_ After arriving and taking
charge, having received numerous complaints against him, I had him
arrested and I found that he had been guilty of robbery, unlawful
use of insignia, illegal marriage, rape and attempted rape. I hold
him in custody only awaiting the arrival of the Colonel in order to
convene a court-martial for his trial, in which the Colonel will act
as President and I as Judge Advocate.
"With nothing more to communicate, I hope you will attend to my just
claim and send a special delegate to investigate our acts and see
the truth, for perhaps if a statement comes direct from me you will
not believe it.
"I am your affectionate and faithful subordinate, who kisses your hand,
(Signed) "_J. N. Leyba_." [292]
Blount states that conditions existed "just like this, all over Luzon
and the Visayan Islands." [293] Unfortunately this was only too true!
The troops complained of by Leyba were made up of Aguinaldo's fellow
townsmen. They never obeyed any one else, and left a trail of murder
and rapine behind them. Aguinaldo never punished them, and from the
time when one of them tried to murder their commander until a guard
composed of them murdered General Antonio Luna in June, 1899, they
are mentioned only with fear and execration.
Pages:
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283