Barton County democrat., 1904-06-03
IN THE PHILIPPINE GROUP
Small Islands That Have Histories
Full of Interest for the Hunter
of the Curious.


It is probable that the Philippine Is
lands are more quantity enriched WITH
queer corners than any other OF this
country's foreign possessions Among
the interesting spots that have up &c:
now escaped the hunter after curious
things might be mentioned the little IS
land of Santa Maria, says the New 1orks
Herald
Up tola short time ago here lived an
old datto, who had numerous pretty
wives; in fact so old and ugly was the
datto and SO pretty the wives that the
latter INDUCED in affairs of the heart
when the latter was not around TwG
of the wives in particular were often &C
be seen driving around the streets, fol-
lowed at a respectable distance by theiI
love-sick Romeos.
One night there was a row at the dat
to's harem and the two wives mysteri-.
ously disappeared. This came to the
ears of the officer commanding the
American troops and the datto was
asked to explain where the wives were.
They Dead he grunted laconically.
What caused them to die at the same
timer"
Head chopee off, was the terse re-
ply.
1t was further explained that the small
island called Santa Maria had been care.
fully set aside by the datto's forefathers
as death place for his unfaithful
wives The investigation which fol-
lowed disclosed that Santa Maria was a
veritable Bluebeard's chamber. the key
to which was held by a Filipino lord
high executioner, who lived there. The
island is only a strip of land, but in a
secluded corner the. American officers
found grewsome pile of heads tied to-
gether by the hair in artistic punches of
two and three.
Another interesting little island is
Bengao, which is one of the southern
most of the Philippine group, being only
a few miles from British North Borneo.
Under the Spanish regime it was inhab-
tied by mixed breed of murderous
Moros, treacherous Malays and others
with a dash of the piratical blood of
Rorneo
The American soldiers had consid-
erable trouble with these people at the
beginning of the war. The pirates stole
everything that happened to be lying
loose, particularly guns; stabbed men
in the back merely as a matter of pi-
ratio principle, and when things grew
a bit dull they turned to and smoked
up" their own island.
The only time of real peace in the,
place was when the pirates launched
to the teeth. They usually returned a
week later with considerable quantities
of loot and proceeded forthwith to get
gloriously drunk and raise more
trouble.
The Luneta, in Manila, under the
Spanish regime might well have laid
claim to being one OF the queerest cor
ners of the globe. 1t was the custom of
the old government to execute Filipino
malefactors here, and such events were
characterized by much ice cream and
many brass bands.
The announcement would be made
that five or six natives were to be exc
cuted for various offenses. The island
aristrocracy would drive from all quar-
ters to witness the sport
The band would strike up. At the end
of the overture a whisper would dart
through the lines of carriages. There
would be dead silence. Then a mysteri-
GUS melancholy "chump'' would an
rounce that one Filipino malefactoI
had parted company with his head
Once more the bray of the brass band.
Ice cream and other refreshments would
be handed around. The latest scandal
in official life would be discussed Then
a pause-tense excitement for a mo-
ment-and another Filipino would go in
search of his head. The bull fight is
certainly tame compared with the sport
of -chopping off heads