BRESNEHAN, OCTOBER 13, 1902
JOHN BRESNEHAN, late of Company D, Twenty-sixth Volunteer Infantry, having first been duly sworn to testify the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth as to the matter respecting which he was to be examined, did testify as follows:
Q. What is your address and occupation?-A. My address is 101 Pearl street, Burlington, Vt. I am a butcher.
Q. Were you a member of Company D, Twenty-sixth Volunteer Infantry?-A. Yes, sir.
Q. For how long a time?-A. Twenty-two months.
Q. From what time until what time?-A. From July 27, 1899, until May 13, 1901.
Q. Did you get an honorable discharge?-A. Yes, sir.
Q. What was the character on it?-A. Very good.
Q. Were you with the company at Banate in the fall of 1900?-A. Yes, sir.
Q. And who was in command there at that time?-A. Captain Brownell.
Q. Do you know if at any time in the company there was a squad called the water-cure squad?-A. Why, yes; there was a few men that we used to name the water-cure squad.
Q. And for what purpose was this squad detailed?-A. I don't know; it seems as though they were given all that kind of work to do; there were certain men to administer this water cure.
Q. Do you know the names of those men?-A. I know the names of a few of them. So far as I can remember, there was Sergeant Campbell, Albert Cross, George Branch, and Private Robinson.
Q. How do you know that these men constituted this squad and performed that duty?-A. From what they told me.
Q. Did you ever see the water cure administered?-A. I never seen it but once.
Q. When was that time?-A. I could not give the date. It was in the town of Analau [Anilao].
Q. What time of the year? 1900? Fall of the year?-A. I think it was along there somewhere. It was the only time I ever seen it given. I don't remember what month.
Q. Who was it given to?-A. To some native there.
Q. Don't know nis name?-A. No, sir.
Q. For what purpose was it given?-A. That I could not say. Some of the boys said it was about arms hidden away-something of that kind.
Q. These men that you speak of administered it?-A. This Robinson was one of them. Robinson and Sergeant Campbell was the only two I seen then.
Q. You know that they administered it?-A. Yes, sir.
Q. Who directed it to be done?-A. Captain Brownell.
Q. There were prisoners there, were there not-Filipino prisoners at Banate?-A. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you know if there was a Catholic priest among those prisoners?-A. I could not swear that he was a priest; only what the company clerk told me.
Q. Who was the company clerk?-A. His name was Bertrand.
Q. He told you that there was a priest among them?-A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you ever see him?-A. Yes, sir.
Q. You saw him?-A. Yes, sir; I saw him when he first came to the town.
Q. When he first came to town how was he dressed?-A. In artillery uniform with sergeant's stripes.
Q. Did you see him when he landed?-A. Yes, sir.
Q. What time was it-in the day or night?-A. Landed in the day.
Q. What did they land him from?-A. From the gunboat Paragua.
Q. Was there a guard over him when he landed?-A. Yes; there were some soldiers over him.
Q. Was the captain along?-A. Yes, sir; Captain Brownell and Captain Butts.
Q. What did Captain Butts belong to?-A. To the cavalry.
Q. Where did they take the priest?-A. To headquarters.
Q. Did you see them take him there?-A. Yes, sir.
Q. When next did you see the priest?-A. I did not see him next until I mounted guard.
Q. For how long did you see him then?-A. I seen him twice during that day.
Q. Will you describe his appearance?-A. He still had a sergeant's uniform on. I seen him when I was called up there to relieve the guard that was over him. There was an interpreter there. I don't know what his name was. They were trying to get this man - this so-called priest - to sign some papers and he refused to do so, and then they said they were going to give him the water cure so called.
Q. Did they threaten him with it?-A. They brought him in and threw him on a ladder, and he seemed to get scared. He must have had it before and knew what it was. So he said that if they would not give him the water cure he would sign the papers.
Q. How do you know this?-A. Through this interpreter.
Q. You were in the room at the time?-A. Yes, sir.
Q. And you knew it from the interpreter?-A. Yes, sir.
Q. And it was your opinion that he had had it before?-A. Yes, sir.
Q. Why did you think he had had it before?-A. He seemed to know what it was-didn't want it.
Q. Continue.-A. He said he would sign the papers.
Q. Did he appear to be in great suffering?-A. Yes, he did; crying and seemed to feel pain, shaking all over.
Q. Do you remember about what month and year that was?-A. I could not say when it was.
Q. Then you were relieved?-A. Then I was relieved from doing guard.
Q. Did you see him sign the papers?-A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you see the priest after that time?-A. Yes, sir; I seen him that evening.
Q. About how long after this water cure was administered to him?-A. Well, I don't know whether this water cure was administered to him.
