Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-07
STERN ACTION TAKEN
Battalion of coIored Troops
Dismissed in Disgrace.
SHIELDED THEIR COMRADES
Would Not Testify About the Browns.
vile Outrage.
COL. PITCHERS ALLEGED SHEER
Proceedings to Be Taken Against Him
by Direction Of the
President.
SHIELDED THEIR COMRADES
,OL. PITCHERS ALLEGED SHEER

Unprecedented in the history Of the army
of the United States ia the action Of the
President, just announced. in dismisslng In
disgrace an entire battalion Of colored
troops because of their failure to discover
and disclose the identity of a few of their
number who had been guilty of violence
and murder The President has accompa-
MED this action by an order which may
result in the court-martial proceedings
against 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 the following official
statement just made public:
1.-The report of an investigation mace by
Brig. Gen. E. A. Darlington, inspector gen.
eral Of the army, relative to the rtotous dis
turbance that occurred at Brownsville.
Tex, on the night of August 10, 1905. and
that 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 instructions
to the Secretary Of War with regard to the
matter:
The Presidents Instructions.
ct have read through Gen. Garlington's
report. dated October o. submitted to me
by you. I direct that the recommendations
of Gen. Darlington be complied with, and
that at the same time the concluding por-
ton of his report be published with our
sanction as giving the reasons for the ac-
tion.'
Following Is the concluding portion Of
Gen. Garlington's report, winch embodies
the recommendation that, by direction Of
the President, will be carried into effect
Immediately by the War Department.:
81 recommend that orders be issued as
soon 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 ID,
1906, and forever debarring them from re-
enlisting in the army or navy Of the United
States, as well as from employment In any
civil capacity under the government. In
making this recommendation, l recognize
the fact that a number Of men, who have
no direct knowledge to the identity of
TIE men Of the 25th Infantry who actually
fired the shots on the night of the 18th Of
August, 1906, will incur this extreme pen
atty.
The Outrage at Brownsville.
"It has been established by careful in
vestigation beyond reasonable doubt that
the firing into the houses of the citizens OF
Brownsville while the inhabitants thereof
were pursuing their peaceful vacations 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 25th Infantry belonging
to the battalion stationed at Fort Brown.
After due opportunity and notice the enlist
ed men Of the 25th Infantry have failed to
tell all that 1t is reasonable to believe they
know concerning the shooting. If they had
done so, If they had been willing to relate
all the circums tances-incidents prelim-
mary to the trouble-it Is extremely prob
able that a clue sufficiently definite to lead
to results would have been disclosed They
appear to stand together In determine
ton to resist the detection of the guilty;
therefore, they should stand together when
the penalty falls. forceful lesson should
be given to the army at large, and es-
peciaHy to the non-commissioned officers,
that their duty does not cease upon the
drill ground, with the calling of the COM
pany rolls, making check inspections, and
other duty OF formal character but that
their responsibilities of Office accompany
them everywhere and at all times; that 1t is
their duty to become thoroughly acquainted
with the individual members of their re-
spective units to know their characteristics;
to be able at all times to gauge their tenn
per, in order to discover the beginning OF
discomfort or of mutinous intentions, and
to anticipate any organized act of disorder;
that they must notify their officers at once
of any such conditions Moreover, the peo-
pie of the United States, wherever they
live, must feel assured that. the men wear
ing the uniform of the army are their pro-
tectors, and not midnight assassins or riot
Gus disturbers of the peace of the com
munity In which they may be stationed
Col. Pitchers Alleged Remark.
ION October 5, 1905, squadron Of the
9th Cavalry, an organization Of coiored
troops reported at Fort Sheridan, near
Chicago, ILL.,. under orders from the War
Department assigning them to duty there.
Soon after this assignment there appeared
in the public press the following account Of
statement alleged to have been made
with regard to the matter by Col. William
L. Pitcher, 27th Infantry:
The negro troops would never have been
uuartered at Fort Sheridan without pro-
test il l was to remain in command here,
said Colonel Pitcher. I never liked them.
and the farther away from me they are
kept the better It pleases me. For the life
of me l cannot see why the United States
Certainly there are enough fine white young
men in this big country to make soldiers
of without recruiting from such a source.
''This alleged statement by Col Pitcher
having been brought to the attention of
the President, the following communication
with regard to it was sent to the War De-
partment by Secretary Loeb:
date report be called for from Col. Pitcher
to know whether or not he is correctly
quoted in the inclosed clipping; and II he
Is correctly quoted the President directs
that proceedings be taken against him for
such punishment as can be inflicted. The
President thinks that such conduct Is but
little better than that of the offending
negro troops themselves