Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-12-08
Citizen Of Texas Town Gives Calm
Narrative Of Trouble.
NEGROES we're ALL TO BLAME
citizens Did Nothing Whatever to
Cause Black rroops to Shoot up
Town-RefusaI to Sell Liquor to
Them Made Them sulten.

l
zen of that town has to say (and
! the facts speak for themselves)
Says j. o. Wheeler, editor or the
Daily Herald, of Brownsville:
Three companies of negro troops
nnaer Major pcnrose. arrived at
Fort Brown on July "a Within n
day or two some of them visited
the principal saloons of the city an,
were Informed that only white par.
sens we're served there Two saloons
Put up n separate bar practically In
the same saloon. and offered to serve
the negroes there.
! III was commonly remarked TINT
| the men were sullen and insoient.
appearing In the stsreeis In parties
or four or more and so marching that
white citizens were forced into the
roadway In order to pass
"On August s, three women, one
OF them Mrs. Tate, wife of n federal
civil officer. were coming down Main
street. Of the city, on the sidewalk,
and were joined by two others. The
I'VE stopped opposite n vacant lot
to chat. MIR. Tate was a short dis
lance behind the women. Two
negro soldiers came UP the street
from the opposite direction. When
they reached the women one drop.
| ped behind the other, pushed himself
between the ladies forcing them out
Oh the way and passed through. MIR
rate. attracted by the mans net
jumped forward and knocked him
down with the butt OF his pistol
MIR. Tate is mounted Inspector
o. customs, and as such Is always
armed. The second negro ran away.
The one Knocked down by Tate
followed. This is true account
Of the incident OF which 80 much
has been said, as the chief provoca-
, ton OF the raid and murder by thus
negroes.
Mrs. Evans, wife of one of the
State quarantine officers stationed
here on August 10, at about nine
O'Clock Mt night, returning from a
ride, was inside her own yard lead,
ing her horse and nearing the back
steps Of her house when n negro
soldier in uniform sprang from be.
hind the steps and caught her by
the hair. Her horse reared and
drew her away from him and she
ienmed The man got over the
; fence and disappeared. need not
/ say how great was the Indignation
OF Our citizens when this became
known but the people remained
calm.
"A formal complaint was lodged
By the Mayor with the commanding
officer at Fort Brown, Major Pen.
rose, who promised to do all he
could to find the guilty party The
, following day, Monday, the 18th.
/, there was good deal of suppressed
excitement among our people, but
no act of violence. On Monday night
the town was quiet and calm az
| usual.
Before midnight all business pla-
, ces were closed and most of our peo-
pie retired for the night. AT half
past eleven o'clock young peoples
party held in the house of j. r.
owen broke up and forty children
/ returned to their homes. This house
is within fifty yards OF the garrison
! Of Fort Brown. At few minutes
| before twelve o'clock shot was
| iired from the post, apparently a
signal. for Immediately thereafter
volley was fired and body OF
soldiers. from sixteen TO twenty-five
III number, jumped the garrison wall
a brick fence about three feet high
|
commands were heard, rushed into
town and continued firing indis.
criminately into the houses of the
citizens. The shots were fired point
blank to kill. most of the at the
height of n man above the floors.
"On the way up the street they
encountered the chief OF police, fred
q yolley at him, killing his horse
and shooting off his right arm at the
elbow. A little further up they
killed Frank Natus. barkeeper
who was rushing to the rear door
OF his saloon to shut 1t. The door
Is in brick wall. The murderers
hailed at the open door and shot
young Natus inside Of the yard. A
citizen standing near by had bull
10: through his clothing. Most OF
the houses along the lines they
took UP town were fired at or into
AT no time before or after the
raid was shot fred by any cltize..
of Brownsville at or toward Fort
Brown or the soldiers OF Fort Brown
1.-TWO shots were fired by policemen
as alarm shots after the firing by
tho soldiers commenced No prov
ocation OF any kind was given.
They fired into our houses wan
tonly, endangering the lives of our
wives and children. Their officers
appeared to have no control of them
and confessed the following day thai
they were unable TO point out any
OF the guilty ones or furnish an,
information that would lead to their
conviction"
That tells the story.
-.a--er
RUM IN COOK BOOK