The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-12-19
PRESIDENT TELLS
OF DISCHARGE OF
COLORED TROOPS

Continued from Page One.)
his findings in any essential particular,
but as matter OF fact. every trust
worthy report from outsiders amply cor
rOborates them, by far the best OF these
outside reports being that or Gen. A. Il.
Nettleton, made I'm a letter 10 the secre-
tary OF war, which / herewith append;
a consistent friend OF the colored man
thruout his life, lifelong Republican.
citizen of Illinois. and assistant secretary
OF the treasury under President Harrison.
1t appears that In Brownsville, the city
Immediately beside which Fort Brown is
situated, there had been considerable
feeling between the citizens and the col
ored troops OF the garrison companies
Difficulties had occurred, there being
conflict Of evidence as TO whether the
citizens or the colored troops were TO
blame. My impression is that as mat
ter OF fact in these difficulties there was
blame attached TO both sides; but this is
a wholly unimportant matter for our
present purpose, as nothing that occurred
ofered in any shape or way an. excuse or
justification for the atrocious conduct OF
the troops when. In lawless and murder
Gus spirit, and under cover of the night.
they made their attack upon the citizens.
The attack was made near midnight on
August 13 The following facts as TO this
attack are made clear. by Major Block
SONS investigation and have not been,
and in my Judgment, can not be. success
fully controverted. From TO Is or 20 of
the colored soldiers took part in the at
tack. They leapt over the walls from the
barracks and hurried thru the town. They
shot at whomever they saw moving, and
they shot into houses where they saw
lights. In some OF these houses there were
women and children. as the would-be
murderers must have known. In one house
in which there were two women and five
children some ten shots went thru at
height of about 41s feet above the floor,
one putting out the lamp upon the table.
hA ~ Of hA fntrFra
heard the firing and rode toward II. He
met the raiders, who, as he stated were
about Is colored soldiers. They instantly
started firing upon him. He turned and
rode off. and they continued firing upon
him until they had killed his horse. They
shot him in the right arm Qt was after
wards amputated above the elbow.
number OF shots were also fired at two
other policemen.
Fired Into Hotel
The raiders fired several times into n
hotel, some OF the shots being aimed a a
guest sitting by a window. They shot into
a saloon killing the bartender and wound
ing another man. At the same time other
raiders fired into another house In which
women and children were sleeping. two Of
the shots going thru the mosquito bar over
the bed In which the mistress OF the
house and her two children were lying.
Several other houses were struck by bull
lets. IL was at night and the streets OF
the town are poorly lighted, so that none
OF the individual raiders we're recognized;
but the evidence of many witnesses of all
classes was conclusive TO the effect that
the raiders were negro soldiers. The
shattered bullets. shells and clips of tho
government rifles, which were found on
the ground are merely corroborative. So
are the bullet holes I'm the houses some
of which II appears must, from the direc-
1on. have been fired from the fort just at
the moment when the soldiers left IL. Not
bullet hole appears in any of the struc-
lures OF the fort
The townspeople were completely sur
priced by the unprovoked and murderous
savagery OF the attack. The soldiers were
the aggressors from start to finish. They
met with no substantial resistance ard
one and all who took part In that raid
stand AS deliberate murderers, who did
murder one man, who tried 10 murder 9TH
ers. and who tried to murder women and
children. The act was one OF horrible
atrocity. and so far as i am aware un-
parallelled for infamy in the annals of the
United States army.
The white officers of the companies
were completely taken by surprize and at
first evidently believed that the firing
meant that the townspeople were attack
ing the soldiers. II was not until or
o'clock in the morning that any of them
became aware of the truth. / have directed
a careful investigation into the conduct
OF the officers, TO see IL any OF them were
blameworthy. and / have approved the
recommendations of the war department
that two be brought before a court mar
tial
Many Knew the Facts
AS TO the noncommissioned officers ana
enlisted men, there can be no doubt what
ever that many were necessarily prlvy.
after IL not before the attack. 20 the con-
duct OF those who took actual part I'm this
murderous riot. / refer to Major Block
SONS report for proof OF the fact that
certainly some and probably all OF the
noncommissioned officers in charge of
quarters who were responsible for the
gun-racks and had keys thereto I'm their
personal possession knew what men were
engaged in the attack.
Maj. Penrose. In command OF the post
In his letter Included in the appendix),
gives the reasons why he was reluctantly
convinced that some OF the men under
hinl-as he thinks. from TO 10-got their
rifles, slipt out OF quarters 10 do the
shooting, and returned to the barracks
without being discovered. the shooting all
occurring within two and a half short
blocks OF the barracks. II was possible
for the raiders TO go from the fort 10 the
farthest point OF firing and return in less
than 10 minutes, for the distance did not
exceed $50 yards
Such are The facts OF this case. Gen.
Nettleton. In his letter herewith append
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