The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-22
THE NEGRO SOLDIERS MUST GO
PRESIDENT DECLINES TO SUS-
PEND HIS ORDER.
ne Says nc was Issuod AFTER Due Dcitbera-
ton and Nothing Has since Developed
60 warrant It's Suspension RepOrts
on which the Presidents was Based.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2l.-In support OF
the position which the President has taken
On ordering the dismissal without honor
Of the three companies Of the Twenty-fifth
Infantry, some of whose members were con-
crrned in the Brownsville riot, the War
department to-day made public the reports
Of Major H.. p. Blocksom, Lieut. Col. l.. A.
Lowering and Brig Zen. Z. A. Darlington,
~ho investigated the trouble and recon-
mended the discharge OF all the member
Of the companies.
That the President intends To stand firm
upon the action he has taken, regardless
of criticism and appeals, was indicated
by a csblegram which Secretary Taft re-
ceived from him from Ponce, Porto Rico.
this morning. This csblegram is the first
which the Department has had from the
President on the subject, despite the fact
that Secretary Taft, VIC sanctioned a
temporary delay in the execution OF the
order, has been ~endeavoring TO get into
communication with him on the subject
since Saturday. The President, in his
despatch TO Mr.. Taft, declines to'suspend the
discharge unless there are new facts Of
such Importance as to warrant cabling him.
He saws that the action was taken after
due elaboration and that the only matter
TO which he can pay heed is the presentation
If facts showing the official reports to be in
whole or in part untrue, OF clearly exoul-
pating some individual. II any such facts
later appear the President will act as he
deems advisable. but he says that thus far
nothing has been introduced to warrant the
suspension OF the order. and he accordingly
directed Secretary Taft that it he executed.
The following statement Of the Presidents
position vas given oAt by the War Depart
ment
"A telegram was received from the Presi-
dent at II o'clock to-day, after the previous
statement was given out at the War Depart
nent, 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 elaboration. and that the only matter
70 which he can pay heed is the presentation
If facts showing the official reports to be in
whole or in part untrue or clearly exculpat-
ing some individual. II any such facts
later appear he can act as he deems advisa-
bic; but thus far nothing has been intro
duced 20 warrant the suspension Of the
order. and he directs that it be executed
This despatch was received at the War
Department about II O'Clock this morning,
but prior to that time, in fact last night.
Secretary Taft wired to Brighten. Nc
Caskey, commanding The Department OF
Texas, to proceed with the execution OF the
order. Accordingly, unless there is some
radical change in the situation, the men,
bers OF the three companies will be dis
charged in groups Of twenty-five from
day TO day until they are all dismissed.
Il developed to-day that on Monday. before
- IT, D. -A--s--
Secretary Taft's telegram permitting a
temporary delay in the execution OF the
order. twenty-five men were discharged
owing to. a delay in the transmission of the
The reports which we're made public
today disclose the fact that IS early as
october 4 the President had determined
70 dismiss without honor all of the men
Of the three companies in the event of their
failure to reveal the facts concerning the
Brownsville riot. This decision is revealed
In a letter Of instruction which Acting
Secretary Oliver OF the War Department
sent to Inspector-General Darlington. di-
recting him TO make an investigation,
In this letter Acting Secretary Oliver says;
The President authorizes you to make
known TO thoee concerned the orders given
bv him in this case, namely: II the guilty
parties cannot be discovered, the Pres
dent approves the recommendation that
the whole three companies implicated in
this HITOClOIs OuIEdkH HUDilNl uC uictIlsbcTu
and the men forever deOsrred from re-
enlistment in the army or navy OF the
United states
This Recommendation was originally
made. not bv Inspector-General Darlington.
uho ia. been charged by the Presidents
CIitic- 9S having been influenced by his
race ure,udicr because he is a southern
n!1p. bur bv Major Blncksom, who made
the first investigation. The recommenda-
lion. however. was subsequently concIrTed
N BY Gen. Darlington.
IN roiterating IN" causeS which led TO
the riot NJ Brownsville. Major Blockso'u
says that tho soldiers heard they were not
To &c 10 Camp Nabry. because Texas troops
had thras'aned 70 use hall cartridges in the
The people did not desire
colored troops there and the soldiers Of
the Twenty fifth were not sllowed to drink
with tho white people az the principal bars
IN rho toTu He also recitNs the incident
NJ the two white women being insulted on
The street by negro soldiers, and the in
dignity by 2 negro soldier IN seized a
Mrs Evans by the hair and threw her
violentlv - 'he ground. This incident.
occurring on August ~. infiamed and
;nfuri4ted the citizens. The cancelling Of
passes and the sending out Of patrols which
followed. Major Blocksom says, probably
increased the resentment OF the soldiers
agsins. the people of Brownsville.
Continuing Major Rlocksom described
che raid on the town. He says that from the
evidence obtainsble his belief Is that the
first shots were fired between Is company
barracks and the wall separating the post
from the town. A number OF shots were
fired into the air for the purpose Of Great
ing an alarm, The soldiers, nine to fifteen,
POSSIBLY more. then Jumped the wall and
started through the town. There is no re-
liable evidence. he says. 20 support the
claim that the first shot came from the town.
The raiders first struck a house owned by
aInan named Cowan. There were two women
and FIVE chile ren IN IL.
1T is q miracle says Major Blocksom,
that some OF them we're not shot. The
raiders could not help knowing that they
had not gone TO bed. About ten shots we're
tired, nearly all going through the house. One
shot put out the lamp sitting on the able
The lieutenant OF police. Dominguez.
heard the firing and rode toward II, accom-
panied by two policemen. The raiders fired
upon him and continued TO shoot until his
horse fell dead, shot through the body
several times. Dominique was shot IN
the arm. which was afterward amputated
He did not draw his revolver from its hol-
ster. A number Of shots were also fired AZ
the other two policemen. The raiders fired
= .,w6S siunnz into the Miller Hotel