The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-11-07
TROOPS ARE
IN DISGRACE
President Orders Dismissal o
Negro Battalion.
DlSHONORED UNIFORM
Colonel W. L Pitcher Censured by
Soosevelt and May be Brought
70 Court Martial.


denied In the history Of the army OF
the United States Is the action OF the
president, just announced, In dismiss
ing In disgrace from that army nn en-.
tire battalion OF colorcd troops because
OF their failure 10 disclose the Identity
OF some OF their number who had been
guilty OF violence and murder.
As an evidence. however. OF his In
tcntlon 10 bc fair 10 the colored troops
the president has accompanied this act
by an order which may amount 10 the
court martial OF white army officer
OF high grade who was charged with
having east slurs upon the colored
troops
The story OF both actions Is told In
the following official correspondence
made public by the military secretary:
'"Thc report OF an investigation made
by Bricadlcr General u. A. Darlington,
inspector general OF the army, rela.
tive 10 the riotous disturbance that oc.
Cured NJ Brownsville, Tex, on the
night OF Aug. Il, 1905, and that re-
suited In the death OF one and the
woundlng OF another citizen OF that
city has been considered and acted
upon by the president.
"The following Is the concluding por.
lion OF General Garllngton's report.
which embodles the recommendation
that by direction OF the president VIII
he carried into effect Immediately by
the war department:
"'l recommend that orders he issued
as soon rs practicable discharging
without honor every man In Compa.
MES II, & and u OF the Twenty-fifth
infantry. serving ut Fort Brown. Tex.
on the night Of Aug. ~. 1906. and for.
ever debarring them from re-enllsting
In the army or navy OF the United
States rs well as from employment In
any civil capacity under the govern.
ment. In making this recommends.
ton recognize the fact that n mum.
Der OF men who have no direct knowi.
edge as TO the identity OF the men OF
the Twenty-fifth infantry who actually
fired the shots ON the night OF the 18th
OF August, 1906, will incur this ex.
IRENE penalty
at has been established by careful
investigation beyond readable doubt
that the firing into the houses OF the
citizens OF Brownsville while the in
habltants thereof were pursuing thei
peaceful vacations 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 en-.
listed men OF the Twenty-fifth infan
try, belonging to the battalion station
ed ut Fort Brown. After due oppor
tunity and notice the enlisted men OF
the Twenty-ffth infantry have failed
to tell all that IL Is reasonable to be
lieve they know concerning the shoot
ing.
There has appeared In the public
press the following account of a state
ment alleged TO have been made witt
regard to the matter by Colonel VII
liam L. Pitcher, Twenty-seyenth in.
fantry:
"'The negro troops would never have
been quartered at Fort Sheridan with
out protest II was to remain ir
command here said Colonel Pitcher
4 never liked them, and the farther
away from me they are kept the better
it pleases me. For the life Of me
cannot see why the United States
should try to make soldiers out OF
them. Certainly there are enough fine
white young men in this big country
to make soldiers of without recruiting
from such source
"Thls alleged statement by Colonel
Pitcher having been brought to the
attention of the president the follow.
ing communication with regard to II
was sent to the war department by
Secretary Loeb:
"'The president directs that an i'm,
mediate report be called for from Colo
mel Pitcher to know whether or not he
Is correctly quoted In the Enclosed clip
ping, and If he Is correctly quoted the
president directs that proceedings be
taken against him for such punish.
ment as can be inflicted. The president
thinks that such conduct Is but little
better than that of the offending negro