The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-02-04
INvEsTfeATIoN OF THE
RRoWNsviLLE AFFAIR.

washington, Feb. several
weeks of verbal warfare the fnvestiga.
ton of the Brownsville ARRAY today
assumed systematic form when TIE
full senate committee GA military af-
fairs began the hearing of testimony
concerning the matter. All of TIE
commissioned and no-commissioned of
ficers of the discharged negro battai-
ion will be called upon to testify in
person, with the exception of Major
Penrose, commandant at Q Brown
at the time of the riots, who is now
being tried by court martial at Fort
Sam Houston, Texas, for alleged neg
ligence in connection with the affair.
The senate committee will heal tesJi-
mony regarding the facts, of the out
rage, without questioning the author
ity Or legality of any act of President
Roosevelt in connection with the at
fair. None of the interested parties
are allowed to be represented by coun
sci at the hearing. Senator Foraker
will conduct the case for the defense
insofar as it is a trial of the discf.arg
-
ed negro troops, but other members OF
the committee will be permitted to
-cross-examine the men. 1t is likely
that the investigation will be contin-
e for several days, n no official
statement regarding the conclusions
reached will be given out until the re-
port of the committee has been sent
to the seaat
What, Where and When
Consideration of the Brownsville af-
fray has occupied the attention of the
Senate to a great extent since the pre-
sent session of congress convened.
The action of President Roosevelt il
ordering the dishonorable discharge
of The negro troops implicated in the
affair resulted in a great deal of eriti-
cism, Senators Foraker, Tillman and
others declaring that he had exceeded
his legal authority as commander of
the army.
Brownsville, where the trouble oc-
Cured, is the county seat of Cameron
County, in the extreme southern Part
Of Texas, and is built on the bank of
the Rio Grande river, about twenty
five miles from the Gulf of Mexico.
It has a population of about 5000 and
carries on a considerable business
with Mexico, being directly opposite
the city of Matamoros. 1t is the seat
of Fort Brown, where the battalion of
negro troops of the Twenty-fifth i1faE-
try was stationed at the time of the
riots and with Major Charles w. Pen
rose in command.
The assault on Brownsville was
made shortly before midnight on An
gust Is, 1906. Many houses contain
ing women and children were fired in
TO, Frank Natus, a bartender was kill
ed, Police Lieutenant Dominguez and
Mr.. and Mrs. Hale Odin and son were |
assaulted. Natus was h bartender
shutters in front when he heard fir
ing and was in the act of closing tine
courtyard gate facing on the alley
when a half dozen soldiers appeared
at the rear of the saloon. A volley
was fired and Natus fell lead across
n CIoISIh WV AlOh |
The crime and recognized the assassins
as negro soldiers. Two volleys were
fired from the alley at Police Lieute1-
ant D~ominguez, the horse he was rid
ing was struck twice and killed n
the policeman's arm so badly shatter
minguez recognized his assallants as
negro soldiers.
According to the testimony OF wit
1eses, the first shots were fired from
within the garrison, one or Two being
fired from the p gallery of the
barracks. Then the soldiers about
twenty or twenty-five of them climed
over the garrison fence and proceed
ed to shoot up" the town. Commenc-
ing on the garrison road, the Western
Union telegraph Office, theh home of 10
Sc Martinez, a drug clerk and others
were fired into. Most of the shooting
was lone from an alley running north
from the garrison road. The Cowan
house, at the corner of this alley, the
Graza house across the street, and
the Leahy and Miller hotels yer rid
died with bullets, the occupants COW
aring in terror at the unexpected at
tack. Further up the alley many 9th
ar building were fired into, including
the Ruby saloon, where Natus the bal
ender was killed. Dozens of citizens
had narrow scapes II in numerous
houses windows, lamps, pictures and
)ther furniture were shattered by the
bullets.
In every case the bullets found were
such as were used by the soldiers at
The fort and this alone was sufficient
70 establish their guilt. The sworn
statements of fourteen leading citi-
zens of Brownsville who witnessed
he assault was also submitted 70 Pre-
sident Roosevelt and it was pom this
evidence that he discharged the mem
5ers of the battalion. All of this evi-
lence, including the afidavits and a
cigar box of bullets and empty shells
have been submitted to the Senate