Q. I mean how long after he was threatened that you saw him again?-A. It was about 10 in the evening. It was after taps.
Q. And this threatening was about what time?-A. In the afternoon.
Q. Where did you see him?-A. I got orders to take him out of the cell.
Q. You were on guard at the time?-A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you take him out?-A. I helped to take him out.
Q. What was his condition when vou took him out?-A. The same as before. He was crying and shaking all over. He was trying to say something, but I could not understand what it was.
Q. What did you do with him when you took him out of the cell?-A. Sergeant Campbell had charge of him.
Q. Was he able to walk?-A. Hardly; we helped him.
Q. How many of you?-A. There were four or five left the guardhouse with him. I simply helped to take him out of the cell, and helped to blindfold him.
Q. Who ordered this blindfolding?-A. Sergeant Campbell ordered him blindfolded. I don't know where he got his orders.
Q. What kind of cell was this prisoner in?-A. A cell built for solitary confinement.
Q. How large?-A. It was not very large. It was large enough to get a small bunk in.
Q. Did he have a bunk in there?-A. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you know where Sergeant Campbell and party took him?-A. They took him down to a house about a block from headquarters.
Q. When they took him out was this the last time you saw him?-A. Yes; the last time I seen him to know him.
Q. By what name did he go?-A. I could not say; I did not know his name.
Q. The first time you saw him did he look like a sickly man?-A. No, sir; he looked very healthy the first time I seen him.
Q. When you last saw him, how did he look?-A. He did not look as though he would stand a great deal of hardship. He needed help to walk.
Q. Did you ever notice the top of his head?-A. Yes, sir.
Q. Was it shaven?-A. Yes sir.
Q. Did you believe that he was a priest from all you heard and saw?-A. From all that I heard and saw I believed he was. They would not let any of the natives see him.
Q. Have you any knowledge as to what became of him after he was taken to this house?-A. Private Branch came back to the guardhouse shortly afterwards--in about half an hour-and went to get the doctor. The doctor went with him. Where he went I don't know. He came back again after some prisoners, which he took with him. They took some shovels and picks, and when he came back I asked him where he had been, and he said he had been burying the priest. That was the answer he gave me.
Q. How long was this after you took him from the cell?-A. It might have been three-quarters of an hour.
Q. Did Branch say where they buried him?-A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did your ever look at that place to see if it had been dug up?-A. Yes, sir; the next morning; it then appeared to have been freshly dug up.
Q. Did any of the other men examine it?-A. I don't know.
Q. Was this matter talked over in the company afterwards?-A. I never heard it talked over; no, sir.
Q. Did you ever talk it over with any of the men?-A. Yes, sir; I have.
Q. And about what was the line of the conversation?-A. After Bertrand had told us that this man was a priest, he told me in particular, and I inquired of Allie Cross whether he was or not, and Allie said he was.
Q. What duty was Bertrand on?-A. He was company clerk.
Q. Did Captain Brownell accompany this priest from the guardhouse to the house where he was taken?-A. Yes, sir.
Q. How long after this occurrence was it that you went and looked at the ground?- A. It was daylight early the next morning.
Q. Did it look as though it had been dug up freshly the night before?-A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did it look like a grave?-A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did any of the other men go with you to look at it?-A. No, sir.
Q. How old did this priest appear to be?-A. He seemed to be a man pretty well along in years. He might have been 50 years of age.
Q. And how long was he there at Banate?-A. He was probably there six or eight days. It was but a short time.
Q. Could it have been two weeks?-A. I hardly think it was two weeks.
Q. After you relieved the guard over this prisoner, how long did you remain with him?-A. It must have been three-quarters of an hour or an hour.
Q. Did you then take him in the room to the rear of the office?-A. Yes, sir.
Q. Who ordered you to do that?-A. Captain Brownell.
Q. Do you remember what Captain Brownell said to the priest through the interpreter? Do you remember anything he told him about signing these papers?-A. All I can remember is that if he did not sign them he would give him the water cure again. He said he would give him time to think it over.
Q. This was in the afternoon?-A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you help Sergeant Campbell to blindfold him?-A. Yes, sir; I did.
Q. Can you give me the names of any of that party that took this prisoner from the cell that night on the way down to the house?-A. All that I can remember is two of them-Sergeant Campbell and Branch.
Q. Is there anything connected with this occurrence that you have not testified to?-A. No, sir.
Q. This is all you remember?-A. That is all.
Q. Do you know of any other acts, such as administering the water cure, besides this to which you testify?-A. No, sir; only that one at Analau [Anilao].
John J. Bresnehan,
Late Private, Company D, Twenty-sixth Infantry Volunteers.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 13th day of October, 1902, at Burlington, Vt.
E. HUNTER,
Judge-Advocate, U. S. Army.