Arizona Republican

Instructions to General Chaffee Acquainting Him With the Reports Spread in this Country, With Directions to Prosecute by Court Martial All Who Have Been Implicated in Order or Torture of Natives of the Islands—The Purpose Set Forth—Major Glenn Ordered to Trial.

Washington, April 15.—As a result of the consideration by the cabinet today of the charges of cruel treatment of Filipinos by United States soldiers, Secretary Root has made public the following correspondence:

"War Department, Washington, April 15, 1902.—My Dear Senator: I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your copy of the testimony of Sergeant Riley and Private Lewis Smith, late of the Twenty-sixth infantry, taken before your committee yesterday. I inclose a copy of the dispatch which has been sent today to Major General Chaffee, commanding the division of the Philippines. Directions have been given to the judge advocate general of the army to take the proper steps in accordance with the dispatch.

"The war department will be glad to receive the earliest practicable information of any further evidence which may be elicited by your committee tending to fix responsibility on anyone in the military service of the United States for any violation of any of the laws of war or regulations or orders governing the operations or the army of the United States in the field. Very respectfully,

"ELIHU ROOT, Secretary of War.

"Hon. H. C. Lodge, United States Senator, Washington, D. C."

"War Department, Washington, April 15.—Memorandum for the Adjutant General: Cable General Chaffee as follows:

"On February last was sent you, inclosing, if investigation, a copy of the charges made by Governor Gardiner of Tayabas province, which contained general allegations of cruelties practiced by the troops on the natives and generally of the insolent and brutal attitude of the army towards natives. On April 2, a cable dispatch sent you urging action with all the speed consistent with a thorough and searching investigation. On the 4th of March a cable dispatch was sent you directing disciplinary measures to produce obedience to the president's instructions, subordinating military officers to the civil government in the pacified provinces and instructing you to relieve Major Edwin F. Glenn and Captain James A. Ryan from duty and order them to Manila to await an investigation of their conduct, in accordance with the instructions to follow by mail.

"On the 24th of March instructions were mailed you containing a statement of charges against these officers and General Jacob H. Smith, as the basis for the investigation ordered by cable on March 4. Further instructions in both matters are required by the following facts: Press dispatches state that upon the trial of Major Waller of the marine corps, testimony was given by Major Waller, corroborated by other witnesses, that General Jacob H. Smith instructed him to kill and burn, that the more he killed and burned the better pleased General Smith would be, that it was no time to take prisoners, and that when Major Waller asked General Smith to define the age limit for killing, he replied: 'Everything over 10.'

"If such testimony was given and the facts can be established you will place General Smith on trial by court martial. Yesterday before the senate committee on Philippines affairs, Sergeant Charles Riley and Private William Lewis Smith of the Twenty-sixth volunteer infantry testified that the form of torture known as the water cure, was administered to the president of the town of Igbaras, Iloilo province, Island of Panay, by detachments of the Eighteenth United States infantry, under the command of Lieutenant Arthur L. Conger, under the orders of Major Edwin F. Glenn, then captain of the Twenty-fifth infantry, and that the captain and Assistant Surgeon Palmer Lyon, at that time a contract surgeon, was present to assist them.

"The officers named, or such of them as are found to be responsible for the act, will be tried, therefore, by court martial. Conger and Lyon are in this country and most of the witnesses being presumptively here, the secretary of war directs that Major E. F. Glenn of the Twenty-fifth infantry be directed to proceed to San Francisco and report to the general commanding the department of California, with a view to his trial by court martial under charges alleging cruelties practiced by him upon a native of the Philippine islands at Igbaras on the 27th of June, 1901.

"As the two years allowed for prosecution by the statute of limitations is nearly at an end, no time is to be lost.

"The president desires to know in the fullest and most circumstantial manner all the facts, nothing being concealed, and no man being for any reason favored or shielded. For the very reason that the president intends to back up the army in the heartiest fashion in every lawful and legitimate method of doing its work, he also intends to see that the most rigorous care is exercised to detect and prevent any cruelty or brutality and that men who are guilty thereof are punished.

"ELIHU ROOT, Secretary of War.

"April 15, 1902."