The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-06-02

oday made public all the papers In
connection with the charges made
against Major Robert l.. Howe. OF
having authorized the brutal and fatal
whipping of hostile natives held as
prisoners at Laoag, Luzon, in the spring
"HowZe's character and conduct at
ford a very strong presumtion aga1nsS
the probability of his having done the
things charged. The charges are sus-
tanned solely by the ex-parte
of a large number of native Filplnos
who are hostile to the American troops
if it is to be believed, exhibits the most
revolving cruelty. Major Hunter, who
collected these affidavits nearly three
! years after the incidents to which they
| relate, appears by his own letters and
the testimony OF his brother officers,
TO have entertained a bitter, personal
animosity towards Major Howe. 1t Is.
clear that with the feelings which he
entertained Major Hunter was not like
" to be capable of making a really i'm
partial investigation and that for this
reason he was an unfit person to be
assigned to that duty.
The statements Of these native afi-
davits are directly contradicted by the
positive oaths of Major Howe himself
! and ten American officers who were
stationed at LaOag at the time and so
| situated that it was impossible for them
! not to know whether the facts describ-
ed in the inculpatory ~affidavits really
occurred. Either the oaths and state
ments of these American officers are
I false or the native a~ffidavitS produced
by Major Hunter are false"
Major Hunter who made the charg-
es sent them to Governor Taft and not
through the regular military channels.
The secretary says this was designed
to secure Major HowZe's removal from
command and was u~nderhanded and
most reprehensible-'"
The secretary quotes from a report Of
the Philippine commission into tire
charges. Its findings were TO the effect
that the crueltieS charged never excited.
Secretary Root concludes as follows:
Upon all the papers now produced il
appears that the charges against Major
Howe are false; that there We're no
such beatings as are described in the
a~ffidavits procured by Major Hunter:
that Major HowZe's report upon his in
vestigation of the subject was a true
report, and that Major Howze's admin
istration of the affairs at Laoag at the
time in question is not subject to n
just criticism but rather merits COM
menGation.
81 am not satisfied. however, to leave
the case here. resting upon ex-parte
affidavitS. Major Howe has asked for
a court of inquiry, n l direct that a
board of three officers be detailed by
the commanding general, Division OF
the Philippines, TO proceed to Laoag
and call before them the witnesses
whose names pea upon the affidavits
produced by Major Hunter and subject
them to examination and cross exam
ination upon the facts and call ali other
witnesses whom they may find to have
knowledge of the facts. and report the
testimony.
Upon the coming on of their report
such further order as may seem to be
required will be made for the oral e x.
animation and cross-eXamination OF
witnesses elsewhere than at Laoag, hav.
ing knowledge of the facts"
Major Hunter, it appears from his
report made the investigation under ar
order issued by Lieutenant Genera
Miles. commanding the army, dated a
Manila, November 18th, 1902.
In his letter Of transmittal Of the
papers in the case Major General Davis
is severe on Major Hunter. charging
him with "unmilitary conduct an6
"reprehensible methods. in making
charges against a brother officer in {
personal and confidential letter to Gov.
ernor Taft, and in other wavs.
General Davis takes up the matter
OF the allegations as TO whippings anC
says:
Unless al, the native witnesses have
sworn to lies Colonel Howe was no
justified in making the statements thai
he thoroughly investigated the mat.
ter. and that none were whipped Sc
verely' and unless two witnesses swort
falsely Howe specifically ordered tht
whipping OF one Casper. Also, I an
forced TO the conclusion that if COlone
Howe did not specifically authorize
the whipping Of native prisoner:
as ne directed the local presidente' t.
get the truth from these prisoner ap.
parently leaving it to the presidente t.
adopt such measures as he saw fit fol
the purpose"
The reports show hat General Mac
Arthur desired to have Major Hunter
court martialed for addressing a pri
vate communication to Governor TAT
on the subject of the alleged crueltiee!
instead of filing charges through hi!
army superiors, but that he was dis
missed by Governor Taft.