The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-02-12
GARRISON ATTACKED
THE LATEST STORY
Sergeant Sanders Gives En-
tireIy New Version of the
Brownsville Affair.
FIRST SHOTS FROM TOWN
RACKS OF COMPANY C BROKE
OPEN BY COMMAND OF Off
cERS-SANpERS HAS SERVED
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS.
FIRST SHOTS FROM TOWN
Publishers Press.l


Washington. Feb. 1.-THE shoot
ing up of Brownsville, Tex, was in
the form of an attack on the garrison
at Fort Brown, according to the testi-
mony given BY Mingo Sanders. former
first sergeant of Company B of the
Twenty-ffth infantry, before the SEN
ate committee on military affairs. His
story created something of a stir in
the committee as he said that while
running from his quarters to Company
B barracks after being awakened by
the firing the night of Aug. Is, the
shooting was going on, and it came
from the town and was toward the
hospital on the military reservation.
He said bullets were whizzing over his
head. This 10 the first direct testi-
mony given by any of the discharged
negro soldiers that the fire came from
the town. Sanders said tb'-. he served
in the army % years, s months and %
days, including the campaign in Cuba
and three years in the Philippines. He
said he never was court martialed,
reprimanded nor found fault with TO
his knowledge. At Brownsville he
had a house to the left of company
quarters and directly in front of the
hospital. His story of the incidents
the night of Aug. 13 was not interest
ing until he told of his experiences in
trying to get to the barracks after
being awakened by the shooting. He
Caid he cfa ,.fc 81 tn T.
tiers and just after leaving his house
the firing was renewed AS he
reached C quarters he said he saw
that men assembled there were ex
cited and shouting to each other.
Il heard some one yell Fall in
Then some one shouted to get the
guns and another person answered
that they could not get the guns as
the racks were locked and the man
with the keys could not be found.
Then Lieutenant Greer, l knew his
voice, said, Break those racks
open.'"
There has been great deal of testi-
mony given concerning the broken
racks of G company but no person
testified positively before as to the
manner in which they were broken.
The testimony of Sanders indicated
that the racks were in good condition
before the shooting and were broken
open by command of one of the off,
GERS.
Continuing his testimony, Sanders
told Of finding his own company in
confusion and Of his efforts to straight
en- it out. He laid he found some of
the men down on tteir knees and that
others were yelling to put out the lam
tern so that it would not furnish a
target for persons to shoot at. Il told
the men to stand up and be soldiers
and that it was better to be shot in
the ranks than out" said Sanders
when the men did not stand up l
told them some other things l don't
want to repeat here
Calling the roll, finding all of B
company present or accounted for, is
suance of ammunition and other
events of that night and of inspection
the following morning were recited by
Sanders and on these points he cor
roborated the testimony of witnesses
previously on the stand.
On cross examination Sanders said
he could not tell the location of the
first shot. He said he had been under
fire several times and was familiar
with the various makes of arms On
that night it was mixed firing he
said. He thought it came from six
shooters, Winchesrers and MauseH
The cross examination developed moth
ing new of importance.