Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 April 1900 — NEWS FROM OUR COLONIES. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

NEWS FROM OUR COLONIES.

Detached, bodies of troops or scouts or straggler* falling into the hands of coving bands of Filipinos sometimes encounter death, in horrible form. Their hacked and mangled remains are found to tell the story of savage ferocity or ingenious cruelty, , The fate that befell three members of Company F, Twenty-sixth United States Volunteers, makes the blood run cold with horror. A detachment of the Twenty-sixth was marching through the province of Yiseaya. The heat was intolerable and the land leeehes and stinging gnats helped to make life more miserable for the soldiers whose clothing was torn by the thickets and who weary, thirsty and nearly exhausted by the toil of the march aud by the enervating influences of the climate, dropped out to rest, intending to soon overtake their companies. ' 1 The men were-Tuissed from the ranks and a corporal came back to hurry them to their places. In the.wilds of the Philippines discipline sometimes is relaxed. On receiving a promise that the stragglers would Come on shortly, the Corporal rejoined the detachment. But, as the three stout infantrymen loitered death was stealing upon them. Filipinos dog the footsteps of our marching columns, looking for stragglers and scouting parties to murder. Dodging after the Twen-ty-sixth came a band of Filipinos. They

discovered the three soldiers and pounced upon them before they could spring tQ their arms to defend themselves. The prisoners were eecnreiy bound, and the captors consulted upon what disposition to make of the captives. The captain of the band proposed to set savage dogs on the three Americans; but finally another form of death was decided upon, with tearing by dogs as a preliminary. The men were stood up against trees with their hands tied above their heads and with one leg confined by bauds around the ankle. In this helpless condition they were set upon by dogs, who tore at the flesh of their lower limbs, but it was no part of the plan of ihe savage band to let the dogs kill the prisoners. For hours the unfortunate men were tortured in this and other ways. As evening was drawing near the dogs were called off. A carabao, a sort of buffalo, used for draught purposes, was brought forward. A rope was attached to the horns of the carabao and the other end of the rope was tied around the ankle of the free leg of one of the men. Then the dogs were set on the buffalo and the suffering wretch was torn asunder. In turn the other two soldiers were torn apart by the powerful beast, and after the frightful atrocity had been completed the bodies of the men were hacked with boloes and the mangled remains left hanging upon the trees. It is an utter impossibility to impart to a Filipino any correct idea of the dimensions of the States, writes one of Uncle Sam's soldiers from the Philippines. They have a fixed idea that they are n group of very small and densely populated islands about a hundred miles from here. And they think we come over because we are crowded out at home. But they regard ua as millionaires. Thirtyone dollars, Mexican, per month, strikes them as an enormous income. A giri back in the States remembered me Christmas with a box of bon-bons. Now, 1 haven’t much of a sweet tooth, and 1 decided to try the effects of candy on a Kakiack maiden. When she had finished the first chocolate drop, she licked her lips lavishly and rolled up eye* moist with gratitude. But when the was empty, 6he asked for “mjlsCacfb” Muscadi is American tobacco. We want small .American retailers over here, writes Vsoldier from the l'hilip■gjltfg. - WteCTever the army goes they should, follow-. Something should be done to encourage them to come here, They should be guaranteed, protection, and intimes of! trouble nu. asylum for themselves and their property in army quarters. We w’ant American retailers of shoes, elothfng, haberdashery, stationery, provisions, canned goods, and we want small restaurants. The prevailing margins of profits are enormous. The stock necessary is small. A few hundred dollars would buy it. I’m beginning to think since I came over here that the Yankee is the slowest man on earth. Every other nationality is getting a hand in on the Philippines. What is the matter with the American? He isn’t coming fast enough and is missing .big opportunities. There has been a wonderful improvement in the cleanliness of the streets of several Cuban cities since the war. In Harm*, the street* eJeaned regularly for the first time in the history of the city: When the streM:-cleaners recently removed the dirt which had been accumulating, in one street fpr years they uncoyergd ,a stone pavement which had been unseen so long that its presence Had been forgotten. People living in the Street -were astonished to see the stones, which had been , buried out. of sight by ihe accumulation of filth for years. Keeping the streets clean may have the effect of making the native Cubans cleaner in time. At present the streets are clean and the natives: dirty. In Mexico the streets are dirty, like the people, j American. influence in Culm is shown at present more by the Streets than by the people- ; :i • , . Dr., I). H. Morgan of the United States 1 navy has sCnt to the Navy Department k report, iti which be strongly toeommends ghat the terms of office of officers and men in the naval service on duty in the PhiHppirtßb’Shall 'W' made ewo in-, * “*

FILIPINO ATROCITY.