Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-11-07
Members of Three Col
Ored Companies
Let Out.
THE PRESIDENT ACTS
Comes as Punishment for the
DlsgracefuI Affair at
Brownsville, Tex.

Washington, Nov. President
Roosevelt has dismissed from the army
in disgrace every man belonging to
companies B. c, and ID of the 25th
United States infantry. colored. At
the same time he ordered an investi-
cation which may lead to the court
martial of Colonel ". l.. Pitcher of the
27th infantry for casting slur upon
negro troops
This action. unprecedented i'm the
history Of the army, is the result of the
disgraceful affair at Brownsville. Tex.
on the night Of Aug. 13 last. when
some drunken soldiers Of the battalidl
fired into the residences of citizens.
killing one man and seriously wound
ing another.
In the investigation which followed
all the soldiers of the battalion united
in shielding their guilty companions
and refused TO reveal their names.
Brigadier General l.. II. Darlington,
inspector general of the army, recon-
mended the dismissal of all the men
in the battalion.
The president yesterday issued the
following order:
THE White House. Washington, ID.
C.. Nov. =, 19OG.-The Secretary of
War: | have read through General
Garlingtons report date Oct. %. sub
mitted TO me by you. ! direct that the
recommendation of General CARING
ton be complied with. and that at the
same time the concluding portion of
his report be published with our sane
. O., h.,
ton. THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
PuniShment il Drastic.
That portion of General Garlington's
report which the president directs to
be made public is as follows:
Il recommend that orders be issued
as soon as practicable discharglng
without honor every man in companies
y. c. and ID. of the 25th infantry, serv-
ing at Fort Brown. Tex. on the night
of Aug. Is. 1906. and forever debarring
them from reenlisting in the army or
navy of the United States. as well as
from employment in any civil capacity
under the government.
"In making this recommendation
recognize the fact that a number of
men who have no direct knowledge as
to the identity of the men of the 25th
infantry who actually fired the shots
on the night of Aug. -, 1906. will in-
cur this extreme penalty.
Done by EnIISted Men.
'It has been established by careful
beyond reasonable dOubt,
that the firing into the houses of citi-
Zens of Brownsville while the inhabir
tants thereof were pursuing their
peaceful yocations. 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 25th Infantry. belong
ing to the battalion stationed at Fort
Brown. After due opportunity and no
tice the enlisted men of the 25th infan.
Try have failed to tell all that II is rea.
sonable to believe they know concern
ing the shooting.
IF they had done so, if they had
been willing to relate all the circum.
and incidents preliminary to
the trouble, il is extremely probable
that a clew to sufficiently definite re-
suits would have been disclosed. They
appeared to stand together in deter
~ ItSiSl Ait uSlttiiOu VI hut
guilty: therefore, they should stand to-
gether when the penalty falls.
Harsh Lesson for Army.
"a forceful lesson should be given TO
the army at large, and especially TO
the noncommissioned officers, that their
duty does not cease upon the drill
ground with the calling of the com
pany rolls. making check inspections.
and other duty of formal character;
but that their responsibilities of Office
them everywhere and at
all times; that it is their duty to be.
come thoroughly acquainted with the
members of their respective
units. to know their characteristics, TO
be able at all times to gauge their tenn
per- in order to discover the beginning
Of discomfort, of mutinous intentions.
md to anticipate any organized act of
disorder: that they must notify their
officers at once of any such conditions.
Moreover. the people of the United
States, wherever they live. must feel
assured that the men wearing the uni
'orm of tile army are their protectors,
and not midnight assassins or rfotous
iisturbers of the peace.of the communi-
Ly in which they may be stationed"