The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1906-12-27

F-. M
government rifss, which were found
on Ahg ground, arc merely corrobora
tive. So are the bullet holds In the
houss8; some Of which 1T appesr5 nusS.
from the dirsction, have besn hred
from the fort just a6 the moment
when the soldiers left ID. Not bullet
hole appears In any Of the structures
Of the fort.
The townspsople were completely
surprised by the unprovoked and muir.
desouB s3ysgary OF the ATTACK. The
soldiers were the aggreEsors from start
TO finish. They met with no substsn
tial resistance. and one and oil who
took part in that raid stand as DELHI
crate murderous, who did murder one
man, who tried to murder others, and
Who tried to murder women and chill
dran. The act was one Of horrible
atrooity, and so far % i am aware,
unparalleled for infsnly In the annals
of the United States army.
The white officers Of the companies
were completely taken by surprtao,
and at first evidently believed shat
firing meant thst the townBpeople
were attacking the soldiers. 1t was not
until 2 or O'Clock In the morning
that any Of them became aware Of she
sruth. I havo directed Q careful IN
vestigstion into uhe conduct Of the
oflesls, TO $50 If any Of them were
blame worthy, and T have approved
the recommendation Of ths var de.
partmens that two be brought before
9 courtmartial.
as 10 be noncommisgiuned officers
and enlisted man, there can be no
doubt whatever that many were nee.
esssrily privy, after If not before the
attack, 10 une conduct of those who
took actual par. in this nnurderous
hot. Irefer to Maj. Blocksom'B report
for proof of the faot that certainly
some md probably all Of the nonoom
nissioned officers In charge oil quar-
tars who we're responsible for The gun
racks and had keys hereto LII their
psrRonal possession knew what men
were engaged in Oh attack.
b. ajor Penrose, In command Of the
post, in hts his letter Qnsluded In the
appsndiz) gives the reastn5 why no
wa1 reluctantly convinced thah come
of the men under him-as be thinks,
from seven TO ten-got their rihas,
clipped oub Of quarters 30 DO 6ho
shoobing, and returned to tho bar
racks without being discovered, the
shooting all occurring within two and
q half short blocks of bhe bBrraoks.
10 was possible for the raiders to 60
from she fort to the farthesb point OF
firing and return In less than 10 min.
utes, for the distance did not exceed
$50 yards.
Such are the facts Of this eSo.
General Netbleoon, in his letter here
wish apps ded, staees thai nest door
TO where was he wrlting in Brownsville
is o email cottage where . children's
party had just broken up before the
nouss was riddled by United States
outlets, fred by United States troops |
from United States Springfield rifles,
st close range, with the purpose OF
silling or manning the inmates,
including the parents and child
ron who were still in tho we'll
lighted house, and whose escape from
Death under such circumstances was
He states that on [
another street he looks upon fresh
uulleb scars whore Volley from simi
sr government rifles was fired INTO
she side anc windows Of hotel ocou
pied at the time by sleeping or frlgnS,
sned guests from abroad who coud
D. possibly ha 'e giVon any ttfsnae 10
The asaailantg. He. writes that the
,hlet of the Brownsville police Is
sgain on duty from the I ospiesl, and
,arries an empty sleeve because ne +
was shot by federal soldiers from ene
adjacent garrison in the course OF
their murderous foray; and not far
away is the fresh grave GA nononeno'
ng citizen Of th place, boy IN years
who was wantonly shot down Dy
ihese United StsteS soldiers Wnlie
attempting to escape. =,
The effort to confute this tsSti'
nony so far has consisted IN 6he
or implication that tne
sownsp sople shot one another IN or
Ter to di credits the soldiers-an
lbs .rdlty too gross to need discussion
Ind unsupported by q shred OF evil