The Columbus commercial. (Columbus, Miss.) 1893-1922, 1906-11-13

udLCA ANON.3 - ody - OH pLCCC-
dented in the history of the army
of the United States is the action
of the President just announced
in dismissing in disgrace from
| the army an entire battalion OF
colored troops because Of their
failure to disclose the identity
| of some of their number who had
been guilty Of violence and MUIR
der. As an evidence, however,
Of his intention to be fair to the
coloTed troops, the President has
accompanied this action by an
order which may amount to the
courtmartial of white army Of
ficer of high grade, who was
charged with having cast slurs
upon the colored troops.
The story of both actions is
told in the following official cor
respondence, made public yes
terday by the military secretary:
"The report of an investiga-
ton made by Brigadier General
E. l.. Darlington, Inspector gen.
eral of the army, relative to the
riotous disturbances that occur
red at Brownsville, Tex, on the
night of August 13, 1906, and
that resulted in the death of one
and the wouuding of another cit
izen of that city, has been con-
sidered and acted upon by the
President. Following are his
instructions with regard to the
matter.
lew hite House, Washington,
Nov. 8, 1906. The Secretary of
War: | have read through Gen
eral Garlingtons s report, dated
October p, submitted to me by
you. / direct that the recon-
mendation of General CARING
ton be complied with, and that at
the same time the concluding
portion of his report be publish
ed with our sanction as giving
the reasons for the action.
q THEODORE ROOSEVELT .
Following Is the concluding
portion of General Garlingto MS
report, which embraces the rec
ommendation that, by direction
of the President, will be carried
into effect Immediately by the
war department:
GARLINGTON'S REPORT.
Il recommend that orders be
issued as soon as practicable,
discharging without honor every
man in companies B. G. and D.
of the Twenty-fifth infantry,
serving at Fort Brown, Texas,
on the night of August 13, 1906.
and forever debarring them from
re- enlisting in the army or navy
of the United States, as we'll as
from employment in any civil ca
paoity under the government.
In making this recommendation
recognize the fact that = num-
Der of men who have no direct
knowledge as TO the identity of
the men Of the Twenty-fifth in
fantry who actually fired the
shots on the night Of the 18Th. Of
August, 1906, will incur this ex-
treme penalty.
sit has been established by
careful investigation beyond
reasonable doubt that the firing
into the houses of the citizens Of
DEOW AStlllS W lIliS lAiC liIild III SSStl 10
thereof were pursuing their
peaceful vocatiens, or sleeping,
and by which one citizen was
killed, and the chief of police so
seriously wounded that he lost
an arm, was done by enlisted
men of the Twenty-fifth Infantry
belonging to the battalion station
ed at Fort Brown. After due op-
portunity and notice, the enlisted
men Of the Twenty-fifth infantry
have failed to tell all tnat it is
reasonable to believe they know
concerning the shooting. Ifthey
had done so; If they had been
willing to relate all the circum-
stances and incidents prelimina-
ry to the trouble, it is extremely
probable that clue sufficiently