The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-10-12

that the effects of the operation would
dis6gure them for life or kill them.
This caused them to be very angry and
sullen, refusing to allow us to finish
our work and thereby forcing us to use
extreme measures. 1t was after we
had forcibly performed the work on
this family that our comrade lost his
life. We never found the assassin.
Almost without clothing, no mail or
reading matter of any kind, without
rations, and constant hiking had been
our lot for over five months.
We were relieved at last and sent
back to Dumaguete. Here we received
new clothing. eight months pay, and
had short rest. For few weeks
everything was lovely, then Batch of
Ladrones were captured and brought in
for trial. They were placed in the
stocks for a short time. After their
trial took place detail was ordered to
escort those found guilty to some vii
lage few miles away. On the road
the prisoners generally escaped, the es-
corting detail returning to quarters.
The whole affair usually lasted about
an hour. This was daily occurrence
for many months, or until the prisoners
were sent to Bacolod for trial. know
that the end was always the same, that
is, for every detail that was an escort
for those parties, there would be one or
more human beings less in this world
when they returned. The stocks were
constant source of punishment for
every one on the island. We, did not
help the Ladrones at any time. They
constantly kept us hiking, and were up
to every kind of devilment. If they
had all been placed in the stocks we
would have been satisfied.
In the meantime orders had arrived
for change of station. Part of the
regiment were to 60 to Cebu and part
to Mindanao. Samsr had just come to
notice by the fact that Company &C."
9th Infantry, had been almost annihi-
lated while stationed there. This put
every one on uneasy street. was for
tunate enough to belong to Company
Of" which with "B" and &c" were to GO
to Mindanao.
Arriving at Zamboango we made the
convent our headquarters. Here we
found the natives to be very trouble
some, and entirely different from the
Visayans. These people were the
dreaded Moros who are not afraid of
anything on earth. They did not make
friends and no amount of kindness
seemed to make them friendly. The
result was a continuous round of en-
counters in which no mercy was asked
or given. l wish you to understand
that the Moros would attack us openly,
not from ambush. The consequence
was, that unless crowd of us were to-
gether at all times, while absent from
the convent, some one would be missing
at roll call that evening. will write
of the MorOs at another time, giving
you complete explanation of how the
water cure was administered, and the
effects of the same upon the unfortu.
nate victims.
In conclusion I will say that since
starting to write this paper I have re-
ceived the information that the 9Th has
recently arrived in the Philippines, and
was assigned to active service on the
Island of Samar. This assignment
places them within sight of Negros
their home of over five years ago and
have no doubt that many will wish they
. were back on Negros before they leave
Samar. 1 know that with the regi
. ment are many who were there before
and also know one who is not there
, who would not be there under any con
; sideration. As citizen with plenty o,
cash, the islands are all right, but as {
, soldier with little cash, less rations, ant
j an overabundance of hiking, they ART
: far different, altho there is q pleasan
: side to the service also. G. w,
) William Laughs.