never received orders from his captain to kill
prisoners. Replying to Senator Patterson he said
the explosive bullets did have the government
stamp on them. He expects to receive some ~
these bullets tomorrow, when will continue his
testimony '