Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-14
THO THEY HAVE NO WINGS
He Commanded 25th Infantry for Ten
Tranquil Years.
MINGO SANDERS THE BEST EVER
And Many Other Non-Coms in His
Class-Negro Troops Well Drilled
and Disciplined.

HOUSTON, lex, June I4.-COl.
s. II. Wreford, a prominent business
man. was shot and killed today at
Brownsville as the result of cir
cular he issued yesterday, in which
he bitterly denounced Capt. William
Kelly because of kelly's testimony
before the Senate committee which
is investigating the Brownsville at
fair in Washington. Jesse Thorham,
the stepson of Capt. Kelly, is
charged with the killing.
Gen. Andrew S. Burt United States army
retired. and for ten years colonel of the
25th Infantry, was before the Senate COM
mittee on military affairs today, and spoke
In the highest terms of the character and
conduct of the 18th Infantry while he was
its commanding officer. He declared there
were no finer troops anywhere than the
colored soldiers of that regiment. He
would not undertake to say that they were
angels with wings, but they were pretty
near that. When asked of the character
of Mngo Sanders, he said:
'Mingo Sanders is man that I know
very well indeed. There Is no better first
sergeant in the United States army than
Mingo Sanders. His veracity as he sees
thing is beyond question:
Some of the non-commissioned officers
he could not recall as individuals, but he
characterized them all as men of the high
est character and said that in colored
regiment it is especially necessary to have
fine non-commssioned officers.
Senator Scott remarked tnat there had
been testimony before the copmittee to the
effect that these colored solGers were not
to be believed on their oath.
Senator Warner suggested that the state
ment referred to was that they would not
be believed on oath when personally inter-
ested as in the Brownsville case.
They are all to be believed on oath"
said Gen. Burt. Il would believe them if
were sitting on a court-ma rtial and If they
were called in their own defense. The
commissioned officers are very careful
~ scrutinized and selected to character.
The colored troops differ somewhat from
Whitel troops In this respect, as Ii is neceS
sary to have the most excellent material
for non-commissioned officers of the colored
regiments That might be said of the white
troops, too, but 1t is absolutely necessary
for the colored troops The non-commis-
stoned officers of the 18th during my term
with that regiment were as fine any in
the army and in fact as fine in any army
In The world. They were the class of men
to whom you could give an order and know
that they would carry out the spirit and
letter of the order.
One Man Who 'Fessed Up.
He recalled that Sergt. McCurdy. when
charged with grave offense at Fort Ma
gruder and asked as to his guilt responded
1T is true"
Il have probably served in as large a num-
Der of regiments of the United States army
as any officer on the retired or active list"
said Gen. Burt. and i want to say that 7
have served with no troops that were better
than these of the 18th Infantry. In faithful
service, IN marches and in fighting and in
everything else they have no superiors"
Senator Foraker asked If there wars any,
thins IN the nature or character of these
men that would suggest the likelihood that
they would organize conspiracy to shoot
up a town and 10 murder men, women and
children.
Gen Burt responded that he thought they
might resent abuse, but didn't believe they
would organize conspiracy against the
law He said the colored man is fine
soldier because he has been disciplined from
generation to generation.
Ihey are the only troops since the war;"
ne SAID, who sti!l retain the custom of
saying, My officers That means a great
oeaI 1 mean to say that they are OBJ zdi-
tht ana trustworthy. OF course in all
groups or men there is proportion of ba Il
men. do not mean to say that the 13th
infantry Is made up of angels with wings
pIt they are very near it. From my knowl-
euse OF coiored mems character it would
SIMPLY be impossible for this shooting to
nave occurred and be known to them with
out having it leak out The coIored man
Is vain man, and if there was a con-
spiracy. some man would want to tell about
II and TO seek ACKNOWLEDGMENT in that way
Sanders Just Doesn't Know.
"Sergt. Sanders came to me while here
and | said, Sanders tell me all about this
thing. We were alone. He looked I'D and
said. General, l will tell you all | know
He said that so far he knew the men
nf the battalion were not in IT. L tried to
ma out II they We're in it, said Sanders;
ana am satisfied they We're cot"
Gen. Burt said he believed that Sanders
told him the absolute truth SO far as he
knew II. In reply TO question he said
that II fifteen or twenty of the men shot
up the town. the other soldiers did NOT
Know 1t or that fact would have leaked
out.
He told story of Sergt Taliaferro
who had come to him when his troops We're
oTdtrei I" the south. tesprotest against the
Jim crow" car law.
Il saw feeling won't say a feeling
that was mutinous, but "a strong feeling
against this Jim Crow law" said Cen
Burt ~ group headed by Taliaferro came
To me and Sergt. Taliaferro. a tall, husky
looking man, sauted and told me the cause
OF their complaint. l said: Here is an OPP
portunity for you to prove to the country
that you are law abiding citizens When
we came south ! issued an order saying
that men must be especially careful to obey
the law. Here is test.
Instance of Discipline
Sergt. Taliaferro and the others heard
what l had to say. and replied: Colonel
we will obey the law, and will see that the
men obey the law l give that as an Incl
dent Of their discipline"
Senator Warner said that he believed the
witness used the word mutnous as describ-
ing the feeling OF the men.
Gen. Burt said that he believed he had
used that word. but he should not have done
50. there was nothing like mutinous
feeling.
The witness was questioned concerning
the various disturbances that have taken
place in connection with the 25th Regiment
al different times. but had only a general
recollection of them.
Army Witnesses Disagree.
Lieut. Leckie of the 26th Infantry was re-
called. II was developed that he had been
sent to Brownsville by Gen. McCaskey, COM
manding the Department of Texas, upon the
request Of counsel for the defense in the
court martial proceedings against Maj.
PeurOSe. L. investigate certain things in
connection with the shooting up of the town.
This fact was brought ont by Senator
Lodge. and Lieut.. Leckie stated that he had
presumed as a natural inference that when