Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1906-12-20

succersruuy controversies. Prom nins
20 fifteen or twenty u the co1ored roi-
diers took part In the attack. They
leaned over the walls from the bar
rnek. and hurried through the town.
They shot NJ whorisvcr they paw me-
Ing. and they shot into houses whax
they saw lights. In some Of thesF
houses there were women and children.
as the would-be murderers must havr
known. In one house IN which there
wsre two women and five children
rorne Ten shots went through at Z
height % about four and one-half feet
above the floor. one putting out the
lamp upon the table. The lieutenant
Of police 20 the town heard the firing
and rode toward ~. He met the raid
err. who. as he stated we're about M.
teen coiored soldiers They instantly
started firing upon him He turned
and rode OF. and they continued firms
upon him until they had killed his
horse. They shot him In the right arm
az was afterwards amputated above
the elbow) A number of shots were
also fired al two other policemen. The
raiders fired several times into "A hotel
some OF the shots being Armed az
guest sitting by n window. They shot
into a saloon. killing the bartender
and woundlng another man. AZ IN,
same time other raiders fired into an
other house In which women and chill
dren were sleeping. two OF the shot
going through the mosquito bar over
the bed In which the mistress ~ the
house and her two children were lying
Several other houses were struck by
bullets. II was az night and thu
streets Of the town are poorly lighted
80 that none ~ the individual raider
were recognized. but the evidence OF
many witnesses ~ all classes was con-
elusive 20 the effect that the raider.
were negro soldiers. The shattered
bullets. shells. and clips OF the govern.
ment rifles. which were found ON tn
ground. are merely cOrrobOrative Sc
are the bullet holes I'm the houses
some OF which 70 appears must. from
the direction have been fired from tn
fort just M the moment when the soil
diers left II. Not a bullet appears IN
any 0f the structures Of the fort.
The townspeOple were compi.tely
surprised BY the unprOvoked and muir
derous savagery Of the attack The
soldiers were the aggressors from start
20 finish. They met with no substan-
tial resistance. and one and all who
took part In that raid stand as DELHI
crate murderers. who did murder one
man. who tried "a murder others. and
who tried TO murder women and chill
dren. The act was one OF horrible
atrocity, and 20 far as a.n aware. un-
paralleled for infamy I'm the annals %
the United States army.
The white officers OF the companies
were completely taken by surprise. and
at first evidently believed that the fir
ing meant that the townspeople were
attacking the soldiers. II was not I'M
III ? or 2 o'clock I'm the morning that
any Of them became aware OF the truth.
! have directed a careful investigation
into the conduct OF the officers. to
see N any of them were blameworthy.
and l have approved the recommenda-
ton OF the war department that two be
brought before a court martial.
A. to the non-commissioned officers
and enlisted men. there can be no
doubt whatever that many were nee
essarily privy. after II not before the
attack. TO the conduct OF those who
took actual part In this murderous riot .
i refer TO Major Blocksom's report for
proof Of the fact that certainly some ,
and probably a., OF the non-commis- !
stoned officers In charge - quarters
who we're responsible for the gun 1
racks and had keys thereto IN their j
personal possession knew what men
were engaged In the attack
Major Penrose. in command OF the
post. In his letter (included In the ap.
pendix) gives the reasons why he was
convinced that some Of the ,
men under hlm-as he thinks. from
seven 10 ten-got their rifles. slipped
out OF quarters To do the shooting. and
returned 10 the barracks without being
discovered. the shooting all occurring
within two and a half short blocks ~
the barracks. II was possible for the
raiders 10 40 from the fort 10 the far
thest point OF firing and return In less
than ten minutes. for the distance did
not exceed $50 yards.
Such are the facts OF this case. Cen
eral Nettleton. In his letter herewith
appended. states that next door 60
where he II writing In Brownsville Is
a small cottage where "A children's par
~ had just broken up before the house
was rlddled by United States bullets.
fired by United States troops. from
United States Springfield rifles. AZ
close range with the purpose Of killinS
or manning the inmates. including the
parents and children who were still
In the well-lighted house and whose
escape from death under such circum-
stances was astonishing lie states that
on another street he daily looks upon
fresh bullet scars where "a volley from
similar government rifles was fired
into the side and windows of a hotel
at the time by sleeping or
frightened guests from abroad who
could not possibly have given any Of
fense 90 the lssallants. lie writes that
The chief OF the Brownsville police
u again on duty from hospital and
carries am empty sleeve because ho was
shot hy Federal soldiers from the ale
accent garrison iu the course of their
murdorous f0ray and not Tar away s
he fresh grave OF an uuuffcuding CiGi-
gen 81 the place. u boy ln years. VINO
MAS wantonly shot down by these Unit
sd States soldiers while uuarmed and
attempting Co escape.
The effort Co coufutc this testimony
20 far has consisted BOO the assertion or
that the t1wnspeoplo shot
1nc another iu order TO diseredit the
lhsurdlty too gross 90
heed discus Ton. and unsupported by 70
shred OF evidence There is mo- uGcs-
ion as 90 the murder and the at
tempted murders. there Is no question
hat some of the soldiers were guilty
hereof. there .s no question that many
n their comrades privy 90 the deed
nave combined % shelter the criminals
rom justice. These comrades Of thr
nurderors. by their own action. hay
70 necessary either 90 leave
M the men. including the murdercrs. in
he army or 10 turn them all out. AMI
indor such circumstances there was mo-