LA BELLE, NOVEMBER 8, 1902
WILLIAM LA BELLE, late private, Company D, Twenty-sixth Volunteer Infantry, having first been duly sworn to testify the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, respecting the matter concerning which he was to be examined, did testify as follows:
Q. What is your name?—A. William La Belle.
Q. Where do you reside, and what is your occupation?—A. Pressman for the General Electric Company. I reside at 25 Walnut street, Lynn, Mass.
Q. Were you a member of Company D, Twenty-sixth Volunteer Infantry; if so, from what time until what time?—A. I enlisted the 10th day of August, 1899, and was mustered out the 13th day of May, 1901.
Q. What character was given you on your discharge?—A. Excellent.
Q. Were you during all this time on duty with your company?—A. Yes, sir.
Q. Who was the company commander?—A. Captain Brownell.
Q. Where were you stationed?—A. I was stationed in three different posts—Jaro, Sara, and Banate.
Q. During this time that you were a member of Company D do you know of your own personal knowledge anything about the water cure having been administered?—A. Yes, sir.
Q. State all the circumstances known to you concerning the administering of this water cure.—A. It was in a church in a town called Analau [Anilao] I saw the water cure administered. It was given by Captain Brownell's order, I supposed, because he was right there. It was administered to a Filipino native. They wanted to find out where there were some guns. I don't know the name of the native.
Q. It was administered under whose order?—A. Under Captain Brownell's order.
Q. At this time did you see it administered?—A. Yes, sir.
Q. State what other times you saw the water cure administered.—A. That is the only time
Q. While you were a member of Company D, Twenty-sixth Infantry, did you see a native priest brought in as a prisoner?—A. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you remember his name?—A. Yes, sir; Father Augustine.
Q. When and where was this that you saw him?—A. This was in Banate. I don't remember the date.
Q. Do you, of your own personal knowledge, know if the water cure was administered to this priest?—A. No, sir. I did not see it.
Q. Do you, of your own personal knowledge, know anything further in reference to this matter of administering the water cure than what you have testified to?—A. No, sir.
Q. Were you ever on the detail to administer the water cure?—A. No, sir. I never was on that detail.
Q. Can you give the names of any of the men who administered the water cure to this priest?—A. Yes, sir. Sergeant Campbell, Leon Walling, George Branch.
Q. How do you know that they were of the squad?—A. They told me so, and I saw them go out of quarters. They told me after it was all over.
Q. What do you mean by "after it was all over?"—A. I mean after they had given him the cure.
Q. Do you mean this last time they gave it, when he died?—A. Yes, sir.
Q. At this time of which you are now testifying, when this thing was all over, what did these men tell you?—A. This was about 2 o'clock in the morning, or at any rate, something in the night after 12 o'clock, my squad mate and chum, Ralph Baker, came and woke me up, and told me the priest was dead and being buried. That is all I knew about it.
Q. What else did he tell you?—A. Well, he told me they were burying him then.
Q. Did he say what caused his death?—A. He said the water cure.
Q. Do you know the address of Ralph Baker?—A. Up to a month ago he was at Bellows Falls, Vt., firing on the railroad.
Q. Do you know the address of Leon Walling?—A. No; I don't. It is somewhere in the northern part of the State of Vermont.
WILLIAM LA BELLE
Late Private, Company D, Twenty-sixth Infantry, U. S. Volunteers.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this eighth day of November, 1902, at Lynn, Mass.
E. HUNTER,
Judge-Advocate, U. S. Army.