The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-11-09

Washington, November 6.-Unprece-
denied in the history Of the army of the
United States is the action Of the pres
ldent, just announced, in dismissin2 in
disgrace from the army an entire bat
talon of colored troops because Of the
; failure to disclose the identity OF some
Of their number who had been guilty
of violence and murder.
AS an evidence, however, of his in
tention to be fair to the colored troops,
the president has accompanied this
action by an order which may amount
to the court martial of a white army
officer of high grade who was charged
with having a slurs upon the co1ored
troops. The story Of both actions is
told in the following official cores
pondence made public today by the
military secretary:
"The report of an investigation made
by Brigadier General E. A. CARING
ton, inspector general of the army,
relative to the riOtous disturbance that
| occurred at Brownsville, Texas, ON The
night of August IS, 1906, and that re-
| suited in the death Of one an the
WOunding of another citizen OF that
city, has been considered and acted
upon by the president. Following =
his instructions with regard to the
matter:
"The White House, Washington, ID.
c., November 5. 1906.
"The Secretary Of War:
81 have read thru General CARING
tons report, dated October 22nd, sub
mitted to me by you. I,direct that the
recommendations of General CARING
ton be complied with, and that at the
same time the concluding portion Of
his report be published without sane
ton, as giving the reasons for the
action.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
Following is the concluding portion
of General G~arlington's report, which
embOdies the recommendation that, by
direction of the president, will be car
ried into effect Immediately by the
war department:
"T'recommend that an order be issued
as o as practicable discharging,
without honor, every man in companies
B., c., and D., Of the 25th infantry.
serving at Fort Brown, Texas, On the
night Of August IS, 1906, and forever
debarring them from re-enlisting in
the army Or navy of the United States
as we'll as % employment in any
civil capacity under the government
In making this recommendation | re-
cOgnize the fact that a number OF mel
who have no direct knowledge as to ,ht
identity of the men Of the 25th infan'
try who actually fired the shots on the
night of the 18th of August, 1906, vii
incur this extreme penalty.
ct has been established by careful
investigation, beyond reasonable doubt
that the firing into the houses OF h
citizens of Brownsville while the in
h%abitants thereof were pursuing theil
peaceful vocatiOns or sleeping, and b!
which one citizen was killed anc
another so seriously wounded that h
lost an arm, was done by enlisted ne!
of the 25th infantry, belonging to tn
battalion stationed at Fort Brown
After due opportunity and notice tn
enlisted men of the 25th infantry hav'
: failed to tell all that it is REASONABLE
to believe they know concerning tn
shooting. If they had done so; il the,
had been willing to relate all the cir
cumstances, preliminary to the troubl
it is extremely probable that a clu'
sufficiently definite to lead to result
would have been disclosed. They ap
pear to stand together in a determine
} ton to resist the detection Of tn
guilty; therefore, they should stand to
gether when the penalty falls. A force
full lesson should be given to the arm,
at large, and especially to the non
commissioned officers, that their dut,
does not cease upon the drill ground
; with the calling of the company rolls
, making check inspections, and othe
duty OF formal character; but .ha
their responsibilities of Office accom-
uapy them everywhere and a. al
times; hat it Is their duty to be
> COME thoroughly acquainted with tn
' individual members Of their respectiv