The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-02-07
next session of parliament. England
has misgoverned Ireland for centuries,
and it is high time that she should
cease her despotism and turn over
a new leaf.
MURDER OF FATHER AUGUSTINE.

MURDER OF FATHER AUGUSTINE.
In recent debate in the United
States senate OH resolution asking
for the records in courts-martial held
ill the Philippines, the case of Father
Augustine, the Filipino priest put to
death by Capt. Cornelius Brownell, in
the Island Of Panay, In December,
1900, was referred to by Senator Raw
Inns Of Utah in scathing language.
He said:
II am advised that information as
to that case has been communicated to
the War Department that this priest
was tortured deliberately in cold blood,
and tortured to death, with a view to
obtaining funds of which he was be-
lieved to be in possession. We have
been advised that the men who We're
guilty Of this crime are in the United
States, and not subject to the juris-
diction of the government of the
Philippine Islands. 1t is important. it
seems to me, for the senate to know
whether it is possible, in these pos
sessions within the control Of the
United States, for deliberate, cool
murder to be committed. and that the
men who are charged with the COM
mission of the crime upon returning
to the United States can go unwhippeu
of Justice"
AS Capt. Brownell is from Vermont,
Senator Proctor of that State under
took to vindicate him from the charge
of murder and assailed the character
of the murdered priest. He said that
Father Augustine was the head and
front of the instruction in the dis
trict and that he diverted the revenues
of the church from their legitimate
purposes to help the insurgents. Capt.
Brownell had made voluntary state
ment of the affair and he was never
contaminated nor had there been
any official charges made against him.
Father Augustine might have been
tried by drumhead court-martial and
shot or hung because he was profess
sing loyalty to the American cause
and ut the same time encourag ing in
surrection by collecting funds for it.
At this point, Senator Tillman ex-
claimed:
"If the senator will permit me, l
have only to say that for the honor
of the American Republic and the
honor Of the American army, 1 would
to God Father Augustine had been
shot by order of drumhead court-mar-
tial rather than tortured to death to
get the money from him, as this man
himself confesses he did"
Senator Berry, of Arkansas, brought
up the case of Captain Brownell
few days afterwards and said he
never heard Of a more remarkable de-
Tense of an officer than that made by
the senator from Vermont. Brownell
had admitted giving the water cure
to the priest, and yet the autopsy is
said to have shown that he died of
fatty degeneration of the heart. Fa-
Their Augustine was murdered and vet
Brownell is held up as the highest
specimen of the American officer and
soldier. Proctor once more defended
Brownell and denied that he was
guilty of murder, and then the debate
ended.
Capt. Browncll is either innocent or
guilty of killing the priest by admin
istering the so-called "water cure"
and he ought to be willing to stand
his trial by court martial or otherwise.
The administration should cause his
arrest and bring him to Justice. for he
far as he was able to do so. He is
guilty of cruelty and inhumanity and
should suffer the penalty.
Officers of the American Army ut
home or in our colonies should never
commit any harbarous act with i'm
punity. They cannot lie permitted to
come down to the level of British sol
diers in Ireland or in South Africa.
BrOwncll should not escape scot free,
because he has left the army aud is
now civilian. If he has any con-
science. the murder of Father August
inc will haunt him to his dying day.