The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-27
Eight Minutes in Garrote Failed
to Kill Two of Five Philippine
Criminals Who Recovered.
BILLIBID OFFICIAL BUNGLED.
Living Victims of Amateur Elk
ecutioner Have No Legal Stat
us and Are Immune From
Further Punishment
for Crimes.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL

REPUBLIC SPECIAL
Washington. Dec. 2S-Copies of the Man
LA Times, received to-day at the War De-
partment. tell gruesome tale Of CARROT
ing execution which failed to kill some OF
its victims. The paper says:
Nicholas Ancheta, Daniel VERSION, AMI
ceto Javier and F'urstino Pascnal, muir
derers. were garroted at Amulung. Casa-
yam Province, October 81
''Mr. Gubridge, a Billibid official. super
intended the execution. as the provincial
authorities were unable to find an official
to do 1t. Gubridge practiced with the
gruesome machine, which was a strangu-
lation garrote. and not one that disiocates
the spinal column On the day set he had
about perfected himself in its use.
There was some question as to the
time that the victims should be in the ma
chine. The Spanish tradition was that 1t
took eight minutes to cause death, but
that the bodies should be left in the ma
chine four hours. 1t was the Spanish boast
that neither in Spain nor in the Philip
pines had the garroter ever bungied his
horrible task. After some hesitation it
was decided that eight minutes was all
that was necessary to complete the work
Of death, and that the four hours was the
length of time the bodies should be ex-
posed afterward.
when taken from the machine the limp
bodies, still bound, were laid upon the
floor Of the church of Amutung, that the
relatives might claim them and take them
away. Doctor Iicena, the provincial sur
geon. certified to their death and the
Judge gave the seal of judicial approval.
Some three hours later two constabu-
larry officers, Captain Long. senior In
spector OF the Province, and Lieutenant
Collins, entered the church to see IL the
bodies had been claimed. They we're hor-
rified to see upon the floor three bodies
squirming and comforting in half-con-
scious endeayors TO release themselves.
Groans that sounded unearthiy in the
dimly lighted church came from their
threats. Two of them seemed about re-
turning to full consciousness. and the con-
stabulary officers. bending over them.
asked them in Spanish IL there was any
thing they wanted.
THE reply was. in a husky, harsh whis-
per: 81, senor-agua.'
Water and restoratives 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 dead.
Three have since died of the shock and
reports were convalescing and may live
for years to come; But II written on
the court records OF their native province
that they are dead, having paid their
lives for the crime of murder, the law
can neither punish them again nor caA
it recognize their continual 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 Inn
Their rights and privileges before the law
are ended. They cannot sue, or be sued.
be married, vote or exercise any Of the
rights of citizen. Neither will they be
held accountable for their acts II ar
raigned for depredations it will only be
necessary to rest on the court record of
their death.
1.-THE men may now watch the admins
tration OF their estates. the scramble of
their legal representatives to succeed them
In worldly possessions. They may at
tend the marriage celebration of their
respective widows and congratulate the
stepfathers Of their children All this
and much besides comes within the rea-
sonable purview Of their present status"