The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-01


was a reduction from a top-sergeantcy
to be buck private"
He boosted of another exploit. This
one was enacted in Santiago. near Fort
San Luis. where the marines we're sta
toned. He was guarding five Domini-
cans who were making a road. The
five broke for freedom. None got away.
To quote him again:
II knew they were going to try and
| was ready. Before they had gone
thirty yards I had dropped every one
OF them. and not one required more
than one shot"
He is quoted here merely to show
the conditions that obtained at the time
OF the writer's presence in the country
late in 1913. At that time armed
evidence that the Dominicans were pos
sessed of arms. There were no GRIM
inal courts; everything was attended to
by the judge advocate In the northern
section OF the republic.
He wasn't especially enamored Of his
job. either. A decent, fair minded man.
withal good soldier. he did not be-
lieve In doing as some of his predeces-
sors had done-sending a native to
prison for from twenty to forty years
merely because a rifle or revolver had
been found in that natives house or
possession. He tried to temper justice
with mercy; and the same was true OF
the commandant of the northern prov
inces Of San Domingo.
Only Perfunctory Inquiry.
But these conditions did not obtain In
all parts of the island. have In mind
what happened down at Santo Domingo
city. the capital of the republic. Some
twenty-five or thirty bandits CD had
been rounded up and Jailed. The night
Of the capture the captain OF the
Guardia Macdonald at Santto Domingo
city was murdered. This captain was
a marine sergeant who had been placed
somewhat similar to our own State con-
stabulary-and was very popular with
his dusky subordinates.
That same night the twenty-five or
thirty prisoners were taken out TO
point two miles from the jail and exc
cuted. Nobody appeared to know VINO
executed them or who gave orders Tor
the crime A perfunctory investigation
was proceeded with. but nothing ever
came Of the matter.
The day before Thanksgiving. 1919
a Second Lieutenant and detail OF ma
rines went out into the country to search
the house of a native suspected OF pos
sessing firearms. talked with the Lieu
tenant shortly before ne left the fort.
talked with him when he returned.
How did you do?' l inquired. dig
you get htmY"
..Did we get him ?"--this with smile,
II should say we did. Got him and -FOUR
others"
Bring them in?" was the next query.
Nope: left them there to be buried
And so 1t went. The statement In
Col. Russers letter that only twelve
marines have been killed during the
occupation of Hayti Is at variance with
the stories of the marines WIZ served
there with Waller and Butler and wnv
appeared to know whereof they spoke.
I can recall the night we stopped at
Monte Christi en- route for Puerto Plata
ON our way from the States. A ser
peant coming aboard with other OFFICERS
reported that on the night before party
of marines had been waylaid and seven
of them killed. There was in the party
the wife Of Major, but she had es-
capped unhurt. =,
Doubtless the marines-officers as well
as men-suffered great provocation--not
doubtless" they did! Little wonder
then that their morals as Well as theiT
morale suffered to that extent that the
Navy department lett lHipeilcu W NVc
patch a special agent to the island in an
effort to work odt the salvatlon-physi-
cal and spiritual--of the men CHARTERED
there.
That special agent was Pittsourser
His report submitted after several
months in Hayti caused Juror OF
doubt and excitement in official circles
At once preparations We're made 10
ameliorate conditions, and beginning
late in 1918 some improvements were
worked out
Young mem who went to Hayti clean
and wholesome remained clean and
wholesome only for brief, brief time.
Many Of them left there wrecks or their
former selves: they were in such condi-
ton as to be better dead. Others-and
many of them-were sent homo raving
maniacs. / have 1t upon the best OF
authority that one consignment OF
nuts" coming to the States aboard
transport included twenty-three young
marines.
But none of this ever came to the
public The strictest of censorships was
maintained both in Hayti and In Santo
Domingo. This censorship is still In
force, according to what / can learn.
Nor did special correspondent who
spent a week or two In Hayti few
months ago learn anything but the mice
things" during his outing there.
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