Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-11-07
Dismissed a Whole Battalion Of
Colored Troops Because of
Criminal Acts
HIS COURSE UNPRECEDENTED
His Action Accompanied by an Order
That May Amount to Court Mar.
.tiaI Of White Officer for Having Cast
sIur Upon tho coIored Troops-Gen-
eraI Telegrapf,c News.

w 1NOS. SSSuSASS'A
In the history of the army Of the I'm
tied States If the action Of the presi-
dent, Just announced, in dlsmissing in
disgrace from that army an entire
battalion of negro troops because of
their failure to disclose the identity Of
some OF their number who had been
guilty of violence and murder. AS an
evidence, however, of his intention to
be fair to the colored troops, the pres
ident has accompanied this action by
an order which may amount to tbs
court martial Of "a white army officer
Of high grade, who was charged with
having cast slurs upon the colored
troops. The story of both actions is
told in official correspondence made
public yesterday by the military secre-
tary. The correspondence follows:
The report of an investigation made
by Brig Gen. e. A. Darlington, inspect
or general Of the army. relative to the
riotous disturbances that occurred at
Brownsville, Tex, on the night OF
Aug. IA, 1906, and which resulted in
the death of one and the wounding OF
another citizen of that city, has been
considered and acted upon by the
president. Following are his instruc-
lions with regards to the matter:
"The White House. Washington, -.
c.. Nov. 6, 1906.-4The Secretary OF
War: l have received General car
iington's report dated Oct. ~, submit
ted to me by you. l direct that the
recommendation of General Darlington
be complied with and that at the same
time the concluding portion OF his re-
port be published with our sanction as
giving the rea sons for the action.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
Following is the concluding portion
of General Carlington's report whlch
embodles the recommendations that'
by direction Of the president, VIII pc
carried into effect Immediately by the
war department.:
Discharged Without Honor.
.T recommend that orders be issued
as soon as practicable, discharging.
without honor, every man in Compan-
les B. C and D, Of the Twenty-ftth
infantry serving at Fit. Brown, Tex, on
the night Of Aug. 10, 1905, and for
ever debarring them from reinlistlng IN
the army or navy of the United States.
as well as employment in any civil ca
pacity under the government, In maxi
ing this recommendation, ! recognize
the fact that number OF men who
have no direct knowledge as to the
identity of the men of the Twenty-f1fth
infantry who actually fired the shots
on the night Of Aug. 10, 1906, will In
cur this extreme penalty.
ut has been established by careful
investigation beyond reasonable doubt
that the firing into the houses of the
citizens Of Brownville, while the in
habitants thereof were pursuing their
peaceful vocations 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 the
enlisted men Of the Twenty fifth In
fantry belonging to the battalion sta
toned at Fort Brown. After due OPP
portunity and notice, the enlisted men
of the Twenty-fifth infantry have fail
ed to tell all it is reasonable to believe
they know concerning the shooting. If
they had done so, if they had been
willing to relate all the circumstances
Instances preliminary to the trouble,
it is extremely probable that a clue
sufficiently definite would have been
disclosed. They appeared to stand to-
gether in determination to resist the
detection Of the guilty, and therefore
they shall stand together when the
penalty falls. A forceful lesson should
be given to the army at large, and es-
pecially to the n-commissoned Of
flcers, that their duty does not cease
upon the drill grounds, with the calling
of the company rolls, making check
inspections and other duty Of formal
character; but that their responsibility
of office accompany them everywhere
and at all times; that it is their duty to
become thoroughly acquainted with the
individual members of their respective
units and to know their Characters
tics"; to be able at all times to guage
their temper in order to discover the
beginning of discomfort Of mutinous
intentions, and to anticipate any or
ganized act of disorder; that they must
notify their officers at once of any such
conditions. Moreover, the people OF
the United States, wherever they live,
must feel assured that the men wear
ing the uniform of the army are their
protectors and not midnight assassins
or riotous disturbers Of the peace of the
community in which they may be sta
toned in.
"On Oct 5, 1906, a squadron of the
Ninth cavalry, an organization of col
ored troops reported at Fort Sheri-
dan, near Chicago, Ill, under orders
from the war department assigning
them to duty there. Soon after this
assignment, there appeared in the pub
lie press the following account of a
statement alleged to have been made
with regard to the matter by Colonel
William L. Pitcher Twenty-seventh
infantry:
"The negro troops would never have
been quartered at Fort Sheridan with
out protest If I was to remain in COM
mand here" said Colonel Pitcher. II
never liked them and the farther away
from me they are kept the better it
pleases me- For the life of me 1 can
not see why the United States should
try to make soldiers out of them. Ger
tainly there are enough fine white
young men in this country to make
soldiers of without recruiting from
such a source"
This alleged statement by Colonel
Pitcher having been brought to the
attention Of the president, the follow