The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-11-22
so SAYS THE COMMAN DER
THE COUNTY JUDGE DECLARES
TROOPS THE AGGRESSORS.
UNPRovoKED THEY FIRED ON THE TOWN
Further Trouble Feared, Gov. Sayers Orders
Troops to the Scene Wiring Washington
to Investigate and to Remove
the Negro Soldiers.
the Negro Soldiers.

Austin, Tex, Nov. 21.-Today Cover
nor Sayers was in receipt of telegram
from the commanding officer of the
United States troops at San Antonio
conveying the information that there
had been race riot at Rio Grande City
last night between the Federal negro
troops stationed there and the citizens
of that town. About the time this tele-
gram was received another came from
the county judge ut that place. and they
are somewhat confusing. The military
commander at SAN Antonio, General
Mekibbin, telegraphs that the report he
received from the commander at Forr
Ringgold, near Rio Grande City, states
that all the TROOPS were in the garrison
last night at Z o'clock when the citi-
zens of that town advanced on the fort
and fired upon the guard. The guard
returned the fire, and the entire garri-
son was at once called to arms.
The citizens continued their fire on the
fort and the soldiers returned the fire.
and finally had to bring their Gatling
guns into play to disperse the attack
crs. The commander states that he fears
trouble and asks for more troops
The telegram from the county Judge
states that the negro soldiers in the forr
there deployed in a ravine ON the edge.
OF the town and fired into and over the
town for something like an hour and
half, shooting into a number OF houses.
w0unding one man, and frightening the
women and children so badly that
number of them had to fee to the sur
rounding ranches for safety: that the
attack was entirely unprovoked, and
that the community was highly incensed
and further trouble was looked for at
once.
Upon receipt of these kilograms Gov
ernor Sayers ordered Adjutant General
Scurry to the scene OF action. and ne
left tonight for his destination. The
Governor also wired to Washington 70
have Il full investigation of the matter
and TO remove the negro troops at once.
The commander at San Antonio sent n
special detail of officers to the scene ar
once to investigate. All is quiet to-
night
TROOPS LEAVE FOR THE SCENE.
San Antonio, Texas, Nov. 21.-Colonel
Roberts, post adjutant at Fort Sam
A1buSlOii, ltil ldlS dIieIuOOH on IL SpeGldI
train for Laredo with a detachment or
the Twentyffth Infantry to make an
investigation OF the trouble mt Fort
Ringgold, and to make a full report to
General McI<ihbin, the department com
mander. General McKibbin has con
suited with Governor Sayers on the
subject. and has been asked by the Gov
ernor to take whatever steps are in
his power to conciiate the citizens and
the soldiers. Trouble between the ne
gro soldiers on the frontier posts and
the Mexican population has been brew
ing for some time. A collision between
the police and the negro soldiers ar
Laredo few weeks ago has resulted in
the abandoning of the post there. \
small sized riot also occurred at Rio
Grande City last month, in which some
soldiers We're shot and others were ar
rested and fined. Since then the AIexi-
cans and soldiers at Rio Grande City
have been at the bitteresu enmity.