Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-04-18
THE "WATER CURE"
Sergeant Davis Saw 1t Administered
by Regulars in Philippines.

Washington, April 17.-EdWard J.
Davis Of Greenfield, Mass, who was
sergeant i'll co. NJ, 26th Vol. Inf, was
before the Senate committee on the
Philippines, today. He was present in
the convent at Igabars, Nov. q, 1900,
when the water cure" was admins
tered to the prcSidente Of the town Of
Igbaras, as testified to by Sergeant
Riley ana Private Smith. and related
the Incidents connected herewith.
He was sworn before being examined
and was questioned by Senator Raw
Inns. He spoke of the arrival Of the
regulars under the command Of Capt.
Glenn. He said that under orders from
capt. Glenn he with a squad had taken
the presidente into custody, Nov. q.
and had escorted him to the convent
where the cure was administered.
Re repeated the story of the torture
Of the prcsidcnte. adding some details.
who gave the command for this
trcatment?"
Captain Glenn"
How was the mans mouth kept
open?"
BY means Of a stick, but l could
not see just how ii was done.
Continuing. the witness said that
when the victim of the cure was filled
with water the members of the detail
would force it out of him by rolling
their fists over his stomach and that
the process was kept up for about 10
minutes
He described the second application !
of the cure as previously testified to !
and corroborated Sergeant Riley in the
statement that the details of this per-
Torrance were under the charge of
Contract Surgeon Lyons and that Capt.
Glenn and Lieut.. Conger were both
present when it occurred.
AIR Davis said in reply to Questions
as to the physical effect OF the process.
that the man "squealed'' terribly ana
that his eyes were bloodshCt, but tina !
the next day he was able to mount his
horse and lead the scouts 20 the noun
tains. AfterWard he was, the witness
said taken to Iloilo and placed in Jail.
The witness also repeated the state
ment that two police officers of the
town of Isbaras had been subjected to
the water cure There was" he add
ed, also a native schoolmaster there
who was maltreated at the same time,
but the water cure was not admins
tered to him. He was taken into one
of the back rooms of the convent by
DR.. Lyons, who secured the Informal
ton he wanted from him by placing
two Colts revolvers to his head thus
it unnecessary to administer
the cure.
Did you see this?''
AZ did"
Mr.. Davis also gave the details of the
burning of the town of Igbaras, which
he said contained about 10000 people
but no business places. All except
about Is houses were destroyed and
men, women and children were forced
out indiscriminately.
Senator BUrrows-"W gave the or
der to burn the town."
The witneSS-''Captain Glenn"
ITO whom did he give it?"
ITO Lieut.. Conger. He told the lieu
tenant 60 burn the town"
Did you hear him."
Il did" II
The witness also said that a neigh
boring town containing about II GOO
people had been burned but that he
did not know who had given the order
for its destruction.
He stated in reply to questions that
the torture in all the instances men
toned had been conducted by the reg
ular soldiers and that they had not
been participated in by members Of his
regiment. the 26th Volunteers.
After Mr.. Davis was excused. the
i'm executive session. consid
cred the question of summoning wit
nesses from the Philippines. Senator
Rawlins thought it would be necessary
to call Aguinaldo, Mabini, Sixto Lopez,
Pillar. Torres and certain newspaper
Action was postponed.