Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-18
PRONOUNCED A FAKE
Alleged Confession Regarding
Brownsville Riot.
D. C.. GRAY NOT IN REGIMENT
Statement of the Galveston Chief of
Police.
D. C. GRAY NOT IN REGIMENT
MATTER BEFORE COMMITTEE
Telegram From Maj. Blocksom-Sen-
tor Foraker Thinks That Origin of
Story Should Be Discovered

Chairman Warren of the Senate commit
tee on military affairs, which is investi
eating The Brownsville ARRAY. today re-
ceived from Secretary Taft a copy of d dis
patch from San Antonio Tex, as follows:
! The Adjutant General, United States
} Army, Washington:
Chief of police, Galveston has just wired
me that the confession of Gray, supposed
discharged soldier, appearing in papers to-
day, is a fake.
"BLOC<SOM. Major"
The dispatch relates to an alleged con-
fession printed in Galveston newspaper
and sent broadcast through the country.
Matter Before the Committee.
The first subject to occupy the attention
of the Senate committee on military affairs
today was this alleged confession which
was to the effect that one d. c. Gray.
formerly a private in Company c, had
confessed that he had taken part in the
shooting up of Brownsville and that he
would give evidence concerning his knowl-
| edge if he could be protected
| Major Blocksum's telegram was LAID be-
fore the committee by Senator Warren.
| Senator Foraker then stated that he had
| also learned that there is man named
ID. c. Gray member of Company B or of
| any other company stationed at Browns
| vile.
n ere were two men named Gray in
Company c. said Mr. Foraker. but their
| initials were different. l made inquiry
this morning and l learned that one of
these men can be reached in Indiana and
another in North Carolina. according to
| their last known address If the commit
| tee desires / will have them subpoenaed at
| once so they may come here, but l sup
| pose ii is not necessary in vieW of the
| telegram from Major Blocksom.'
| Senator Warren, chairman. thought that
it not necessary TO summon the men
| in view of the information before the COM
| mittee, and that view seemed to meet the
| approval of all the members of the COM
| mittee present.
! Snator Foraker then submitted clippings
| from the two local morning newspapers
| and asked that tEey be put in the record.
| He said he thought that some means snoulds
! was originated.
Some Vesation Expressed.
Some vexation was expressed in certain
official quarters today that Maj. Blocksoms
| telegram to Adit. Gen. Ainsworth was not
| made public last night as in that case the
fake confession would not have been
! sent out from Galveston, as 1t was. and
| published in the morning papers in all parts
of the United States. II is stated that eff
forts were made to obtain information in
! regard to the Galveston~story from the Var
| Department last night. but that nothing
came of it. Quiet inquiries are being made
| today to the special reason for with
holding the Blocksom dispatch until after
! the wholesale publication of the alleged
| confession.
Secretary Taft is out of the city today
| and Assistant Secretary Oliver, who is
| acting secretary. it is said, was not in
! formed by the adjutant general of the re-
| CENT Of the BloCksom dispatch until this
| morning.
Overman Corrects Publication.
When Senator Overman arrived a pub
! lshed interview in which he was repre-
scented as saying that he had known of
Grays confession for two weeks was shown
TO him.
Il stated" he said, that I had seen a
| report two weeks previously in the New
| York World to the effect that there was a
| negro who would confess if he had the
| protection from the government, and l
sent this clipping to the Secretary of
| War and asked him if he would make
inquiry into the matter.
Senator Foraker then again suggested
that the editor who would publish such
! statement should be required to show the
ground on which he had acted.
| senator Warren said the committee could
not follow up every fake, but if informa-
| ton could be secured the committee should
! send FOR witnesses.
Senator Foraker said he did not hear
: of This report at the time. If he had
heard of it he would have sought to
subpoena the man who was alleged to
| have information.
Senator Warren had not heard the report
| before last night.
The Alleged Confession.
GALVESTON, Tex. March 1S.-The Gal 4
weston News yesterday printed the alleged
confession of a discharged negro soldier in
expIana ton of the midnight riot of negro
soldiers of the 10Th Infantry who shot up
Brownsville. Tex, August 49, 1906. The
| News says a statement was made by one
of the discharged negro soldiers, and that
after seven months of investigation by the
authorities of the United States what APP
pears TO be the true version of the riot has
come to light. The discharged soldier ad-
mits that ne participated in the riot. This
man has been living in Galveston since he
and many others of the 2Jth Infantry were
discharged without honor by order of
President Roosevelt from the military
service.
According to the alleged statement. the
outrage was not premeditated, but
the result of an alleged injury done one of
the soldiers by white man in Browns
Vile about half an hour before the riot
started. The negro. the story says, was
struck by the white man at resort in
Brownsville. The negro. returning to the
barracks. seized his rifle, and announced
that he going to kill the white man.
Several other negroes promptly volunteered
to go along to wipe out old scores against
white citizens on account OF injuries they
had suffered. The negroes. 1t was stated
returned TO the barracks after committing
the assault on the town. and many soldiers
assisted In the hurried cleaning of the
guns for the inspection which followed
soon after the shooting ceased. According
to the alleged confession. the soldiers from
only company of the 18th Infantry
participated: in the riot although nearly
an entire battalion. later discharged, knew
that sodierss had done the shooting.
Many of the negroes belonging TO this
battalion enlisted in Galveston during the
summer of 1905 and returned to the city
after being discharged from the army. The
| returned soldiers, II is sad were advised
! by negro politicians to avoid newspaper
! men, but two reporters finally procured the
4 alleged confession through the fact that
the negro concluded that they were United
States secret service detectives and let the
secret out.
The man who talked said his name was
ID. Z. Gray and that he was formerly a pri-
vate In Company b Of the 18th Infantry.