HUGHES TO CORBIN, APRIL 30, 1902

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIA,
OFFICE OF THE COMMANDING GENERAL,
San Francisco, Cal., April 30, 1902.

Major-General CORBIN,
U. S. Army, Adjutant-General, Washington, D. C.

DEAR GENERAL: My attention has been called to a statement of William Lebelle and A. W. Bertrand, late privates in Company D, Twenty-sixth U. S. Volunteer Infantry, as published in the Washington Post of April 24.

I do not have any personal knowledge of these men, but the statements made by them relative to the death of Padre Augustin de la Peña do not agree with the information given me at the time. The history of this man and his death, so far as known to me, is as follows:

Soon after the occupation of the provinces of Iloilo, Capiz, and Antique in January, 1900, it was found that Padre de la Peña, of Dumangas, was very active in the interest of the insurgents and was quite an important factor to the cause.

About the middle of February, 1900, as nearly as I can recall, Lieutenant-Colonel Dickman and Major Henry came to my quarters and asked if I would authorize them to arrest Padre Augustine de la Piña. My reply was that no individual, whatever his calling, could be exempt from arrest if he was an obstacle to the accomplishing of the purpose for which the Government had sent us to the island. But it was impressed upon them that in making the arrest it was very necessary that the evidence should be convincing that he was an active obstacle in our way in accomplishing our mission.

The arrest was not made at that time, as I was given to understand, because sufficient evidence to incriminate the man could not be obtained For several months Padre de la Piña remained at Dumangas, and from time to time I received accounts of his work against us, especially in the way of collecting and supplying money to the insurgents. Joaquin de la Piña, one of Quintin Salas's captains, was his brother. But while I had convinced myself of the padre's activity as an insurrecto, the presentable evidence would not have been sufficient for conviction before a commission.

On or about July, 1899, the information came to me that Padre de la Piña was about to change his residence from Dumangas to Janiuay, which would have been an ideal position for the purpose of obstructing our work.

In order to checkmate this intention and to advance our own interests, it was determined to occupy both Janiuay and Maasin, which being done, de la Piña transferred himself to Molo. I then cautioned the commanding officers of Leon and Maasin to keep a lookout for the padre, for he was an active enemy.

In course of time—I am unable to state the month, but think it was in late November, or December, 1900—the commanding officer of Maasin arrested the padre and delivered him to the commanding officer of Banate for confinement.

When I learned that he was a prisoner I looked over the cotta and elsewhere in Iloilo for a suitable place to confine him, for I did not wish him confined in the common prison. I was unable to find any suitable place in Iloilo, and as I was informed that he was confined in the church in Banate I concluded it was most comfortable for him there, and so did not transfer him.

After Padre de la Piña was confined it was ascertained that the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Company had issued to him a certified check for quite a sum of money, and no knowledge could be obtained from the bank as to the final disposition of this check.

Shortly after this discovery the commanding officer of Banate reported the death of Padre de la Piña, and came to department headquarters and stated to me in person that it had occurred to him that the padre had the check concealed in his soutane, and that he demanded his soutane of him and found the check, and that the excitement or disturbance caused by so doing had apparently caused his death.

The written report was returned to the medical officer of the station for report as to the cause of death, and while I can not state now from memory the wording of his report, yet he stated that heart disease was the cause of death.

The formal report of the death of Padre de la Piña while a prisoner, made by the commanding officer at Banate, and the report or indorsement on that of the commanding officer as to the cause of death, should be found in the official files in the office at Iloilo or in Manila. If it is thought advisable to call for them by cable I think a simple request to the adiutant-general, Fifth Brigade, where the records of the defunct Department of the Visayas were left, would secure the papers or a copy of them.

Of the brutalities said to have taken place at Anileo [Anilao], near Estancia, and of the woman and child in Dumangas, I never had any hint, and I am not prepared to believe that any American soldiers did such things.

Very truly, yours,

R. P. HUGHES, U. S. Army.