New-York tribune., 1906-12-04
THE 18TH at FORT NIOBRARA.
Conduct of the Negro Soldiers When Sta
toned in Nebraska.
To the Editor Of The tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir; Could the persons, even the Negro ministers
and others. who are holding meetings de-
nOuncing President RooseveIt's action dismissng
from the service the entire enlisted strength OF the
three companies of the 25th United States Infantry
which were stationed at Fort Brown on the night
that Brownsville, Tex. ''shot up" have had
the opportunity OF knowing those troops better the
chances are they would not be severe in their
criticism Of the Presidents action.
Two battalions (elght companies) OF that res4-
ment came TO Fort NObrara for station directly
from the Philippines IN 1902 They remained at
that post continually until its abandonment in July
last, when, IN leaving. they assigned to sta
tons IN Texas. Valentine four and one-half miles
distant is the railway station where all the post
business Was transacted, and, having population
OF about twelve hundred It sustained very much the
relation TO Fort Ntobrara as Brownsville does
to Fort Brown Texas. Consequently they were IN
and out of town constantly. suglv or in numbers
trading. Ioahng attending errands. and it is said
by citizens rightly that they vera well be-
haved. and citizen not looking for II had the
least excuse for getting into trouble with any one
Of them
However among themselves and with their cano
followers principally discharged soldiers from the
Negro regiment. a part 1T least were terrors.
and in their brawls seemed to place no more value
upon a human life than though the taking Of the
same were mere incident in their purpose OF de
struction. In the dance halls and resorts which
followed them into the country and went out OF
business and left Immediately the departure of
the troops they would fight like demons and
the records of district court have been loaded
down with criminal cases due TO these fights. with
n goodiy number of participants in the state peni-
tertiary TO say nothing of the number punished
Ly military courts martial Bearing particularly
on the phase which brought about the wholesale
dismissal u somewhat similar case might be
cited:
A discharged soldier from one Of The Negro
regiments named stratton kept a rooming and
dance house on a tract OF land about one and one
half miles from Fort Nlobrara. on the night Of
October @ 1894. about midnight while the usual
dance was in progress. a team hauling spring
wagon with four occupants. drove up in front OF
the door and of the inmates called Lulu
Johnson came out Of the house To the wagon. I'm
mediately shots rang out apparently fired at the
wagon but from a point that each must take effect
there or mass into and in instances through
tie dance hail which was very well hlled with
dancers When the firing ceased it found
that Tlrnbul the driver. was shot through the
arm; Raymond Smith, an occupant, through the
body. IIu Johnson. t1rougn the breast near fIa
6esyt. one horse killed and the other wounded
tered ule bar Shot up somewhat but miracuIously
50, 20 ,i,e. calls C0tncidentaiiy. Two fr m. H.,
iF - I seen with guns across their sbni Idar ~
teen emnty hUag-Jorgensen shells were found on
the ground at the point where the firing seemed TO
come fTom and the location the two men were
seen leaving The wounded were taken 10 the
Fort NioDrarit hospital wneTs the Johnson woman
died the next day; Turn0uH recovered promptly
and Smith finally.
The shootins, having been committed off the res
ervation canG under the jurisdiction of the civil
authorities Consequently the sheriff coroner
notified a coroners jury was empanelled and
"a post mortem held at Post Hospital, which re-
suited IN determining that from the character of
the wound II was made by kraE -JorgeuSen. The
murder appearing WaHtpn and cold booded eX-
traOrdinary efforts pat forth 10 try To locate
the guilty ones. Persons who were thought by their
associations ia be terms OF intimacy with the
soldiers wire looked 10 10 secure the information
ana Colonel Huyi commanding the regiment.
signed l4eutenants Mapes and NiegeHateu FOR
special duty 20 run down the guilty ones If pos
sibt- The officers IN fact. were particularly
anxious 10 apprenend and deliver the Cuprtts the
civil authorities However,. although that shooting
WIS done on clear. bright night by two persons
seen IN the act or immediately thereafter, not the
sllshiest trace has 10 this day been discovered In
the dliecuon or either apprehendtng the guilty
RaiusS5 OF ot learnIns the motive, II was said
have fuA knowledge OF men and motive. no one