Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-12-01

soldiers were pointed out All the
soldiers avoided questions and even
refused TO discuss the events al
| Brownsville which were known &c
have enraged the Negroes before
the riot.
ARGUMENTS N VAIN.
The secretive nature Of the race
! where crimes are charged to mem
bers of their color. Is we'll known.
! Gen. Darlington SAYS. Under suc7
circumstances self-protection. OF
self-interest is the only lever hy
! which tho casket of their minds
can be pried open. Acting upon
! this principle. the history ana re-
| cord Of the regiment 20 watch they
| belong. the part PLAYED by these oil
| soldiers I'm this record. were pointed
| ont and enlarged upon The odium
and disgrace TO the battalion and
| its individual members bv this
| crime were Indicated. The future
effect upon the individuals and up-
on 'thc battalion rs a waole was
referred TO: and. finally. the con-
Germ OF the President of the United
States i'm the matter his desire and
the desire OF the War Department
TO separate the innocent from the
guilty. were explained. but without
effect"
In view OF the circumstances and
the apparent concerted action ON
the part OF the men not to reveal
any knowledge OF tho affair Cen
Darlington recommended their dis
charge without honor Tie saws.
They appear 20 stand together in
q determination % resist the datcc-
ton OF the guilty. therefore. they
should stand together when the
penalty falls"
IL is the intention OF the War De-
portmcnt TO begin at once recruiting
so that the three companies may DC
hlled as soon as possible. As the
officers OF those companies will be
without commands I'm tho meantime
10 is not Improbable that thcv will
be used for recruiting duty. 10 is
said 90 be likely that some OF the
men discharged under the Prcsi-
dents ordor NAV be permitted TO
re-enlist upon the presentation 10
the President OF satisfactory ovi-
dence that they were not implicated
In the riot and that they DO not
know the names OF the men con
cerncd I'm the affair. The case of
eoch man. however. will have 20 De
taken up on its merits. and such 90
tion will be had as the President
secs nc I'm the premises
Col William /. Pitcher. OF tho
Twentv-seventh. InfantrS. rms sent
from Cuba 90 the War Department
n denial OF the interview attributed
10 him. i'm which. Il was charged.
he criticised the action of the War
Department for sending squadron
or colored cavalry TO Fort sheridan.
where the Twenty-seventh was sta
toned
This will probably end the in
Guiry. which was begun at the direc
uon OF President Roosevelt. 10 as
certain the truth Of the alleged state
ment. The words imputed TO Col
Pitcher were:
'The Negro troons would never
have been quartered az Fort Sner-
idan without protest If ] was to re-
main in command here. never
lined them. and the farther away
from me they are kept. the better
IL pleases me. For the life OF me
1 cannot see why -the United States
should try 20 make soldiers out of
them. Certainly there are enough
fine white young men in this country
10 make soldiers of without recruit
ing from such a source"
NOT CORRECTLY QUOTED.
In his denial Col. Pitcher saws.
Il am not correctly quoted in the
clipping.
AT all times 7 not only refrained
from giving out anything for pub
lication on this subject, but said to
one or more newspaper representa-
tives that the colOred soldiers were
United States troops. and we're Or
dered to Fort Sheridan by the War
Department. and that I had abso-
lutely no comment TO make and
made none"
On the same day the order was
made for dismissing three compan-
les OF the Twenty fifth Infantry.
colored. the President directed the
War Department to procure a report
on the alleged interview vita Col.
Pitcher who with his regiment. had
departed for Cuba. Through Sec
retary Loeb, the President sent the
following letter to the War Depart
ment
"The President directs that an
immediate report be callel for from
Col. Pitcher 10 know whether or not
ne is correctly quoted in the In
closed clipping; and IL he is cor
rectly 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 bet
ter than that of the offending Ne
gro troops themselves"
The last sentence refers to the
con iuct OF the Negro troops at
Brownsville.
REGARD INCIDENT AS CLOSED.
The matter OF the discharge OF
the three companies OF the Twenty
fifth Infantry Is regarded at the
War Department as a closed Incl
dent No bulletins or statements
were Issued yesterday. and the sub