Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-05-05
IT is BARBARITY
TORTURE BY THE "WATER CURE"
IN THE PHILIPPINES.
Sergeant Davis Testfies Before the Senate
Committee, and Describes the "Water
Cure" Had Such Barbarity Occurred on
the American Continent Shrek Of Horror
Would Have Been Heard all Over the
Land.

Land.
When General Miles charged in his
letter to the president, that the war in
the Philippines had been characterized
by great severity he was rebuked by Sec
rotary Root and informed that the
Filipinos had been treated with marked
consideration. 1t now appears that the
administration had withheld from the
public the report Of one of the provincial
governors protesting against the cruelties
practiced. The investigations which
have taken place since reveal such an
astonishing condition that the secretary
of war has felt it necessary to cable to
Manila instructions for the court-martial
of the guilty. officers.
The secretary's order has been pub
lished. 1t more than sustains the
charges made by General Miles and ought
to convince the most partisan republican
that our war of conquest is proving as
demoralizing to the invaders as it is
destructive to the subject race.
Mr.. Edward J. Davis, Of Massachusetts,
sergeant of Company M, Goth Vol. Inf,
testified before the senate committee a
few days ago and gave detailed descrip-
ton of the "water cure" as administered
by American soldiers to the president
of the town OF Igbaros. The following is
an extract from his testimony:
The mans clothing was removed above
the waist and his hands tied behind
him. when the cure was administered by
this detail. "He was them" the witness
said. "taken to the water tank and
thrown upon his back and while an in.
terpreter stood over him, stream OIL
water was directed into his mouth
which was held open.
"Who gave the command for this
treatment?" -,,.--
"Captain Glenn"
elbow was the mans mouth kept
open?"
"By means of stick, but Icould not
see Just how it was DONE"
Continuing the witness saidthat when
the victim OF the cure was till'd with the
water the members OF the detail would
force it out of him by rolling their fists
over his stomach and that process was
kept up for about ten minuts.
He described the second application Of
the cure as previously testified to and
corroborated Sergeant Riley in the state
t ment that the details of this performance
|, we're under the charge Of Contract Sur
peon Lyon and that Captain Glenn and
Lieutenant Conger we're both present
when it occurred.
Sergeant Davis also testified that Cap
> tain Glenn ordered Lieuteant Conger to
burn Igboras, a town q about 10000
people. and that in puuance OF the
order "all except aboutifteen houses
. were destroyed and me women and
- children forced out indistminately."
y What will be the effect this brutal
IL warfare? That it willntensify the
= hatred which the Filipis feel toward
the American goes witht saying, but
what will be its effect up our people!
If they protest they wioe accused Of
encouraging the Filipii; if they re-
main silent they will bme calloused
a and Indifferent to such ngs. Imperial
| ism is harmful enough Filipinos but
it is infinitely more harul to our own
u people. The victims ofusticc may re-
. cover from it's effects, those who dc
injustice cannot SO ea recover. We
a. are sowing the wind we shall reap
20 the whirlwind, even tgh many seed
times and harvests N pass between
the sowing and the reg.