Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-02-07
Former First Sergeant of Col
ored Infantry Gives His
Views on Brownsville ARRAY
Before Senate Committee.
DENIES CONSPIRACY
OF SILENCE EXISTS
Men Missing From Roll Call
Following Shooting Unac-
counted for--ConfIict DeveI-
ops in Testimony,

IBy Morning journal Special LEASED Wlre.J
Washington, Feb. 6.-Jacob d. Fra
zer, former first sergeant of company
d, Twenty-ffth infantry testified he
fore the senate committee on military
affairs today that he had nothing to
do with the Shooting up" of Browns
Vile and knew of no other member of
his company being engaged in it. Nor
did he believe that any members OF
his company were in the affraN. He
had withheld no information and he
declared that there was no conspiracy
of silence.
He stated it as his belief that the
citizens of Brownsville had them
selves "shot up'' the town to drive
the soldiers away.
Mr.. Overman asked:
DO you think citizens would Kill
one of their own number-comlnit
murder to get you away?
Frazer replied:
~ don't know whether anyone was
killed; they wanted us away. Colored
men would spend little money in the
saloons on account of their treatment
and the citizens of Brownsville wanted
white soldiers who would spend their
money"
At the afternoon session the testi-
mony of former Sergeant Frazer was
resumed. Frazer said that on his way
to the barracks during the fuslade in
the streets he heard someone say:
Cease firing.
Frazer was of the opinion that the
inspection was made about 7:10 a. M,
whereas Harris placed the time at
6:15.
Senator Overman questioned the
witness regarding the whereabouts of
men not at roll cali and unaccounted
for, but Frazer could give no direct
testimony on that point. lie stated
that his zeal in trying to find out Sc
cretly" who did the shooting was due
to his desire to protect his own army
record and he presented a letter from
Captain Lyons of company ID. certi-
flying to his excellent character and
recommended that he be permitted to
re-enlist He stated that al tn pis-
tolls of the men were in the quarter
masters storehouse on the night OF
the shooting.
Charles Dade. former cook of COM
pany d. testified thtt the McKeiver
belts and boxes were carried out by
the men at the inspection on the morn
ing after the shooting, Frazer had
previously stated that these boxes
were not worn at that inspection.
Gerry T.. Reeves, former sergeant OF
company D. said that on the night of
the trouble he was awakened BIZ shots
which appeared to be in the direction
of the quarters of companies B and
G. He was positive that his COM
pany wore web belts at the inspection
and that the McKeiver boxes were in
quarters. Shortly after inspection wit
MSS stated that the guns were still left
in their care He knew nothing of
any conspiracy of silence.
Senator Overman asked: could the
citizens of Brownsville get any Spring
field cartridges" and Reeves re-
piled:
mo"
The witness when asked about the
gun inspection stated that the cooks
gun was the only one that was not
thoroughly clean. but that cobwebs
were found In 1t.
Reeves said that Major Penrose had
ordered every nOn-commissloned off,
Ger to find out who did the shooting.
The examination of Reeves was mt
concluded when the committee ad-
iourned until tomorrow.