SMITH, DECEMBER 11, 1902
Headquarters Department of the Visayas,
Office of Inspector-General,
lloilo, Panay, P. I., December 11,1902.
The Adjutant-General, Department of the Visayas,
lloilo, Panay, P. I.
Sir: In compliance with your instructions of November 21, I have the honor to submit the following report in regard to the administration of the water cure to Father Augustine de la Pena, a parish priest of Dumangas, at Banate, Panay, P. I., and his subsequent death and burial, which report has been delayed by my repeated absences, other duties, and the difficulty of securing an interview with any witnesses and procuring information.
I have been able to secure the certificate of O. W. Wood, contract surgeon, U. S. Army, which is appended hereto and from which it will appear that he has more knowledge of the circumstances then any other information obtainable at this late date.
In the latter part of 1900 Father Augustine de la Pena was an ecclesiastical governor of the diocese of Jaro, P. I., and living at Molo, Panay, near lloilo, P. I. He was suspected of aiding and abetting the active insurrection and was arrested in November, 1900, at Molo. P. I., about 3 miles from lloilo, at the convent there, by whom or by whose orders I was not able to ascertain.
The Department of Visayas was at that time commanded by Brig. Gen. R. P. Hughes, U. S. Army, with headquarters at lloilo, Panay, P. I.
He was first taken to Fort San Pedro, lloilo, P. I., held in confinement there about a week or ten days, when he was taken to Banate, Panay, P. I., about 30 miles distant from lloilo, Panay, P. I., and kept in solitary confinement at that place until the time of his death. From conversations with various persons in regard to this matter it is inferred that his arrest was made for the purpose of obtaining information in regard to the insurrectionary forces and also for the purpose of using his services as a guide, it being well established that he was a strong sympathizer and active worker with the insurrectos. He had a nephew, Joaquin de la Pena, who had a very bad reputation in regard to the treatment of American and native prisoners, inflicting upon them horrible tortures, and who did not surrender at the time of the general surrender, being afraid of punishment for violation of the laws of war which he had committed. He is still at large and is supposed to be connected with the present ladrone element of this island.
After Father Augustine de la Pena had been taken to Banate, P. I., Contract Surg. O. W. Wood was ordered by the then commanding officer, C. M. Brownell, Twenty-sixth Infantry, U. S. Volunteers, to make an examination of him, give him necessary medical treatment, and because of Dr. Wood being conversant with the Spanish language, to interrogate him in regard to his relations with the insurrection. The interview not having elicited the desired information, this fact was reported by Dr. Wood to the commanding officer, Captain Brownell, who, about 10 a. m., December 8, 1900, directed that the water-cure treatment be administered to the prisoner.
Dr. Wood was verbally ordered by Captain Brownell to be present to see that the prisoner was not seriously injured or killed by the administration of the water cure, and was present at intervals during the time it was administered, which, it is stated, was not a great amount, as the prisoner became excited and confessed to the whereabouts of an amount of funds collected for insurrecto purposes to the amount of about $20,000, Mexican currency, for which he gave orders and checks on the banks and a commercial firm of Iloilo, P. I., which orders were signed in the presence of Captain Brownell, Captain Butts, and Dr. Wood, and made payable to the order of the judge-advocate of the Visayas, Iloilo, P. I., who at that time was Capt. E. F. Glenn, Twenty-fifth Infantry (now major, Fifth Infantry).
The surgeon saw him in the afternoon of the same day, at which time he did not appear to be suffering any ill effects of his treatment in the morning.
The commanding officer sent for the surgeon about 8 p. m. of that day to see the prisoner, and when he arrived, a few minutes afterwards, the prisoner was dead.
The death of the prisoner was reported by letter, under date of December 12, 1900, to the assistant adjutant-general, Department of the Visayas, Iloilo, Panay, P. I., which was returned, by an indorsement dated December 21, 1900, for the date of the death and a report of the official examination by the surgeon to be returned with the report. A complete official copy of these papers is inclosed herewith.
