rs
and whom I am not able to reduce to rigorous subordination, for the
revolution would find itself without soldiers with whom to win triumph,
they committed many abuses and misdeed which, for the lack of evidence,
I was not able to punish, although I knew of these abuses but had
no proof, and as a lover of my country and of the prestige of the
Revolutionary Army, I took care not to disclose the secret to any one,
in this way avoiding the formation of an atmosphere against the cause
of our Independence to the grave injury of us all. But it happened
that, in spite of the good advice which I have given them and the
punishments which I have given to some of the 3d Company of Cauit,
they did not improve their conduct but have gone to the extreme of
committing a scandalous robbery of 20,800 pesos which sum the German,
Otto Weber, was taking to the capital, which deed has caused me to
work without ceasing, without sleeping entire nights, for I understood
what a serious matter it was to take money from a foreigner. After
making many inquiries, it was discovered that a very large part of
the money which reached the sum of $10,000, a little more or less,
was buried under the quarters which the said company occupied, this
with the sanction of all the officers, it appears to me, because it
is impossible that such a sum could be brought into a house where so
many soldiers are living without the knowledge of the officers.

"Indignant at such shameful behaviour, I reprimanded the officers
and preferred charges against the ones I deemed to blame in the matter.

"Afterwards I found out that they had attempted to murder me for trying
to find out the originators of the crime. On account of this, and in
order to prevent a civil war which would have broken out against the
said soldiers if precautions had not been taken, I decided to disarm
them, to the great displeasure of the Colonel who was not aware of
my motives.

"This bad conduct has been copied by the soldiers of the 4th Company
stationed in Ilagan, and I believe the Colonel, guided by my warning,
will take the same measures in regard to them.

"As the officers are the first ones to commit abuses and misdeeds, it
is easily seen that the soldiers under their orders, guided by them,
will commit worse ones than the chiefs, and as these seem to lack
the moral strength to control and reprimand them, I propose to you,
if it meets your approval, that all these soldiers and some of the