New-York tribune., 1903-04-28
NILES on PHILIPPINES.
ATROCITIES ALLEGED.
Stories the General Heard from
NatiUes-Reply Of General DaUis.

Lieutenant General Nelson 4 Miles concerning his
observations in the Philippines made public to-
DAY by the War Department II is dated February
1e 1908 and covers all features OF his trip through
the islands, together with his recommendations
Secretary Root has received several requests for
this report, some Of them from persons in Boston
who said they understood il contained much mat
ter never brought out in the Investigations General
Miles says that in going from Calamba to Batangas
IN November last ne noticed that the country ap-
peared devastated and that the people were much
depressed. Stopping at Lipa, ne says party OF
citizens. headed by the acting presidente. met him
and said they desired TO complain of harsh treat
ment of the people of that community. asserting
that they had been concentrated in towns and hat
suffered great indignites, that fifteen Of their
people 3d been tortured by what is known as the
water torture, and that n, highly respect
ed citizen aged sixty-1ve named Vincente Luna
while suffering from the effects of the torture and
unconscious was dragged from his house Whlch
had been set on fire. and was burned TO death
They said that these atrocities were committed by
a company of scouts under command Of Lieutenant
Hennessey and that their people had been crowG-
ed into towns, 800 being confined In one building
doctor of the party said he was ready 10 TESTIFY
that some of the 500 died from suffoca ton Gen
eraI Miles says he looked at the building. whch
was one story high eighteen or twenty feet Vloe'
and possibly sixty or seventy feet long. He asked
for a written statement 20 be forwarded to him at
Manila, but says he never received it. and adds;
have no reason to disbelieve their statements:
m 1ac us fe bs6 Been eI orTed and Burned to
death are confirmed by other reports
Concerning the failure to receive the statement,
General Miles says:
Whether any influence was brought to bear ofe, to
prevent their statement. either by persuasion OF
coercion, am not prepared to say at the present
tine.
CHARGES AGAINST MAJOR GLENN
General Miles then refers to other cases reported
in the island OF Cebu. in part as follows:
fo-4rx-
18th Infantry. committed similar atrociues against
at Laoag on the island of Luzon. two natives were
norPeg thai Major Glenn ordered Lieutenant Cau-
field Philippine scouts, to take eight prisoners our
into the country, and that if they did not guide
to bring them back It was stated t9a{ d5 e Ine
or could not DO directed One OF the men Wao VINO
had son among the scouts was sPaFen n1obriI 0Te
three four, respectively. and. whlle ued To-
gether. all murdered by being shot or pay bayyo- O.
netted 70 death some DenS III NJ d Ia5a 7,sf +1ev
at that time The pretence was mace In tac a 'ey f9r
as kfw no oSla TE fa%ts have been reported by
Lieutenant Caulheld. Civlllan Scouts Ramos Pres
ton, Corn and McKeen were participants. -,
Al CaIbayog. samar. It was reported that several
men in that district had been subjected TO water water
torture I saw three men who had been suoJe1tso t
70 this treatment One was the presioente OF me
Se {on On Mr. his o4 wdR he SAID were caased W
the cords with which he was bound cqtt1ng 1 mo mo
md @ t6a thir9 vas Padre jose Diaznes who stated
he was one Of three priests VINO had oeen suoJTGeu
tenant Gaujot 10th Cavalry: that his front teeth
ne so vas s otheTWse maitreaJed and T6bbed OF 800
be killed and were only saved by the prompt action
Of Major Darlington 1st Infantry who sent out Ior
th the eq{snaPt ant fI fI3Gt s@SIeRce WaS of a hTe months
suspension from command, forfeiting $50 month for
the facts and ciI iIcumstances being .developed-r
It appears that Major Glenn. Lieutenant CongeT
2
moved from place to place Ior me puPpoSe7 o. ~
came 50 notorious that this. party was called
ofcers to be engaged in such acts without the per
sonal knowledge OF the general upon WhCse star
Gg3era fCl lGT "a nv I9[ 0tice in - cagIaI way
go 80 C+hers of similar character have been
reported in different parts Of the archiPelago, In
fact. was Informed that ii was common talk al
the places where officers congregated that such
transactions had been carried on either with me
officers. 1t is. however. most gratifying to state
commanders as Generals Lawton. Wade. Sumner
! found that with certain officers the impression
prevails that such acts were 5rstifiaoi and fef
dangerous impression. and to prevent the posi-
bility Of such acts being connitted in the rutuce
which must impair the good name OF Anetican an t
arms and bring discredt TO our service for al TINE
ing letter Of instructions
Then follows an order addressed to the command
ing general Of the Philippines. under date Of Feb
ruary 28 1908, in which General Miles calls atten-
ton 10 the reports or atrocities ana dlrectS thaI
any orders or circulars Of personal instruction
which would inspire OF encourage any act Of cru
city be annulIed. The order says that the excuse
that the unusual conditions justify the measures
herein condemned is without foundation"
Continuing his report 70 the Secretary. General
Miles directs attention the acts of reconcentra
ton by General BeIl and says that they were IN
direct violation of the law He says the law was
also violated in handling and buying large guam
titles Of rice. which was sold al profit The peo-
%s1-
saws General Miles considered prisoners Of war,
but were compelled to buy food from those who
held them at large profit" General Miles char
acterizes this as unprecedented. He speaks Of the
magnitude of the transaction. which involved
p, 100000 pounds of rice and other supplies, at
cost Of $306 go. He says that "an extraordinary
feature Of this transaction" is that tbs action was
disapproved by a division commander, who as
suu1ed command and who turned the matter over
to the civil authorities and that It has heen car
ried on under an act OF the Philippine Comris-
sion
REPLY FROM GENERAL DAVIS
A reply TO the foregoing portion of the report
has been prepared by Judge Advocate General
Davis in letter to the Secretary Of War. in which
he says:
The incidents which are set forth IN the incosed
special Investigations IN some instances these have
ings and sentences have been duly promulgated in
orders; in others the inquiries have been ntrusted
purpose bv the commanding general in the Philip
pines Where administrative action has been called
for. result Of such Investigations II has been
taken by the proper military cornman an6er, if the
parties continued within his Jurisdiction; in other
cases the matter has been submitted to the de
partnent with view TO a resort to such punitive
remedial orders as deemed appropriate. and
these Representations have resulted in number
OF court martial trials. As 70 phases of
rIete ana A reference OF the papers to the Philip
pine Islands or 70 officers who are now serving in
The United States has been necessary Whether
the necessity for any further administrative &C
ton in addition that already taken Will he fis-
closeS as 2 result Of such investigation only
-. iosnactfou renrrfs re-