Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-28
NILES CENSURES SOLDIERS
Finds Evidence Of Cruelty During TriI
in Philippines.
HIGH OFFICERS ARE ALSO BLAMED
war Department Makes Public the
Report Submitted by General
Miles AFTER His Journey
Through Islands.

WASHINGTON. April 27.-The War
department today made public that portion
OF the report Of General Miles which
refers to misconduct OF ohicers and soldiers
in the Philippines.
Secretary Root has received several
requests for this report, some of these
requests being from persons In Boston who
stated that they understood that 1t con-
tained much matter that never had been
brought out in the investigation.
The secretary held that such reports were
confidential in order that the oficer max
ing them might be free to make such COM
ments as he desired. but as 1t was learned
that General Miles had no objection to the
publication, It has been made public with
a brief comment by General Davis, Judge
advocate general. who has charge Of all
matters pertaining TO the subjects referred
to In this portion Of the report.
The statements made by General Miles
are the result OF his tour OF inspection in
the Philippines last autumn and winter.
General Miles report on his Philippines
observations is dated February 10. 1903, and
is addressed to the secretary Of war. He
says that In going from Calamba to Batan-
gas In November last he noticed that the
country appeared devastated and that the
people were very much depressed.
Citizens Make Complaint.
Stopping at Lipa, he says a party Of
citizens headed by the acting p-es.dshse met
hiya and stated that they desired to make
complaint of harsh treatment of the people
CT that community, saying they had been
concentrated in towns and had suffered
great. i~ndlgnfties THAT fifteen Of their
people had been tortured by what is known
as the water torture and that one man. a
highly respected citizen, aged So years.
named Vincente Luna, while suffering from
the effects Of the torture and unconscious.
was not dragged from his house, which had
been set on IRE. and he was burned to
DEATH"
They stated that these atrocities were
committed by a company OF scouts under
command OF Lieutenant Hennessy and that
their people had been crowded into towns,
1900 being confined In one building" A
doctor Of the party said he was ready to
testify that some OF the 500 died from
suffering. General Miles says he looked at
the building, which was one story in
height, eighteen or twenty feet wide and
possibly sixty or seventy feet long. He
asked for a written statement to be for
warded him at Manila, but says he never
received II and adds: 1T have no reason
10 disbelieve their statements; In fact the
instance Of torture in the case of the man
Luna having been tortured and burned to
death are confirmed by other reports
General Miles then refers to other cases,
saying that on the island OF Cebu 1t was
reported and published In November, 1909
that two o~ficers. Captain Samuels Forty
fourth infantry, United States volunteers
a and Lieutenant Feeter, Nineteenth infantry
had committed similar atrocities against
y ,he people Of that island. 1t is also re-
ported that at Laoag, on the island oi
LuEon, two natives were whipped to death
''At Tacloban. Leyte, II was reported
that Major Glenn ordered Lieutenant Caul-
field, Philippine scouts, to take eight pris-
oners out into the country. and that II
they did not guide him to the camp Of
the insurgent, Quizon. he was not TO bring
them back. 1t was stated that the mer
were taken out and that they either did moi
or could not do as directed.
Son spares Father.
zone OF the men, who had a son amon1
the scouts, was spared. but the Others
were separated into two parties. mum
bering three or four, respectively, and
while tied together were all murdered By
being shot or bayoneted to death, some
being in a kneeling position OF that time
THE p~retense was made that they were
killed while attempting to escape, but 81
far as / know no official report was evel
made OF the circumstances These fact;
have been reported by Major Watts, VIII
investigated the case. Besides Lieutenant