Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-12-08
NEGRO SOLDIERS
SHOT UP A TOWN
Secretary Taft Explains Why They
Were Dishonorab y Discharged.
UNDER OFFICERS CONDEMNED


report Secretary TAFT deyo.es consid
cradle space to defens, and cxplana-
ton OF the course ct the war Gapart-
mcnt in connection with tho discharge
without honor from the mi.itiry ser
vice OF the battalion Oi ia . h in
f;,ntry which was stationed Al crowns
Vile. Tex. last summer. tn Sc re,ary
details the events OF III nignt Of
August 10, involving tlc shooting NJ
OF the town" 81 Brow lsy.iie by any
where from nine to 20 mon bcrs Cf lis
battalion. He is very seY"re in ris
condemnation OF the non commits
stoned officers OF the battalion Tor fail
ing To discover and report the perpe-
traitors OF the OUTRAGE. an OF the en-
listed men of the at'nlion wao. by
maintaining silence wnen. as h says.
they must have known the guilt. pr
ties. connivcd at the crime. H. in
that no obligation Of co.lrcdeshi1
should prevent the men RON tc'lias
the truth. bat indicates that such OF
the men as arc guil'less ma be re-
enlisted The extract in part follows:
Fired Into Houses.
ION the 1T OF Angus e VS. reported
in Brownsville that a white wcman was
seized by the hair by a cclorcd soldier
and dragged on the ground. This re-
port among the townspeope caused
great bitterness and excitement OF feel.
ing. which gave such concern to the Of
ficers of the battalion that on the night
of the same day they sent patrols into
the town to bring back their soldiers
To the fort few minutes after mid
night OF the next day shots were fired
in the fort toward the town from the
neiehborhood OF each barrack of the
three companies. Immediately after
wards a number of men. variCusly es-
timated from nine To 20. climbed over
the wall between the fort and the town
The raiders advanced up an alley lead
ing from the fort through the town
and first fired into the room of a house
IN the alley al the end of the first
Block. in which were two women and
live children. One of the bullets knock
I'd over and put out lighted lamp on
the table In the room The raiders
then encountered the chief of police on
a horse. He had heard the shooting
and hurried toward the sound. When
he saw tho soldiers. the number of
whom he mated to be Is. he turned
and tried ascape They fired on him.
killing his horse and wounded him In
the arm so that II had TO be amputated
10, ~ a
him were also shot at A bullet pierced
the hat of one of them. The raiders
then fired into Milers hotel There
was light in the hotel and a guest
at one OF the windows Six bullet holes
We're found In the hotel the next day
Killed 5arkeeper.
The party then divided One squad
proceeded farther down the alley 10 tho
third block toward a saloon which had
been one OF those In which II had been
insisted that the colored men must
drink at separate bar. The barkeep-
or heard them coming and attempted
10 close the door but was shot and
instantly killed near the door The IA
tai wound was declared by competent
surgeon with army experience to have
been made by bullet of the caliber OF
those used In the service rifle a
Mexican In the same saloon was shot
In the hand There were five or six
shots in the saloon door The other
squad shot into dwelling house The
shots were all aimed AT about r or
feet above the floor and went through
the mosquito bars in which woman
and two children were sleeping Bull
let marks were found on other houses
in the neighborhood There was much
evidence OF expressions uttered by the
raiders as they advanced and shot. in
dicating their malicious and murderous
intent. The shots fired in short space
of 10 minutes were variously estimated
from 20 to 1870. and all were fired with
in three blocks of the fort
"The first volley awakened many OF
the sleeping garrison and attracted the
attention Of the sentinel. who discharg-
ed his gun three times and called the
guard. The bugle sounded and the
men rushed 10 the gun racks. which the
had not been opened until they open
Ell them with the keys which had been
In their possession for more than IL
hours. One gun rack was broken open
In the hurry of the men to answer the
call 10 arms. The commissioned ON
GERS supposed that an attack had been
made upon the barracks by men in the
town. and did not know until some
hours later that the shooting had been
done by soldiers and that their men
were suspected OF any offense. AS soon
rs they were informed of the facts by
the mayor they caused all the rifles o.
the enlisted men To be examined Every
rifle was then found to be clean.
THE evidence makes 1t quite clear
that the firing had not ceased when
the men began 10 form in line. and
therefore that all the guns with which
the firing was done. could not have
been In the racks when the sergeants
in charge OF quarters went to unlock
tho racks nlthO they testified that they