Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-08
PRESIDENT TO DECIDE
Order Awaited as to Re-EnIiSt-
ment of Discharged Men.
THREE APPLICATIONS MADE
Sander and Brown Fail to See thu Sec
rotary. {
THREE APPLICATIONS MADE
eases uNDER eeNsIDERATI0k
About Fifty Of Their Associates in the
Battalion Dismissed From the
Army Now in the City.

President Roosevelt has been asked by
the military authorities for istructions re-
garding the cases of the discharged men,
bers of the 25th Infantry who apply for
re-enlistment in the army on the basis that
their previous service has been honest
and faithful" So far three of these SOL
diers have formally applied to the military
secretary for re-enlistment These are Ser
geant Mingo Sanders of twenty-six years
service, Private Elmer Brown of sixteen
years service and Private Thomas Jeffer-
son of thirteen years service.
Sergt Sanders and Private Brown have
made several efforts to see Secretary Taft
and obtain his assistance in getting back
into the military service, but so far with
out success At the time of their visits
to the War Department the Secretary was
busly engaged on impor ant matters. BY
his direction Private Secretary Carpenter
yesterday informed the soldiers that tie
Secretary could not see them just at this
time but that If they would submit their
cases to the military secretary they would
receive attention.
In accordance with this instruction the
two infantrymen called at the Office of the
military secretary, and having stated their
desire to re-enlst in the army. were fur
nished with regulation enlistment blanks
and told to fill them out. This they did,
and the enlistment applications were placed
on file to await instructions from the Prest-
dent in the premises.
Sent to the President.
AS basis for executive action the ap-
plication of Sergeant Sanders was sent to
.he President, and further action in the
matter will depend upon his instructions to
the military authorities.
I, closing his report to the President of
the brownsville affair, Secretary Taft said:
ut is possible that evidence may be adj
uvbf oh fond TO
pate entirely some of the men now dis
charged, both from participation in the
crime and assistance in the conspiracy of
silence to prevent the. detection of the of
tenders; and whenever such facts are
shown in respect to anyone affected by the
ton, and. / understand. will render such
persons eligible to re-enlistment."
All of the men who have applied. for re-
enlistment claim to be entirely innocent OF
any connection with the Brownsville raid,
either direct or remote, and court full
and thorough investigation OF their entire
military records: The case OF Sergeant
Sanders is regarded as particularly mer1-
tor ious one, as up to the time of the
Brownsville episode he had an unblemished
Of gS r. Of the
ing campaigns against hostile Indians, In
Cuba and in the Philippines.
Fifty Of the Battalion Here.
There are about fifty of the discharged
soldiers Of the 25th Infantry in this city at
present, most of whom have arrived here
within the last day or two. 1t is understood
that their course of action will depend to a
great extent on the Presidents treatment
of the case of Sergeant Sanders.
Secretary Taft has received the resolu-
lions of Senator's Foraker and Penrose ask
ing for all the facts connected with the dis
charge of the colored soldiers, and he has
referred them both to the military secre-
tary to prepare the information calleI for.
1t Is a big job, and will hardly be finished
for a week or ten days.