The officers present at the post at the time of the occurrence were: Capt. C. M. Brownell, Twenty-sixth Infantry, U. S. Volunteers, commanding post; Capt. Edmund L. Butts, Eighteenth U. S. Infantry; First Lieut. William Sullivan, Twenty-sixth Infantry, U. S. Volunteers; Second Lieut. Sandord E. Worthington, Twenty-sixth Infantry, U. S. Volunteers; Contract Surg. O. W. Woods, U. S. Army.
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The insurgent records on file at the headquarters, Department of the Visayas, show that Father Augustine de la Pena, then ecclesiastical governor of the diocese of Jaro, issued an order to all the Fathers in charge of the parishes of the province of Iloilo to contribute money from the churches to the military government of Martin Delgardo [Martin Delgado], then general in chief of the insurgent army of the island of Panay. This order was dated Dumangas, Panay, November 8, 1899.
The large towns were to contribute $80, and the small ones, such as Zarrage [Zarraga], Lefanes [Leganes], Mina, Banate, Anilao, Barotac, Viejo, and Mandurriao, at the rate of $50. It is not so stated, but is believed that was a monthly contribution. All the Fathers in charge of the parishes in the provinces of Panay acknowledged the receipt of the order and obedience to carry out the instructions contained therein. The following are the names of those who signed the order: Padre Praxedes Magolona [Magalona], Santa Barbara; Padre Apura, Zarraga; Padre Mansuelo Zabala, Pavia; Padre Tomas Palmes, San Miguel; Padre Ramon Amparo, Alimodian; Padre Marcelo Espinosa, Maasin.
Father Augustine de la Pena was at this time living at Molo, near Iloilo, under the protection of the American flag, as were many of the other Fathers.
The amount of money in checks and orders for which Father de la Pena signed after the water cure had been administered to him was as follows:
Mexican currency.
Deposited with Hongkong and Shanghai Bank, Iloilo $18,945.31
Deposited with Hoskyn & Co., Iloilo 1,875.00
Deposited with Spanish-Filipino Bank 950.00
Total 21,770.31
It is stated in the accompanying certificate of Contract Surgeon Woods that he believes that the orders and checks were made out to the order of Capt. E. F. Glenn, Twenty-fifth Infantry, judge-advocate of the department. The only record I could find of its disposition is from the accompanying extracts from an entry in the letter-received book in the judge-advocate's office of that date, from which it is inferred that itmwas turned over to the collector of customs at Iloilo, P. I., as insurrecto funds.
From a report of an examination of the books of Hoskyn & Co., about that time, particularly with reference to the account of Augustine de la Pena, I found the following remark:
"Balance of account with Hoskyn & Co., Iloilo, paid check No. 91092 by order of judge-advocate, $1,875 Mexican currency."
The above is all the information I have been able to obtain in regard to this matter, and under difficult conditions, as parties interviewed have much hesitation in expressing themselves as having any knowledge of same.
The place of burial of the remains is a matter about which I could obtain but little information, and I believe it is not known even to the officer who ordered same. From all I could glean in regard to it I am of the opinion that he was buried the same night of his death in a field near the post; that the grave was not marked. It
was a rainy night, and a detail was simply ordered to take the body out and bury it under cover of darkness, and the soldiers or natives other than the detail had no knowledge of the exact place.
The spot has been obliterated and overgrown long before this, and for this reason I did not deem it necessary to proceed to Banate. The bishop of Iloilo states that he has no knowledge where his remains are buried, and has on the account books of the church a sum of money set apart for the mass ceremonials of Father de la Pena, which has never been expended, and which the church appropriates for its higher officials.
Respectfully submitted.
Fred. A. Smith,
Lieutenant-Colonel, U. S. Infantry, Inspector-General,
Inspector-General Department of the Visayas.