Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-11-29
GEN. NettIeton Makes lndepen-
dent Investigation and Confirms
Report to War Department.
TROOPS WERE WELL TREATED.
Given Same Consideration as Coioreu
soldiers Elsewhere-Action oil
President Approved.

Brownsville, Texas. Nov. 29'--be-
cause OF the apparent misunderstaha-
ing in portions OF the country OF tne
facts which called forth the oraer
dlscharging the three companies OF
colored troops recently stauohea
here. and in view Of the resultant
criticism of the presidents course IN
the matter, the citizens committee OF
brownsville recently requested Gen a.
r. Nettleton Of Chicago, formerly as
slstant secretary OF the treasury, nov
here on business, to make in ms own
way n thorough and disinterested IN
vest,gatlon of the Brownsville trag-
edy OF Aug. 10 and report ms con-
illusions. 81, h,s
Cen Nettlaton has embodied his
findings In a letter to the secretary
OF war. He gays In part; 'Aos9-
lutely unprejudiced investigation mace
after local excitement had supslheu'
confirms IN every particular the con
illusions reached by the two army OF
ficers sent here by the war depart
ment, on the strength OF when tne
president took his action. as Wen as
the clear and temperate stateiuen'
DUnUSnCu
edy by Chairman Kelly OF the Browns
Vile citizens committee.
After summarizing facts hitherto
published as to the killing OF one citi-
zen, the manning OF the chief or po.
lice, the firing OF yolleys into ana
through hotels, saloons and many prl-
vate residences and the terronzlng or
the entire town, the letter continues
"The well attested evidence Is that
the colored troops were treated here
with the same consideration that col"
ored soldiers OF like bearing are treat
ed In most garrison towns OF the north
ern states; that on the other hand the
street conduct of some OF them was Of
ten aggressively and causelessly inso-
lent toward white men and women;
that there was no provocauon Tor the
murderous raid by the soldiers, unless
Il can be called proyoeation that tne
drinkers among them were provided
with separate bars In certain saloons
and that on two occasions Individual
insolence was resented by individual
citizens, both OF which happened to
have been Republican federal officials.
There was no riot and no street rows
as many newspapers persist in calling
the occurrence. 1t was simply a most
cowardly conspiracy to terribly, wound
and kill unoffending men, women and
children at the hour OF midnight when
defense or resistance was impossible,
and was not even attempted. Evidently
not an opposing shot was fired"
Gen. Nettleton's letter sharply raises
the question what were the white otii-
GERS of the garrison doing on the nigh:
of the raid and closes thus
I'm view of the facts as ] find them
here, the persistent attempt on the
part of some to make martyrs of any
portion OF the discharged men would
be appalling. II 1t were not grotesque.
The conspiracy OF silence on the part
OF all members Of the battalion pre-
vents the government from Furnishing
the previous conspiracy Of violence and
murder and the separation OF all alike
from the service which they have dis
graced, because II Is inevitable. believe
that no other course than that which
the president has pursued, was or is,
open to him, unless all sembance OF a
decent discipline In our army is to be
ended and unless every American COM
munity north and south alike, Is TO be
given cause 10 dread the proximity from
the garrison as II would that of an
enoampment OF armed and uniformed
assaiants."