The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-26
Horrible Torture of Two
Men by Executioner
at Amulung.
ARE NOW C0NVALESCENT
Contention Over Time Bod
les Should Remain Defeats
Purpose of the Law.

Copies of,the Manila Times received
TODAY at the War Department tell a
weird and gruesome tale of a CARROT
ing execution which failed to kin some
of it's victims. The paper says:
Nicholas Ancheta. Daniel Verson. An
iceto Javier. and Furstino Pascnal. mur-
derers. were garroted at Amulung
Cagayan province, October 81.
Mr. Gubridge. Billibid official. SUI
perintended the execution. as the pro-
vincial authorities were unable to find
an official to do it. Gubridge practices
with the gruesome machine, which was
a strangulatiOn garrote and not one
that dislocates the spinal column. On
the day set he had about perfected him
self in its use.
There was some question as to the
time that the victims should be i'm the
machine. The Spanish tradition was
that it took eight minutes to cause
death. but that the bodies should be
left in the machine four hours. 1t was
the Spanish boast that neither in Spain
nor i'm the Philippines had the garroter
ever bungled his horrible task. After
some hesitation, il was decided that
eight minutes was all that was neces-
sary to complete the work of DEATH
and that the four hours was the length
of time the bodies should be exposed
afterward
Exposed in Church.
When taken from the machine. the
limp bodies. still bound were laid upon
the floor of the church of Amulung. that
the relatives might claim them and take
them away. DIR. Licena. the provincial
surgeon certified to their death. and the
judge gave. the seal of judicial approval
Some three hours later. two cor
stabulary officers. Captain Long. senior
inspector Of the province. and I4ieufen-
ant Collins entered the church to see il
the bodies had been claimed. They were
horrified to see upon the floor three
bodies, still in their winding cords. but
squirming and comforting if half-con-
scious endeavors TO release themselves.
Groans that sounded unearthly in the
dim church came from their throats.
Two of them seemed about returning 70
fun consciousness. and the constabulary
officers, bending over them. asked them
in Spanish if there was anything they
wanted.
The reply was. in a husky. harsh
whisper: 81. Senior. aqua
Water and restorafives were applied
freely, the men unbound. and shortly
they were able to be removed by their
friends. The fourth had already been
removed and was really dead.
One Man Died
''One of the three has since died from
the shock and exhaustion. The remain
ing two. at last reports. were convalesc-
ing. and may live for years to come.
But il is written on the court records of
their native province that they are
dead. having paid with their lives for
the crime of murder
The law can neither punish them
again nor can IL recognize their con
tinued existence
In editorial comment the Times
says:
The victims who survived the official
execution are legally dead. In a court
OF law they will not be permitted to i'm
peach the records Of their execution.
Their rights and privileges before the
law are ended. They cannot sue. be
sued, marry. own property. vote or ex-
ercise any Of the rights Of a citizen.
Neither will they be held accountable
for their acts II arraigned for depreda-
tiOns IL Will only be necessary TO rest
on the court record OF their death
THE men may now watch the ad-
ministration Of their estates. ,he scram-
bic Of their legal representatives TO sue
ceed them IN worldly possessions They
may attend the marriage. celebration Of
their respective widows. and cOngratu-
late the steDfathers of their children.
al this and much besides. comes within
the reasonable purvi@w Of heir present
status.