|
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
volunteers is approved and I will see with pleasure others formed, for much is hoped from the patriotism of the Spanish residents of the archipelago.
Madrid, 31st August,
At 5 p.m. on the 11th the Court Martial sat and the trial lasted until half-past ten. The thirteen prisoners tried were convicted and sen- tenced to be shot. Their names and descrip- tions were as follow
Severino Lapidario, first officer of the gaol. Alfonso Ocampo, second officer of the gaol. Luis Aguado, Arsenal contractor, Victoriano Luciano, chemist.
Maximio Innocencio, rich proprietor. Francisco Ossorio, rich proprietor. Hago Perez, doctor.
José Lallana, tailor.
Antonio San Agustin, merchant.
Agapito Auchu, schoolmaster.
Feliciano Cabuco, writer in the Arsenal.
Mariano Gregorio, writer in the Engineers' Department.
Eugenio Cabezas, watchmaker.
At 9 a.m. on the 11th the detachments of the Artillery and Volunteers who were to go to Cavite to form the square for the execution mustered at the Harbour Master's wharf at Manila. They consisted of a company of the Peninsular Artillery and two companies of Vo- lunteers, with bands of music. At a quarter- past nine they left in the steamers Mendez Nunez and Filipino and at half-past ten arrived at Cavite and landed.
At half-past ten the sentence was notified to the prisoners, who were then placed in the chapel. The execution took place at six minutes past one. The condemned were attended in their last moments by a priest.
After the sentence was carried out the troops which had formed the square-which comprised, in addition to the detachments of Artillery and Volunteers from Manila, Engineers, Marine Infantry, Seamen, and a company of the pro- visional regiment-were dismissed to their respective barracks and the Artillery and Volunteers returned to Manila.
46
It is reported that when the condemned men were notified of the sentence the greater number of them burst out crying, but one of them, Victoriano Luciano, said We ought not to cry, because we have well deserved it."
In the above we have confined our report to occurrences in the neighbourhood of Manila and Cavite, but the rebels are also at work in. other provinces,
On the 12th the Augustinians and the Re- coletos were still without news of a considerable number of their members.
Various villages have sent in through the priests declarations of loyalty, and these are set out at length in the Comercio, occupying in the aggregate a large amount of space, but they are without interest and in some cases are probably of doubtful sincerity.
The Masonic Lodges are accused of having been implicated in fomenting the rising. The following recantation made by one of the mem- bers and given to the parish priest of Tondo is published:- -"I, D. Gregorio Mariano, residing in the suburb of Tondo, fully convinced of the errors of Masonry, to which I have had the misfortune to belong, an infamous sect which more than any other human institution is a monster begotten in hell, wherefore it has been condemned and anathematised by the Pontiffs, from this day I solemnly abjure the said errors, returning again to the loving bosom of the Catholic Church, which in evil mind I abandoned. For the satisfaction of the Church and of the Society I make public this retracta. tion. Manila, 4th September, 1896."
The following telegrams have been received from Spain, all but the first being press mes. sages to the Comercio
Madrid, 30th August. The Minister of War to the Governor- General-Referring to telegram of yesterday, instead of the thousand men asked for two thousand will be sent, within three days battalion of Marine Infantry and within eight days one of Cazadores, both armed with Mauser rifles with two million cartridges. There will be sent immediately 6,000 Remington rifles, models of 1871 and 1889, and the cruisers Isla de Cuba and Isla de Luzon. The Government is determined to send whatever forces
are necessary to rapidly suppress the insurrection and rely on your judgment and energy to act quickly, pro- seeding with the greatest severity against the delinquents. The formation of a battalion of
The cruiser Isla de Cuba has left. Thousands of persons have offered themselves as volunteers to go to Manila.
Madrid, undated. The Minister of War has already organised 6,000 men who will leave for Manila the moment General Blanco asks for them.
Madrid, 2nd September. Congress has congratulated the Philippine army.
The steamer Cataluna has left with a batta-
lion of Marine Infantry for Manila.
The Minister of War has already prepared
two more battalions to leave for Manila.
Madrid, 4th September. Three battalions are ready to leave as soon as General Blanco asks for them.
Madrid, 6th September. The steamer Monserrat will leave to-morrow with the battation of Cazadores.
At the middle of this month the remaining forces prepared for the Philippines will leave. Madrid, 8th September. The steamer Antonio Lopez will shortly leave with a battalion of Marine Infantry and 500 Artillery.
On the 15th inst. the steamer Isla de Luzon wil leave with two battalions of Cazadores.
Madrid, 10th September.
It has been decided to reorganise the Philip pine army, preserving the present native forces and permanently adding 8,000 European troops.
THE BLACK HOLE OF MANILA.
The Singapore Free Press publishes the fol- lowing:-
A former popular resident of Singapore-it is perhaps well to name no names-sends this to Singapore on a small slip of paper from Manila :-
Manila, 2nd September.
