Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-12
TREATMENT OF NATIVES
TESTIMONY OF. A FORMER SER
GEANT OF VOLUNTEERS.
Told of the Burning of Philippine Viii
lagos and Giving of the
Water Cure"

Mark Fl. Evans of Des Moines, Iowa, for
merly a sergeant of Company F, 32d Volun-
teer Infantry, today testified before the
Senate committee on the Philippines con-
cerning the administration of the water
cure to Filipinos on four different occa-
sions during his service in the islands. He
also related the particulars of the burning
of several native villages. He was ques-
toned by Senators Patterson, Beveridge
and McComas.
All these events occurred, the witness
said during the year 1900, in the province
of Batan, Island of Luzon, and in or near
the town of Orano, where his headquar-
tiers were. Three of the cases of water cure
occurred outside the town. In one case the
cure was administered by native scouts,
and in the other by an American soldier
The first case occurred at little town
where there were supposed to be some in
surgents. The scouts picked out the sus-
pected people, and taking one of them to
nearby creek. poured quantity OF water
into his mouth from canteen. The pur-
pose in this in other cases was to obtain
a confession.
Ducked the Natives.
On another occasion during an expedi
ton to neighboring islands the witness said
that he had seen an American soldier take
two suspected natives into the water and
duck them holding them under for per-
haps half a minute at a time. He secured
a confession as to the hiding of guns in
one case. but none In the other.
After the first case of ducking the vic
tim seemed. the witness said, to have been
quite disabled, being apparently so weak
that he was unable to rise.
In another instance of the administration
of the water cure in Orao tooth of the
victim was knocked out, but so far as he
of har iy1il
Evans said he had been present at the
burning of four or five native villages, and
that the destruction of those places had
been cue to the presence of insurgents.
The orders were to destroy all the native
huts along the coast near the mountains
for thirty miles in Batan province. so as to
force the natives to come in, and this, he
said, was done.
Natives Not Apprecietive.
Replying to questions by Senator Bev-
eridge, the witness said the orders to the
troops were to treat the natives humanely,
and that, with the exceptions noted, their
treatment had been in accordance with
these instructions. The natives had not,
on the other hand. shown any appreciation
of this consideration. They refused to di-
vulge information in their possession, and
in many cases they subjected the American
troops to indgnities. In one case, he said,
where two soldiers were killed, their ears
We're cut off
When Mr.. Evans concluded his testimony
the committee took a recess until 2 pm.
Former Private Testifies.
Steward J. Norton of Los Angeles. late
private in Company L. 18th United States
Infantry, was the witness at the afternoon
session. He served two years in the Is
land of Pauay. Answering questions by
Senator CuIberson, Mr.. Norton stated that
except in isolated cases the treatment ac-
corded the natives by United States SOL
diers was humane, and all that could be
expected or desired