THE PHILISTINES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CI, Issue 11782, 6 January 1899, Page 5

THE PHILISTINES.

ACCUSATIONS AGAINST THE

REBELS

EXTRAORDINARY ASSERTIONS

THE , AMERICANS AND THE INSURGENTS.

A BATTLE EXPECTED:

United Proas Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. MADRID, Jan. 4,

The Spanish Prefect at the Philippines assorts that the rebels are using mauL-j os beasts of burden. They have rings placed in their noses, and arc led about the streets

by cords. He also asserts that a thousand prisoners have died owing to 'maltreatment. ■MANILA, Jan. 5.

Both parties at Iloilo arc reinforcing. A 'battle is expected. Admiral DcwCy, when i his reinforcements are complete, will com- , mand twenty-seven vessels at the Philippines.

ALLEGED ATROCITIES OF THE . PHILIPPINE INSURGENTS.

The following appeared in a recent issue of the “Hongkong Daily Tress”; —Wo have had placed at our disposal a copy of a telegram in Spanish, apparently intended for the Madrid Press, in which allegations of cruelty arc made against the Philippine troops recently operating in fhe north ofLuzon. Our Manila correspondent mentioned in his letter of Oct. 15 "that Leybo, who is well known in Hongkong, had been sent by Aguinaldo in charge of an expedition to attack the cities in the extreme north of Luzon, that he had brought the district completely under the control of the: insurgents, and that in his report he mentioned the capture of 124 friars and lay brothers, many Spanish soldiers with their arms and property, and silver and valuables to the amount of 800,000ddls. It is in these operations that the atrocitic-s are alleged to have been committed, but the allegations, of course, come from the Spanish, side, and are probably exaggex-ated. The telegram translated reads as follows: “ The news received of the Tagal invasion of the towns of Cagayan is horrible, Aparri and other places, in the absence of Spanish troops, and i - elying upon the promise of the insurgent chiefs that the lives and -property of persons of all classes would be respected, surrendered, and received them with music and the pealing of bells. They proved perfidious, however, stealing the money of the Spanish civil officials and miut-ary officers and the more-loyal natives, and sacked the convents and churches. The Bishop was slapped in the face, beaten, and subjected to the greatest insults, despoiled even of his clerical robes. The friars were subjected to incredible ill-treatment, being beaten with sticks, kicked, hung up, and placed in the sun for several uours during the time of greatest heat. The 'natives were forbidden to render the fathers any assistance or to salute them. Hungry and naked, the Indians and Chinese furtively supplied them with food and clothing. It is reported that two friars were savagely murdered. One sixty years of age was placed under a horse s saddle and jumped upon until blood poured from his mouth and nose. The other was obliged to put on a native rain coat and was carried in triumph for two hundred yards and then cudgelled to death amidst savage cries. The nuns of the girls’ school were stripped of their habits and treated infamously, their cells profaned, and they themselves compelled to assist at profane functions. The Tagalos say they will teach the Cagayanes to despise Spanish priests, the Bishop, friars and all things ecclesiastic. Notices have been posted in all the towns proclaiming freedom of belief, fcivil burial and prohibiting the taking of the sacrament, religious processions, and church' observances. The parish books have been taken by the Katipunan. Most places are without priests.” The telegram then goes on to refer to the condition of the Spanish prisoners held by the insurgents elsewhere, representing it as deplorable.