Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-20
SAYS He SAW THE SOLDIERS
TESTIMONY OF ANOTHER
BROWNSVILLE POLICEMAN.
Claims That He Could Distinguish the
Rioters of August Is as
Colored Men.

macedonia Ramirez. policeman in
brownsville on duty the night Of August
io' when that town was shot up today oc-
cupied the attention of the Senate conn
| mittee on military affairs. In session at
the Capitol. Ramirez told of his actions ON
the night of August ID, and testified to
having seen the colored soldiers and identi-
Tying them as such. When pressed To
| know how 1t was that he could tell they
were colored men. he replied that he knew
1t by his own eyes
Ramirez had been lamplighter in
brownsvilie for eight years prior to going
| on the police force, of which he was a mem
Der Tor three years. He is thirty-eight
years OF age. and was born in Brownsville
and has always lived there. He added to
| the former testimony that a light was burn
ing inside window on the first floor of
the Miller Hotel, where it could partly flu
| inmate the street at the entrance to the
alley back OF the hotel, the light falling on
18th street. light of that kind is impor-
sant as tending to make possible the identi-
ncation or the rioters as they turned into
18th street from the alley.
Ramirez told OF how he was stationed on
9TH street. and when he heard the Shots
ran down Washington street until he met
Domingez and Padron. and turned back
with them, and went down a short dis
lance on 18th street. where. he said he
ncdTu some one say IN English.
There goes one. Is it a soldier? II not.
give him H."
Ramirex's knowledge Of English.
The giving of this testimony gave rise to
the question as to the ability of Ramirez to
understand English well enough to make
out those words. Senator Overman asked
him to repeat that remark In English, and
he did SO with apparent readiness
He reOuirad intprnrafar DURING ha an
tire time OF his testimony except when
Senator Foraker wished to see how well he
did understand the English language. and
insisted upon having him answer directly In
English without the Intervention Of the in
terpreter. He explained that he belonged
to large class OF Mexicans who under
stand considerable English and who can
conversation in English. .-
He said In Spanish to his interpreter that
he would handle English barbarously II no
should attempt to answer at all times In
that language.
There was some question as to whether
he had an interpreter when he testified be-
fore the citizens committee in Texas.
who shot up the town and who shot
Domingex as soldiers when he was thirty
feet from the alley from which they came.
He said he heard them say after they had
shot at Domingex, Here are two more"
meaning himself and Padron. who was on
the other side Of the street. When they
said that he left the position he occupied
and ran up 18th street. He felt something
touch his hat and 1t was knocked from his
head, but he ran on and left II. Later his
hat was returned to him with q bullet hole
through 1t.
Recognized Colored Soldiers.
When he had gone up to 18th street
half a square beyond Washington street.
where the men started to fire near
lamp post, he said, he again recognized
these men as soldiers and colored men.
When closely questioned as to how he
recognized them he replied: Because
saw them with my eyes"
He said there were ten or twelve OF them
on that corner, and he not only had the
lamp light diagonally across the street to
assist him. but also High. in the livery
stable of Louis Champion on the corner on
which the men were standing. At that
time ne was hiding in the alley a hundred
or hundred and twenty feet away.
The witness said that he had been on
good terms with the colored soldiers. and
that 1t was common to see Mexlcans walk
ing along talking to them.