The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-05-01

Washington, April 27.-The extended
report of Lieutenant General Nelson A
Miles concerning his observations inI
the Philippines. was made public today
by the war department. 1t is dated
features of his trip through the islands.
together with his recommendations.
General Miles describes a visit to Lipa|
where he says a party of citizens
headed by Inc acting presidente, met
him and stated that they desired 10
make complaint of harsh treatment of
the people of tina community, saying
that hey had been concentrated in
towns and had suffered great indigni-
ties" hat fifteen of their people had
been tortured by what is kniwn as the
water torture. n that one man. a
highly respected citizen, aged sixty-f1ve
years. 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
burned to death. They also stated that
these atrocities were committed by
scouts under of Lieutenant
Kennessay and that the people had been
crowded into towns, 600 being confined
to one building.
A doctor of the party said he was
ready to testify that some of the six
hundred died from suffocation.
General Miles then refers to other
cases, saying that on the island of Ce-
bu it was reported and published in
November, 1902, that two officers, Cap
tain Samuels, Forty-fourth infantry
United States volunteers, and Lieut..
Feeter, Nineteenth infantry, had COM
mitted similar atrocities against the
people of that island. 1t is also report
ed that at Taoag on the island of Lu-
zOn. two natives were whipped to death.
At TaclOban, Leyte, it was reported
that Major Glenn ordered Lieutenant
Caulfield. Philippine scouts, to tax 81
prisoners out into the country and hat
if they did not guide him to the campi
of the insurgent position he was not
to bring them back 1t was stated that
the men We're taken Out and that they
either did not or could not do as di-
rected. One of the men who had a son
among the scouts was spared, but the
others were shot or bayonetted to death,
some being in a kneeIing position at
that time
At C~aIabOag, Samar. 1t was reported
that several men in that district had
been subjected to water torture. 1 saw
three men who had been subjected toI
this treatment. One was the preSidenteI
of the town. Mr.. ROzales who showed
me long deep scars on his arm which,
he said were caused by the cords with
which he was bound cutting in two hisl
flesh. The second man VISA namedI
Jose Borja and the third was PadreI
Diazenes who stated that he was OneI
of three priests who had been subjected
to torture by the troops under conf
mand of Lieutenant GaujOt. Tenth "a
airy; that his front teeth had BEEN
knocked out, which was apparent: that
he was otherwise mal-treated and rob-
bed of three hundred dollars. 1t wasI
stated that these priests were takenI
out to be killed and were saved OnlyI
by the prompt action OF Major Carring-I
ton. first infantry. who sent out fOrI
them. Lieutenant GaujOt was tried.
pleaded guilty. and was given the tri-
vial sentence of three months suspen-
sion from command. forfeiting fiftyI
dollars per month for the same period.i
His pleading guilty prevented all the
facts and circumstances being deVelOp-I
ed.
1T appears that Major Glenn. Lieu-i
tenant COnger and a party of assist
tanIs and native scouts were moved
from place to place for the purpose of
eXtorting statements By means Of tor
ture and it became so notorious that
this party was called 'GIenn'S brigade.1
Whether it was possible for officials toI
be engaged in such acts without theI
personal knowledge of the general upOnl
whose staff they were serving at theI
time. namely Brigadier Genera Hughes.
I leave for others to conjecture.
These facts came to my notice in al
casual way, and man others of similarI
character have been reported in difer-I
ent parts of the archipelago. In fact,l
I was informed that it was commOnI
talk at the places where officers ngr
gated that such transactions had beenI
carried on iether with the cOnnivanCeI
or approval of certain commanding Of
Seers. 1t is however, most gratifying
to State hat such atrocities have beenl
cunurmned by such commanders asi
Generals Lawton. Wade, Sumner. Lee,l
Baldwin and others. /
L found that with certain ~oficersI
the impression prevails that such actsI
were justiiable. and 1 felt it my duty
In order TO correct such romeo anCl
dangerous impression. and to prevent
the possibility of such acts being com
mitted in the future. which must impairl
the good name of American arms an
bring discredit to our service for all
time, to direct that my orders or cir