New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-16
FEARED A MASSACRE.
What Negro en-Soldiers AHege in
Brownsville Shooting.

Washington. Feb. 15.-Startling testimony con-
corning alleged plans TO massacre colored soldiers
al Brownsville. Tex, by men from the town firing
over the barracks to stampede the soldiers. and
challenges to them to come out of the barracks
was given by Negro ex-soldiers to-day at the in
vestigaton before the Senate Committee on Mill
tary Affairs. The most sensat onal story told was
that of William Mapp. who was a member of Com
pany c, 18th Infantry He was on the stand when
the hearing adjourned for the day
Mapp asked if he had ever heard any dis
cussion Of the shooting which caused him to sus-
pect any persons OF completely. He replied that
breakfast on the morning following the shooting
he had, heard Wilbur Voschelle the reservation
corral BOSS. and a white man who had been in
charge of the corral prior to the arrival of a
battalion OF the 18th Infantry, discussing the case
According to Maps story, VoscheHe said:
well, It is a good thing Y happened as it did. I
was out in town last night and the crowd came in
front Of me-the plan was to catch lot of you
fellows in Allsons saloon and massacre you
Mapp said that the remark addressed
TO him, and that he did not question Voschele. He
said that Allison is the former soldier who had
started the saloon for the purpose of getting the
Negro soldier trade. the other saloons having
barred the members of the Negro battalion. Nos-
chelle is now in Washington, having been sub
p9naed a witness.
Before giving this testimony Mapp said that on
the night Of the shooting he had been awakened
by the firing, and had gone to the window of his
quarters, and from there he saw several gun
flashes, and the shots seemed to be directed over
the barracks. with a deep voice, he said
shouted Come out, you black - Cusing an
opprobrious epthet and making 1t applicable the
troops) Maop said this challenge was repeated
several times In the course of the firing. but the
call to arms then sounded and he hurried
to get dressed and fall in with his company. He
said the shooting and the shouting outside
the wall. at the end of Company barracks. Mapp
told of the confusion in quarters, and said that
he got his gun from the rack that broken
open and was Of the first TO fall IN.
Thomas jefferson who was the room orderly in
Company barracks. said that he heard the shoot
ing and thought there ten twelve men
firing. The shots he said came from the rear
and near the end of Company 3 barracks, bat he
could not say whether the men We're within the
wall or not. He was sure the men near the
thought the garrison under attack. lie lis
tened, he said, TO II the barracks hit by
Ue shOts strike he concluded the firing did not
amount to anything. He said he had been at the
wiroow. but went back to bed. From the flashes
no thought the men were firing into the air. He
got up after the call to arms. From that point
MS story was similar to that Of other witnesses.
He said that he had made a statement at tho War
Department before Judge Advocate General Davis
for the purpose OF clearing his name of suspicion.
He had been actuated in making this statement,
dent Roosevelt would permit any men to re-eulIst
If they proved their innocence Senator Foraker
solomon I. o'Nen, also former member OF
company {. testified that the shooting on the
night Of August u was from the wall at the
end OF Company r quarters, and that the shots
were apparently over the barracks lie said he
heard heard man shoot and then yen: Come out: you
said O'Neil. before he was compelled to leave the
window and dress. IIo testified that there was
great excitement in the barracks. and that when
could not get their rifles.