Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-11-07
NEGRO TROOPS DISMISSED
Battalion Whose Members Iudulgsd in Riot
at Fort Brown DiShOnOrably Discharged.
CtNsUSE FOR WHITE ARMY OFFICER
Colonel who wrote DisparaElnE
Letter Criticisins CoIOred SOL
dieru VIII Probably Ne
Court-Ma rtialed.


WASHINGTON, Nov. s.-Unprecedented
in the history of the army of the United
States is the action Of the president, just
announced. in Diminishing in disgrace from
the army an entire battalion OF negro
troops because of their failure to dis
close the indemnity OF some of their num-
beI' who had been guilty of violence and
murder
AS an evidence, however, Of his intention
to be fair to the colOred troops the presi-
dent has accompanied this action by an
order, which may amount to court
martial of a white army officer of high
grade who was charged with having cast
slurs upon the colored troops. The story
Of both actions is told in official cor
respondence made public today by the
military secretary.
The correspondence follows:
The report Of an investigation made
inspector general OF the army, relative
/ to the riotOus disturbance that occurred
Iue ST1TR s IsSs s1S that resulted in the
death " one and wOundtng of another
citizon of that city has been considered
and acted upon by the president Follow
ing are his instructions with regards to
"The White House, washington, Nov
5, 19O6.-The Secretary of War: have
read General Carlington's report dated
October g. submitted to me by you.
direct that the recommendation of General
Darlington be complied with and that az
the same time the concluding portion of
his report be published with our sanction
giving the reasons for the action.
(Signed) THEODORE ROOSEVELT
CarrIustOn's Recommendation.
Following is the concluding platform OF
| General Carlington's report, which en-
bodies the recommendations that, by di-
rection of the president will be carried
into erect Immediately by the War de-
| partment:
| recommend that orders be issued as
| soon as practicable discharging, without
| honor, every man in companies y, G, and
| d of the Twenty-ffth infantry serving al
/ Fort Brown, Tex, on the night of August
49, 1905, and forever debarring them from
| United states, as well as from employ
| ment In any civil capacity under the gov
eminent In making this recommended
/ OF men who have no direct knowledge as
to the identity of the men of the Twenty
| fifth infantry who actually fired the shots
| on the night of the 9th Of August, 1905,
| Will incur this extreme penalty.
vestiFstion pef Beyond ressonabie doubt tbat
the firing into the houses Of the citizens
of Brownsville while the inhabitants there
or sleeping, and by which one citizen was
killed and the chief Of police so seriously
wounded that he lost an arm, was done by
the enlisted men of the Twenty-flfth IN
fantry be- l1sing to the battalions stationed
at Fort Brown. After due opportunity and
nth cavalry have failed to tell ali that
IL Is reasonable to believe they know con-
cernii9s the shooting i q they haf done me
the observation-disclosures preliminary to
the trouble-it is extremely probable that a
clue sufficiently definite in results would
have been disclosed. They appeared to stand
together in a determination to resist the
| should stand tOQethaF when the nPnAltX
falls. A forceful lesson should be given
to the army at large and especially to the
does not cease upon the drill ground, with
the calling of the company rolls, making
check inspections and other duty of formal
character; but that their responsibility Of
Office accompany them everywhere and at
all times; Moreover, the people he OF the
feel assured that the men wearing the
uniform OF the army are their protectors
turbers of the peace OF the community In
which they may be stationed.
CensuPe for white Omcer.
On October s. 1906, a squadron of the
Ninth cavalry. an organization of colored
troops, reported at Fort Sheridan, near
Chicago. under orders from the War de-
partment assigning them to duty there.
Soon after this assignment there appeared
in the public press the following account
} of a statement alleged TO have been made
with regard to the matter by Colonel will
liam L. Pitcher, Twenty-seventh infantry:
THE negro troops would never have been
quartered at Fort Sheridan without pro-
test II I was to remain in command" said
Colonel Pitcher. Il never liked them and
the further away from me they are kept
, the better II pleases me. For the life Of
me 1 cannot see why the United States
tried to make soldiers out of them. Ger
tainly there are enough fine white young
men in this big country to make soldiers
Of without recruiting from such source. -
This alleged statement by Colonel Pitcher
having been brought to the attention OF
the president, the following eommunica-
tion with regard to it was sent to the War
department by Secretary Loeb:
The president directs that an immediate
report be called for from Colonel Pitcher
TO know whether or not he Is correctly
quoted in the enclosed clipping; and If he
Is correctly quoted the president directs
, that proceedings be taken against him for
such punishment as can be inflicted. The
president thinks that such conduct is but
little better than that OF the offending
, negro troops themselves. Very truly yours
WILLIAM LOEB, JR.,
Secretary to the President,
Il II you have anything to trade advertise
n in the For EXCHANGE column OF The