Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-04-27

| refers TO misconduct of officers and
soldiers in the Philippines. Secy. Root
has received several requests for this
report some of them from persons In
Boston, who stated that 1t contained
much matter that never had been
brought out in the Investigations The
secretary has held that such reports
were confidential In order that the Of
flCer making them might be free to
make such comments as he desired, but
as II was learned that Cen Miles had
no objection to the publication Of tht
report, II has been made public with
a. brief comment by Gen. Davis, judge
advocate general, who has charge Of
all matters pertaining to the subjects
referred to In this portion of the re-
port, The statements made by Gen.
Miles are the result Of his tour Of in
spection in the Philippines last autumn
and winter,
MILES REPORT,
Gen. Miles report on his Philippine
observations is dated Feb 49, 1893 and
Is addressed to the secretary OF war
ilt Htte AlltAN III SUMS AltliA N-aAAhi'fH
to Batangas in November last he no
ticed that the country appeared deyas.
taed and that the people were very
much depressed. stopping at Llpa he
says a party of citizens headed by
the acting presidente met him and stat
ed that they desired to make complaint
OF harsh treatment Of the people Of
that community, saying they had been
concentrated IN towns and had sui
fered great indignities that Is Of their
people had been tortured by what IS
known as the water torture. and that
one man. highly respected citizen, aged
CO years, named Vicente Luna, while
suffering from the effects Of the tor
ture and unconscious, was dragged
from his house which had been set
On fire and was burned 10 death. They
stated that these atrocities We're com
mitted by a company Of scouts under
command Of Lieut. Hennessey and that
their people had been crowded into
towns, 800 being confined IN one build
ing" a doctor OF the party said he
was ready to testify that some Of The
COO died from suffocation. Gen. Miles
says he looked at the building. which
was one story in height, is or 20 feet
wide and possibly go or 10 feet long. He
asked for a written Statement. "a be for-
warded him at Manila but says he
reycr received il and adds;
GOT NO WRITTEN STATEMENT.
81 have no reason 10 disbelieve then
statements; In fact, the instances OF
torture as in the case Of the man Luna
having been tortured and burned to
death are confirmed by other reports
Concerning the failure TO receive the
statement, Gen. Miles says: Whether
any influence was brought 10 bear to
prevent their statement either by per-
suasiOn or coercion, ! am not prepared
TO say at the present time
Gen Miles then refers to other cases
saying that on the island Of Cebu II
was reported and published in Noyem-
Der. 1902, that two officers, Capt. Sam
uels, Forty-fourth infantry, United
States volunteers, and Lieut. Feeter
Eighteenth infantry, had committed
similar atrocities against the people of
that island II is also reported that at
Laoag on the island Of Luzon two ma
tiyes were whipped to death. At Taclo-
ban Leyte, IL was reported that Maj.
Glenn ordered Lieut. Cautfield, Philip
pine scouts, to take eight prisoners out
into the country, and that II they did
not guide him to the camp Of the insur-
gent Quizen he was not to bring them
back II was stated that the men were
taken out and that they either did not
or could not do as directed One Of the
men who had a son among the scouts
was spared, but the others were sep
arated into two parties, numbering
three or four respectively, and while
tk... btFh la.
ing shot or bayonetted to death, some
being In a kneeling position at that
time. The pretense was made that they
were killed while attempting 20 escape,
but so far as | know no official report
was ever made of the circumstance. !
These facts have been reported by
Mai Watts, who investigated the case. |
Resides Lieut.. Cautfed. civilian scouts |
Ramos, Preston, Corn and McKeen were |
participants.
SAW WATER CURE VICTIMS.
AT Calbayog, Samar, It was reported |
that several men in that district had |
been subjected to the water torture | j
saw three men who had been subjected /
to this treatment one was the presi-
dnte Of the town, Mr. Rosales, who |
showed me long, deep scars on his arms |
which he said were caused byShe cords |
with which he was bound, cutting into /
his flesh The second man was named |
Jose Borja. and the third was Padre |
Jose Diaznes, who stated he was one OF |
three priests who had been subjected TO |
torture by the troops under command |
OF Lieut. Gaujot. Tenth cavalry; that
his front teeth had been knocked out,
which was apparent; that he was other
wise maltreated, and robbed Of $500 IL
was stated that these priests had been
taken out 10 be killed and were only 1
saved by the prompt action OF Maj.Ca
rington, First infantry, who sent out
for them. Lieut. Gaujot was tried,
pleaded guilty, and was given the trlv-
lal sentence Of three months suspension
from command, forfeiung $50 per
month for the same period. HIS plead
ing guilty prevented all the facts and
circumstances being developed.
GLENN's BRIGADE,
1T appears that Mai Glenn, Lieut..
Conger and a party OF assistants and
native scouts were moved from place
60 place for the purpose Of eNtort.ng
statements by means OF torture and 10
became so notorious that this party was
called 'Glenn's brigade Whether ID
was possible for officers 10 be- engaged
IN such acts without the personal
knowledge Of the general upon whose
stan they We're serving al the time.
namely Brig Gen. Hughes, I leave fci
others 10 conjecture.
These facts came to my notice In
a casual way and many others OF SINH.
lar character have been reported IN
different parts Of the archipelago. IN
fact, / WAS Informed that Il was COM
mon talk at the places where officers
that such transactions had
been carried on either with the con-
nivsnce or approval Of certain com
officers. II IL, however. most