Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-11-30
FACTS ABOUT BROWNSVILLE.
General A. 3. Nettleton Makes CIeal
Cut, Sensible Report.

Because of the apparent misunder-
standing in portions of the country Of
facts which called forth the order dis
charging the three companies Of COL
ored troops recently stationed at
Brownsville, Texas, and In view Of the
resultant criticism Of the presidents
course in the matter, the citizens COM
mittee Of Brownsville recently request
ed Gen. A r. Nettleton, of Chicago,
former assistant secretary Of the treas
ury, now here on business, to make in
his own way thorough and disinter-
ested investigation of the Brownsville
riot of August 13 and report his con-
clusions.
General Nettleton has embodied his
findings in a letter to the secretary of
war. He says in part:
"As q citizen Of Illinois, as an anti
slavery advocate when that phrase had
1 meaning, and as a veteran who serv-
ed in the Union army throughout the
civil war, I shall at least not be sus
pected of prejudice against men of
color.
without rehearsing details, wish
to assure you that this absolutely un-
orejudiced investigation, made after
local excitement had subsided, confirms
in every particular the conclusions
reached by the two army officers sent
here by the war department, on the
strength Of which the president took
his action, as we'll as the clear and tenn
perate statement published immediate
ly after the tragedy by Chairman Kel-
ly, of the Brownsville citizens commit
tee."
After summarizing facts hitherto
| published as to the killing Of one citi-
zen, the manning of a chief Of police,
The firing Of volleys into and through
hotels, saloons and many private resi-
1ences and Of terrorizing of the entire
| town, General Nettleton's letter con-
| tinues:
1T is we'll attested by evidence that
| the colOred troops were treated here
with the same consideration with which
;olOred soldiers Of like bearing are
| treated in most garrison towns Of the
northern states. That on the other hand
| the street conduct of some of them was
| )ften aggressively inSolent toward
white men and women; that there was
no provocation for the murderous raid
by the soldiers, unless it can be called
| provocation, that the drinkers among
| them were provided with separate bars
IN certain saloons and that on two oc-
| ,asionS individual insolence was re-
Sented by individual citizens, both of
| NIlOUl HdppSn6u 10 nave Deeu TNepuull-
can Federal officials. There was no
| riot and no street rows as many
newspapers persist in calling the oc-
currence. 1t was simply a most cow
lrdly conspiracy to terrify, wound and
kill unoffending men, women and chill
dren at the hour of midnight, when
defense or resistance was impracticable
and was not even attempted. Evident
ly not an opposing shot was fired"
General Nettleton's letter sharply
raises the question as to what the white
officers of the garrison were doing on
the night of the raid. and closes thus:
In view of the facts as / have them
here, the persistent attempt on the
part of some to make martyrs of any
portion of the discharged men would
be appalling, If 1t were not grotesque.
The conspiracy of silence on the part
Of members Of the battalion prevents
| the government from Furnishing the
previous conspiracy of violence and
murder, and the separation Of all alike
from the service which they have dis
graced becomes inevitable. l believe
no course other than the one which the
president has pursued, was, or is open
| to him. unless all semblance of de-
cent discipline in our army is to be
ended and unless every American COM
munity, north and south alike, is to be
given cause to dread the proximity
| from the garrison as ii would that of
Ian encampment of armed and uniform