Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-31
NO CHARGES MADE
Course Followed Regarding the
Dismissed Soldiers.
GEN. McCASKEY QUESTIONED
Efforts to Supply Deficiencies in the
Official Records.
NO NOMINATING EVIDENCE
Pertinent kilograms From the Com
mander of the Department
of Texas.
no INCRIM1NATING EVIDENCE

The military secretary Is now endeavor1ng
to supply certain apparent deficiencies In
the official records connected with the bian-
ket discharge of all the enlisted men In con-
nection with the riot at Brownsville, August
13 last, forwarded to the Senate In re-
Spouse to the Foraker resolution. The rec
ords so forwarded show that on August ~
the acting secretary Of war directed that
military charges be formally preferred
against certain soldiers then in custody, al
leging participation in the Brownsville dis
turbance, but the records contain nothing TO
show that such action actually was taken
1t was made perfectly clear by the recorder
however, that all the members of the bat
talon at Brownsville were discharged with
out honor at Fort Reno without trial IN
the case of a single soldier. That applied to
the twelve suspects" in the guard house
at Fort Sam Houston, as well as to all the
soldiers transferred to Fort Reno.
Direction to Gen. McCaskey.
In order to be better able to reply to the
question as to why the men were not tried
before being condemned, the military sec
rotary has just sent telegram to Gen.
McCaskey, commanding the department OF
Texas, at San Antonio as follows:
See telegram addressed you by this Of
flee August q directing charges be pre-
ferred against soldiers of 18th infantry
then detained at Fort Sam Houston; also
against such soldiers of the three COM
panies of the 18th Infantry then at Fort
Reno as there was reasonable evidence to
believe implicated in Brownsville disturb
ance. Were such charges preferred? Teie-
graph answer. If such charges were pre-
ferred mail copies Immediately"
The telegram of August q referred to IN
above was an order from the acting secre-
tary of war to the commanding general OF
the department of Texas and was as 1ol-
lows, in part:
THE action Of the state Judge in vacating
warrants already issued against accused
soldiers of 25th Infantry, now detained at
Fort Sam Houston. Tex. leaves no charges
pending against these soldiers. You Will
therefore cause military charges to be
formally preferred against said soldiers un-
der sixty-second article of war, alleging
participation, either directly or by way
of conspiracy or both. in Brownsville dis
turbance. Orders for trial on said charges
must not issue until investigation now un-
der way is completed and acted upon here
Should new warrants issue by state au-
thorities for said accused soldiers or should
they make demand upon you for the sur
render of said soldiers for trial by state
courts. make return thereto In each case
that soldiers are now held In military Gus
tody for trial for the military ofenses in
volved in their alleged participation In
Brownsville disturbance and that compli-
ance with state process must be deferred.
Instruct commanding officer, Fort Reno,
to hold all soldiers of the three companies
of 25th Infantry at his post as witnesses in
military investigation now proceeding Of
Brownsville disturbance and in military
trials which may result thereform; also
to place in confinement such soldiers of
these companies as there is reasonable evil
dence to believe implicated in said dis
turbance, either directly or by way Of con-
spiracy, or both, and to prefer formal
charges against said soldiers under the
sixty-second article of war. Orders for
trial on such charges must not issue until
investigation now under way is completed
and acted upon here. Should attempt be
made by state authorities to serve addi-
tional warrants or subpoenas at Fort Reno.
instruct commanding officer to make return
thereto that the soldiers are held by mill
tary authorities for trial for military Of
fenses involved in their alleged participation
in Brownsville disturbance, or as witnesses
in such trial, and that compliance with
state process must for the present be de-
ferred."