The Washington times., 1906-12-23
PreSidentMakeS Start
ling Statement About
Senator's Address.
New Inquiry Ordered
in Troop Riots at
Brownsville.

IN me senate thursday, III defense
of the cOlOred troops of the Twenty
fifth Infantry, discharged for their
connection with the Brownsville
riots last August, was largely re-
spOnsible for the shooting of Capt.
Edgar b. Maeklin, of Company c,
TWenty-ffth Infantry, at Reno,
Okla, Friday night.
The President is prepared to give his
/ Senatorial critics all the facts that can
be had about the Brownsville affair
Last evening he dispatched Milton d.
Purdy. Assistant Attorney General, TO
Brownsville 10 make a thorough per
sOnal inquiry into the whole matter OF
the troubles between the soldiers Of the
Twenty-fifth and the people Of the
town, the AFFAIR Of the Shooting up on
August 13, the Investigations that fol-
lowed and all subsequent or related in
cidents in the matter.
Mr.. PuTdy has made some iuvestiea-
tons heretofore for the President and
Mr. Roosevelt has great confidence in
his capacity for getting at the facts as
we'll as In the accuracy with which ne
VIII state them.
Presidents Declaration.
The Presidents declaration, in the
most vigorous terms. to callers yester-
day. that the Foraker speech in the
Senate was, in his opinion, one Of the
indictments TO the shooting Of Captain
AIacklin, adds a completely new phase
20 this already remarkable case.
Captain Mack in was in command
Of one Of the discharged companies,
and was officer OF the day at Fort
Brown on the night OF the riot He
and Major Penrose. who commanded
the discharged battalion. were, within
the last few days. ordered TO be court
martialed on a charge OF failing to
exercise due diligence" IN preventing
the riOting.
The President believes that the speech !
Of Senator Foraker is or the kind OF
utterances calculated to make a bad
situation worse. He has expressed the
opinion that such support as that OF
Senator Foraker, given to wrongdoers, |
is calculated 10 make worse lawbreak- |
ers out of those already guilty OF vio- |
lating the law.
Seeks Aid in Senate.
The President expressed the hope that
some friend Of law. order and decency
would take occasion to tell some plain /
truths TO Senator Foraker the next time ]
this affair should come up on the Sen /
ate floor.
Senator Foraker, when told last even |
ing OF the expressions at the White 1
House. declined TO make any expression /
about il. He inUimated that what he |
would have 10 say later about il would /
be said from his place in the eSnate
chamber.
The shooting OF Captain Macklin, the
determined purpose OF the President. as
indicated in his talks yesterday, 10 fol-
low the matter and defend his own /
course to the end, the equally deter
mined purpose OF Senator Foraker to
press his demand for a Congressional 1
investigation. together with the wide
spread interest in the whole matter, as
sure that when Congress reconvenes II /
VIII be the one concern Of supreme i'm /
portance on hand
Captain Macklin was reported last
evening TO be doing as well as could be I
expected. He had been taken to the /
hospital at Fort Reno, Okla, and had /.
made positive statement that his as 4
saflant was a negro. That the negro. /
three discharged companies OF the I
Twenty-fifth is only surmise.
Assassin at Door.
The negro went to the home of Cap /
tain Macklin, where the latter was /
awaiting court-martiaI under the recent !
order and tried to enter by a side door. /
Captain Macklin demanded TO know who 4
was there. and a voice replied.
Come to the back door / have q /
message for you"
the door a negro, his face covered by /
cloth mask. entered the room and at |
the point Of a revolver, commanded him
70 throw up his hands The officer did
So, and was then commanded to hand
over his money. AS he started TO COM
ply the negro fired two shots, one taking /
effect in the jaw and one in the abdo-
men. Then he fed from the quarters.
1t is. so far as indicated by present /
dispatches from Fort Reno, entirely sur
mise that the shooting was done by
one of the discharged men OF the TWen-
ty-hfth infantry. Indeed. it was point
ed out last evening in army circles,
where the affair was, Of course. the sole
theme Of discussion, that j. the negro /
was one cf the members of the dis
charged battalion, doing the shooting
for revenge, II was not likely he would
have attempted robbery first Indeed.
the demand for money was regarded as
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