Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-01-11
INVITED TO JOIN
THE INSURGENTS
A Remarkable Proclamation,
Signed by Nine United
States Soldiers.
ADDRESSED TO COMRADES
Urges Them to Desert and Join fhi-
Pine Forces-One Of the Signers,
Convicted Of Treason, Says
He Was Forced to Sign.

Washington, IAN. 6.-The war de-
received from the Philippines
copies OF q remarkable proclamation
signed with the names of nine Amer
~icans-seven of them stand as being IN
the United States military service-in-
yiting American soldiers to desert anu
join the ranks Of the Filipino soldiery.
The text of the document follows:
ITO Whom It May Concern-Dear Eel
low Countrymen After many months
among the Filipino people. STUDYING
their customs and characters, we, the
undersigned, nav come 10 the concur
sion that the time has arrived LOT us
to break the silence, and let YOU KNOW
the real truth, so that you VIII see ths
folly Of a continuation of lighting these
people who are defending their country
| against cruel American invasion In the
same manner In which our forefathers
did against England, in those GLORIOUS
DAYS of our grand and noble ltberator'
General George Washington.
Live In Luxury.
Since the day we were led by our
conscience and presented ourselves 10
the Philippine authorities we nave re-
ceiVed the best OF treatment, anu are
enjoying a life OF luxury without having
to put ourselves In danger as 40 you
| WHO Slll remain III TIC hAiiN
fighting for an unjust cause, when
| sooner or later must surely prove ais
astrous as Il did TO the panlsh not
w~ithstanding they knew the country
and the customs Of the people better
thai the Americans do. For the ABOVE
mentioned reasons and also that the
war may soon end, we ask the men or
the American army stationed IN these
islands 10 present themselves 10 the
| Phtlippine authorities as we did, there
by howing yourselves TO be the true
Americans u~pholding the policy OF
Washington and the Monroe doctrine
| against the ambitious policy or Presl-
dent Mckinley, who for two years mas
carried on his cruel war, spiliing the
innocent blood OF thousands OF Amer
lean soldiers. and with what object!
To IN the pockets Of Mark Hanna and
several other American capitalists VINO
have been for years n are now runhs
America today, or IN other words are
changing your blood for gold II ron
bling many a loving mother or Wlie
of a son or husband, thereby making
many once happy homes sad y mis-
cradle.
Pay for Rifles.
Before we close let Us tell you that
near every town there are always sta
toned forces of Filipino troops to
| WllDlll, SilOusu -" f' N'''
present yourselves with or without your
rifles. and TO avoid danger Il i5 best to
hide il IN a secure place, and after you
have presented yourself inform the
Filipino officer or chief Of the Eueril-
las and they will recover IL, II pay
you some money in return. with this
we conclude, wishing youthe best oifor-
tune. We remain yours most sincerely.
"Signed: Harry Horal Altman, Com
,,,,, II. Tnln I2IaIp trln1nptpr. Conn
pany Twenty-eighth L. S. infantry;
Frank l.. Clark, Company +, Twenty
first u. S. infantry; j. Thomas Order,
corporal Thirty-eighth L.. S. volunteers;
Charles Buchanan, Company B, Twen-
ty-eighth IT,. s. volunteers; Harry
Richter, Sixth L. S. artillery; Charles
Wright, hospital corps; Fitzhugh
Smith; John Ryan Fourth regiment
Forced to Sign.
Order. one OF the signerS, waE tried
recently by a military commission in
the Philippines on The charge Of treason
and the records of the court martial
have Just been received at the war de-
partment. The preponderance of proof
said General Chaffee. in reviewing the
case was N favor OF the contention Of
the accused, that he was held by the in
surgents az q prisoner and took no part
II operations against the United States,
gave no aid comfort TO the enemy,
made q reasonable effort to escape
and was compelled by his captors under
legal duress to sign the above proclama-
ton by threats of violence in case he
refused. The military commission
found KreIder guilty of the charge of
treason and sentenced him to conflne-
ment at hard labor for life, but Cen
eral Chaffee. because of the absence OF
conclusive proof that the accused had
committed an overt act (such an act
being necessary TO consummate the
technical oGense Of treason) disap-
proved the sentence and ordered the
prisoner set at liberty.