My Dear Exciting times we are living in. Went over the battlefield on Sunday. Eight rebels killed at St. Mesa. Counted 6 or 8 at San Juan, besides those on the Spanish side. The bodies (rebels) are being left out unburied to rot. G. G. says he wants no more prisoners.
THE "BLACK HOLE,'
Over 100 of them, some say 169, shut up in small room under bastions of San Sebastian Intra Muros on Monday night. No water: one small window. Fifty-four found dead in the morning. With those prisoners since died,
said to total 70,
|
Arrests and shootings keeping populace in awful funk.
goes by the mail. -under arrest. The only fear we have is of native troops joining rebels-then good-bye! Show this to St. C., as I have no time to write more now.
Spanish volunteers number about 1,000 to 1,300, they say. All houses outside San, Paloc deserted for miles. Most Spaniards, moved Latra Muros." Drawbridges up from 9 or 10 p.m. State of siege. Sentries everywhere. And yet we keep going!
1.
Manila, 2nd September. Dear, By present mail I send you the last ten numbers of the Diario, which may be of interest to you, and will give you some iden of what has been going on. It has been rather exciting, but we are all right up to now, and the only nervous one I know of is Mrs.—— who, with M--, has taken up her quarters on a steamer in the bay. The Redpole is due here to-morrow.
Mandaloya got too hot, so all the fellows are at this side. Bob Woods' boy stole his rifle, but left a letter saying he was going to fight for his country, that the foreigners would not be touched, but for his master's own protection he left him his revolver and 50 cartridges, which he would find under his pillow. Cochrane and Macdonald had a pretty warm time of it. An artillero was killed just in front of their house (Pandacan). and they saw the whole thing. Bullets were fly- ing about so freely that they had to take refuge in the roof, for they could not get across to the Club. Four men (W.S. Macleod, Č.H. Balfour, Hooper, a new man to W.B. and Co.'s) and some other fellows were living at Johnnie Macleod's house at Santa Mesa and saw a good portion of last
September 24 1896.
Od Nine
Sunday's battle. It was a battle, for the natives stood up and fought as . as their limited number of arms would men were killed quite close to Three out of four boys of the Beattie me joined the rebels. I am afraid the thing over yet. We have still to hear what bas done in the Province. The Spaniards are in a mortal funk.
AFFAIRS IN FORMOSA.
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.
TAIPERFU, 15th September. The civil court opened at Changwha for the first case August 23rd, and I made it a special point to be present.
Changwha the big inland city is about on hundred miles south of Taipehfu and is situated at about the centre of population.
Court was held in a large yamen which had been refitted for the purpose. The day Chinese, regardless of class, were invited to at- place had been extensively advertised and all
tend, the only conditions being that they had to come in their best clothes and with the idea of being quiet and orderly. Court was advertised for Chinese, dressed in their best and with clean nine in the morning, but long before that hour shaven heads, were seen gathered in little groups near the yamen all showing the greatest curio sity on the new sort of mystery that was about to be solved before them. In fact the general de- meanour of the whole public, many of whom were collected about a big bulletin board bearing proclamation of invitation, was, at least at this stage of the proceedings, indicative of a genial conviction that the whole affair was a sort of spectacle prepared and sent thither for their/ express entertainment. The occasional glimpse of a gorgeously robed official and the elaborate. decorations of the interior heightened the impression.
alt
Upon the opening of the main doors the Chinese as they entered were conducted benches which filled one large room and a given seats, and when the number was greater than the accommodation had been previously. arranged for, numbers of Japanese were sent out skirmishing in the different offices to obtain seats that all arrivals might be provided for. It was a kind and courteous treatment extended to all, whether rich farmer or coolie, that I could not but tl.iuk showed how easily many difficulties could be overcome would other classes treat the deserving natives with as much consideration. All through the long and hot morning the audience sat quiet and respectful, without a whisper disturbing the proceedings, making the presence of the gendarmes, who glared at the guests as though they might have been- prisoners out on a fresh air leave, quite unnecessary.
An attempt was made to arrange the room with the same splendour as exists in the court rooms of Japan and every detail of the whole proceedings was given as careful attention as though the accused had been one of their own nobles.
The idea was to impress the Chinese with the importance and the solemnity of that power which holds a life in balance, and that there were other and better methods of determining guilt than that of the torture block..
upon
A platform covered with rich fabrics, ran from side to side, while on this. was placed a second and smaller platform entirely hidden by a large drapery of purple embroidered silk. About it all, extending from side to side, was a beautiful rich embroidered blue silk canopy Tables were likewise covered with rich em broideries. On the platform sat the president of the court and five judges, two interpreter and a secretary. The prisoner, a boy years; was the first case to be tried. He brought in by the police and the stand fell cringing to the floor im for mercy. He was kindly bid to did so during the rest of the trial. as stated by the prosecution was tha arrival of Japanese officers at which was rebelling off from other attempting to escape, house from which he had so himself a long Chine used by the rebels
retr