The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-16
QUESTION BRAWNER
COlOred Sergeant Presents
His Own AIibi.
BROWNSVILLE MOVES SLOWLY
Not Half the Witnesses Waiting
Here Have Been Exnmined-Inves-
New Phase of the ARray-sOIdier
Heard Voices I'm the Street.

The ninth witness to be examined by
the Senate Military Affairs Committee in
the investigation of the Brownsville affair
was heard yesterday. Eight of them have
been discharged, and there are twenty
nine waiting to give their testimony.
After QuarteTmaster Sergt. MeMurray
had named Henry Arvin, the cook, as the
man whc. with an ak, had broken open
the gun racks of Company c, Sergt. d.
w. o. Brawner. of that company. was
called
lie is one Of the twelve men who were
placed under arrest at Brownsville on
suspicion Of having done the shooting
He Is suspected of having opened the
racks. given the men their guns, and
then Of having the racks beaten up to
cover the fact. He IS very black
man. wears spectacles. and has been
IN the army over thirteen years He was
the noncommissioned officer who had the
keys to the racks.
lie declared he was asleep, with those
keys in his trousers pockets under his
pillow when he was awakened by the
shooting. he said he did not hear the
call to arms. but Corp. O'NelH told him
il had been sounded. He went at once to
his senior officer Sergt. Harley, and asked
him what he should 90, and he was told
to wait for orders" just then he heard
Mai. Penrose tell the men 10 break open
the racks. if they could not find the keys,
and he went and opened three of the
racks at once One Of the racks had al
ready been broken open. and the others
had been hammered on.
Bothered by a Word.
Senator Lodge tangled the witness over
the meaning Of the word intact" In an
affidavit to the Constitution League wit
ness had said that he found the three
racks intact.
That means untouched said the Sen
ator. and yet you say they were ham
mered on"
well, did not understand # that
way, replied Brawner.
Senator Warner. in cross-examination,
insisted upon knowing why he had not
told Sergt. Harley that Corp O'Neu had
told him Of the call TO arms He replied
that he had asked for orders. and had
been told 20 wait, and he felt be had done
his duty.
II ] were TO open the racks when
any man comes to me and says SO and
so : going on. he might get his gun and
make all sorts Of mischief If ! don't
hear the call 10 arms ] wait for orders
from some superior officer before opening
the racks" He said the men were very
much excited. thinking the post was
being attacked, and they hammered on
the racks even while he was opening
them
Witness became confused at the search
ing inquiries as to the time at which the
occurrences took place, and especially as
10 when Capt. Mackln appeared and or
dered him 10 count the rifles upstairs. He
said az first IL was only q few minutes
after the cali 70 arms and later being
reminded that the captain could not be
found, concluded 1t must have been an
hour
At the afternoon session Sergt Brawner
vas again questioned about the use of the
word Infect" i'm his afidavit He ad-
mitted that he did not know what the
word meant, and insisted that in giving
his testimony he said that the guns and
gun racks were an present" He did
not read the AFFIDAVIT before signing it.
taking il for granted that his words had
been taken down as ne had said them.
lie could not remember how many times
he had been sworn in connection with
this case before coming 10 Washington.
All Wanted to swear Him.
Most everybody ] met wanted to swear
me-. said he. seriously. and I signed
most everything that anybody asked me
TO sign"
Thomas jefferson. Solomon p. O'Neu.
'and William Mapp. all OF Company c,
testified to the shooting. but knew Of no
one who was implicated in it, Their tes-
timony was similar TO that already ad-
duced. except that one OF the witnesses
said the shots sounded IS If they We're
being fired in the air for the purpose Of
stampeciug the garrison
He told Of having heard voices in the
street i'm front of the quarters say.
Come out Of there YOU - -"
II was dark and the witnesses could only