Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-11-07
TROOPS IN DISGRACE
President Orders Dismissal ol
 Entire Negro Battalion.
HAD DlSHoNORED UNIFORM IN RIOT
Colonel ". l.. Pitcher Censured by Roosevelt and May Be Brought to Ceurt Martial For Abuse of
 Col0red Soldiers.

WASHINGTON. Nov. 7.--Unprece. dented in the history of the army oi the United States is the action of the president, just announced, in dismiss. ing in disgrace from that army an en. tire battalion of colored 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 in, tention to be fair to the colored troops the president has accompanied this ac, by an order which may amount to tha court martial of a white army officer of high grade who was charged with having cast slurs upon the colored troops.
 The following is the concluding DOT. tion of General Garlington's report which embodies the recommendat tions that by direction of the president will be carried Into effect immediately by the war department:
 I recommend that orders be issued as soon as practicable discharging without honor every man in Compa. nies B, c and D of the Twenty fifth infantry, serving at Fort Brown, Tex. on the night of Aug. 13, 1906. and for. ever debarring them from re-cnlistina in the army or navy of the United States as we'll as from employment in any civil capacity under the govern. ment.
 Tt has been established by careful investigation beyond reasonable doubt that the firing into the houses of the citizens of Brownsville while the in habitants thereof were pursuing theil 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 en listed men of the Twenty-fifth infan try, belonging to the battalion station ed at Fort Brown. After due oppor tunity and notice the enlisted men o1 the Twenty-fifth infantry have failed to tell all that 1t Is reasonable to be lieve they know concerning the shoot ing.
 There has appeared in the public press the following account of a state ment alleged to have been made with regard to the matter by Colonel Will liam L. Pitcher, Twenty.seventh in fantry:
 "The negro troops would never have been quartered at Fort Sheridan with out a protest if I was to remain ir command here, said Colonel Pitcher I never liked them, and the farther away from me they nre kept the better it pleases me. For the life of me cannot see why the United State, should try to make soldiers out oi them. Certainly there are enough fin, white young men in this big country to make soldiers of without recruiting from such source.'
 '"rhls alleged statement by Colone Pitcher having been brought to the attention of the president, the follow ing communication with regard to il was sent to the war department by Secretary Loeb:
 "'The president directs that an i'm mediate report be called for from Colo nel Pitcher to know whether or not hs Is correctly quoted in the inclosed clip ping, and if he is correctly quoted ths president directs that proceedings bt taken against him for such punish ment as can be inflicted. The president thinks that such conduct is but little better than that of the offending negrt troops themselves