WORTHINGTON, OCTOBER 16, 1902
Voluntary statement of S. E. Worthington, late second lieutenant, Company D, Twenty-sixth Volunteer Infantry.
I am a resident of North Burlington, Vt.; I am now in the employ of the National Express Company at Fitchburg, Mass.
I was appointed second lieutenant of the Twenty-sixth Volunteer Infantry July 13, 1899, to date from July 5, 1899, and was assigned to Company D in July, 1899, and served with that company throughout my service with the said regiment. I sailed for the Philippines on or about September 5, 1899, from San Francisco, and disembarked at Iloilo. After active operations in the region of Jaro I was ordered with my company to a town called Sara, province of Concepcion, island of Panay. On or about March 1, 1900, I was ordered with my company to Banate, where I was appointed post adjutant, quartermaster, commissary, and summary court officer.
While at Banate I saw the water cure administered by direction of Captain Brownell by members of the company to natives, names and dates I do not remember, for the purpose of gaining information as to the whereabouts of arms and stores. I never saw the water cure administered to the Padre Augustine.
On the early morning of November -, 1900, Padre Augustine was landed from the gunboat Paragua under guard of Captain Brownell and a squad of enlisted men. The said padre was clothed in a first sergeant's uniform of artillery and was placed in confinement in one of the rooms in headquarters building. I used to see him nearly every day. He was a man of very nervous temperament and seemed to be suffering from some mental strain. I never saw the water cure administered to him, but I had reason to believe that it was administered. One evening, I believe in December, 1900, I was sitting with the post surgeon, Dr. Woods, in a room in headquarters building, when an enlisted man entered the room and conversed with the surgeon. The surgeon and the enlisted man immediately left the room, and in about half an hour, if I remember correctly, Captain Brownell returned and told me that he had been in the Padre Augustine's room and found him dead. I know nothing about where he was buried, but only from rumors, which were, upon the parade ground near the church.
S. E. Worthington.
October 16, 1902.
Then appeared the above S. E. Worthington and made oath that the above statement was true, before me.
E. Hunter,
Colonel, Judge-Advocate, U. S. Army.