New-York tribune., 1906-11-22
NEGRO TROOPS MUST 60.
Secretary Taft Hears from the
President-No Further Delay.


issued the following statement to-day concern
inr the Negro troops ordered dismissed at Fort
Reno:
n the matter Of the order discharging the en-
listed men Of three companies of the 25th In
fantrv issued by the President. application was
presented 10 the Secretary OF War by q number
Of persons of standing asking for q rehear1ng
by the President Of the ground on which the
action was taken. The Secretary telegraphed
the President of the application and delayed
The proceedings Of the discharge until the Pres
tdeuf could indicate his wishes. The Secretary
was meantime called out Of town. No answer
was received from the President. The Sec
ratar-v on his return did not feel justified in
further delaying the execution Of the order of
discharge especially in view Of the fact that
the Secretary then learned that the President
had fully and eXhaustiyely considered the argu-
rnent against the order of the persons who now
applied for rehearlng Accordingly 1he sec
retary directed yesterday Tuesday. that the
proceedings for discharge be continued without
delay.
Later in the day Secretary Taft received a dis
patch from President Roosevelt. and issued the
following additional statement.
telegram was received from the President at
Il o'clock to-day. after the previous statement
was given out at the War Department. in which
he declines TO suspend the discharge unless there
are new facts OF such Importance as to warrant
cabling him He states that the action was
taken after due deliheration. and that the only
matter 70 which he can pay heed is the presenta-
ton OF facts showing the official reports 70 ne IN
whole o. in part untrue. clearly eXculpating
some individual. If any such facts later appear.
be car acr as he deems advisab BILE. but thus far
nothing has been introduced to warrant the
suspension OF the order, and he directs that IL
be executed.
Secretary TAFT says that immediate steps VIII
be "a ken 10 recruit Negro soldiers replace the
men discharged. The members Of the three
companies who were on furlough at the time of
the Brownsville affair. and three members who
are 10 be tried by court-rnartial will not be
,r-4-c+ +.zra1, al
day that the subject Of the dismissal Of the
troops has not been brought TO the attention Of
the President by the White House officials since
he left Washington. more than ten days ago.
None Of the protests which have been fled
against the carrying out Of the action have been
= received at the White House, but have gone 10
the War Department
GENERAL GARLINGTONs REPORT.
TIE report Of the investigation of the conduct
Of the Negro troops by Major Blocksom, Of the
inspector generals department: Lieutenant Colo
mel Lowering Of the 4th Infantry. acting in
spector general. and Brigadier General CARING
ton. inspector general OF the army. made
public al The War Department to-day in a vol
urne entitled "The ARRAY at Brownsville,
Texas" Major Blocksou declares that the affair
was preconcerted, and both he and General
Darlington exonerate the officers from blame.
General Darlington says II was evident from the
first that the men IF the three companies had
entered into compact 10 give no information
Secretary Taft says that no steps will be taken
70 make further investigation Of the conduct
Of the officers.
In his summary Of the reports made by the
other officers and Of his own efforts TO discover
the guilty soldiers General Darlington declares
that every means Of getting evidence concerning
the shooting was exhausted. All the men Of the
sr7gas
and all, he says evaded questions and even
fused 70 discuss the incidents at Brownsville
which were known 70 have enraged the Negroes
before the rio1
The sec-etive nature of the race where crimes
ara charged 70 persons OF their color Is well
known" General Darlington says. Under such
circumstances self-protection or self-interest is
the only lever by which the casket OF their minds
can be pried open Acting upon this principle
the history and record of the regiment 10 which
they belong. The part played by these old SOL
dieTs IN L record were pointed out and en-
larged upon The odiurn and disgrace 70 the
battalion and its Individual members by this
crime were indicated. The future effect upon
Ihe individuals and upon the battalion
whole was referred TO. and finally the concern OF
the President OF the United States in the matter
ana his desire and the desire of the War Depart
r1ent TO separate the innocent from the guilty
We're told but without effect.
NO absolutely accurate verilcation OF the
night Of August 13 in time TO accept for the
rifles and at the beginning of the firing or
Immediately upon its conclusion The fault is
explained as follows: The commanding officer
and his associates when the alarm was sounded
and they heard the firing. assumed that II ca me
from the city of Brownsville and that the guns
were IN the hands OF civilians; in other words
tha- ne garrison was being fred into from the
outside by civilians II does not appear 10 have
occurred 70 any Of them that certain enlisted
Cle1 OF the 2Jth Infantry had possession OF
their arms and We're committing the crime ~
2r1ng into TIE houses and upon the citizens Of
Brownsville until the Mayor Of the civ came
70 the garrison and informed the commanding
orlcsr, MAJOR Penrose. that man had been
Killed ana another injured by his soldiers
mayor Slockson. IN his report recommended
maj y satisfactory evidence concerning the
identity o1 the criminals did not come from
mem berE OF the battalion. all enlisted men ~
the three companies present on the night Of
August Is be discharged from the service and
deba-red from re-enlistrnent IN the army navy
or marine corps. Major Blocksorn regards II as
particularly unfortunate for the reputation of
tie battalion that the officers did not discover
q single clew 70 the terrible preconcerred
crime in the Investigation that was conducted
by The commanders OF the force
Oklahoma City. Okla, Nov. 21.-Major Clark
81 Fort Reno said to-day: We have received
10 word TO proceed with the discharge Of the
coio-ed troops, ana none have been discharged
to-day. we will not proceed until ordered TO do
60 from Washington"