The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-05-13
REPORT OF GENERAL MILES
His Criticism Of Conditions in Philip
pines Made Public.
WATER CURE AND ARSON ALLEGED
The Lieutenant-General Treats Of In.
stances OF Cruelty Reported to Him
Bureau Chiefs at Washington Dissent
From His Opinions-The Report Given
Out by Secretary Root.

Bureau Chiefs at Warrington Dissent
From His Opinions-The Report Given
Out by Secretary Root.
Washington, D. Gin reply to the
charge of anti-imperialists that he
dared not reveal the allegations Of cru
city to Filipinos made by Lieutenant.
General Miles, Secretary Root ordered
the publication Of General Miles Phil
ippine Inspection report.
While the charges Of cruelty have
caused the greatest comment here Cen
eral Miles statement that the Philip
pines are no better defended now than
five years ago; his urgent recOmmenda-
ton for establishment Of naval sta
tion at Olongapo; his prediction Of
terrible famine within very short
time on account Of the drouth and dis
ease among domestic animals have also
attracted great attention.
In his address to the Secretary Of
War General Miles says that in going
from Calamba to Batangas in Novem-
Der last he noticed that the country
appeared devastated and that the peo-
pie were very much depressed.
Stopping at Lipa he says a party Of
citizens, headed by the acting presi-
dente, met him and stated that they de-
sired to MAKE complaint Of harsh treat
ment Of the people of that community.
saying they had been concentrated in
towns and had suffered great indigni-
ties, that fifteen Of their people had
been tortured by what Is known as the
water torture, and that one man. a
highly respected citizen, sixty-f1ve
years old, named Vincente Luna, while
suffering from the effects Of the torture
and unconscious, was dragged from his
house, which had been set on fire, and
was burned to death.
They stated that these atrocities were
committed by company of scouts un-
der command Of Lieutenant Hennessey
and that their people had been crowded
into towns, 600 being confined IN one
building. A doctor Of the party said
he was ready to testify that some Of
the 600 died from suffocation.
General Miles said he looked at the
building. which was one story in height
eighteen or twenty feet wide and possi-
bly, sixty or seventy feet long. He
asked for a written statement TO be
forwarded him at Manila. but says he
never received it, and adds:
"I have no reason to disbelieve their
statements; in fact, the instances 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 in the Island of Cebu
1t was reported and published in No
vember, 1902, "that two officers. Cap
tain Samuels, Forty-fourth Infantry.
volunteers, and Lieutenant Feeter.
Nineteenth Infantry. had committed
similar atrocities against the people of
that island. 1t Is also reported that at
Laoag, on the Island Of Luzon, two ma
tives were whipped to death.
cat Tacloban, Leyte, it was reported
that Major Glenn ordered Lieutenant
Caulfeld, Philippines scouts, to take
eight prisoners out into the country.
and that if they did not guide him to
the camp of the insurgent Quison he
was not to bring them back.
1T 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 q son among the scouts,
was spared, but the others were separ-
ated into two parties, numbering three
and four respectively, and while tied
together were all murdered by being
shot or bayoneted to death, some being
in a kneeling position at the time.
"The pretence was made that they
were killed while attempting to escape.
but. so far as I know. no official report
was ever made of the circumstances.
These facts have been reported by
Major Watts, who investigated the
case. Besides Lieutenant Caulfeld,
Civilian Scouts Ramos. Preston, Corn
and MeKeen were participants.
"It appears that Major Glenn, Lieu
tenant Conger and party of assistants
and native scouts were moved from
place to place for the purpose Of ex-
torting statements by means Of torture,
and it became so. notorious that this
party was called 'Glenn's brigade
Whether it was possible for officers to
be engaged in such acts without the
personal knowledge Of the general upon
whose staff they were serving at the
time, namely. Brigadier General
Hughes, leave for others to conject-
ure.
"These facts came to my notice in a
casual way and many others Of similar
character have been reported In differ
ent parts of the archipelago. In fact,
I was informed that it was common
talk at the places where officers con.
gregated that SUCH transactions had
been carried on either with the conniy-
ance or approval Of certain command
ing officers. It Is, however, most graft
flying to state that such atrocities have
been condemned by such commanders
as Generals Lawton, Wade, Sumner,
Lee, Baldwin and others"
Continuing his report to the Secre-
tary, General Miles says the law was
violated in handling and buying large
quantities of rice, which was sold at
profit. The people who were In the re-
concentration camp were, says General
Miles. considered prisoners of war,
but were compelled to buy food from
those who held them at large profit
General Miles speaks Of the magnitude
Of the transaction, which involved 2l.-
OO0,O pounds of rice and other sup
plies, at a cost Of S306, ,320. He says