Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-08
THE NIGHT OF AUG. IS
Testimony of Former Non.Conl-
missioned Officers.
RESUMPTION OF INQUIRY
Investigation of the Brownsville
Affair.
QUESTIONING BY SENATORS
Endeavoring to Bring Out Facts Rela-
tive to Alleged Shooting UP"
Of the~Town.
QUESTIONING BY SENATORS

Events of the night of August 10, so far
as Company B of the 25th Infantry was
! concerned, were the subject of much ties.
timony before the Senate committee on
military affairs during the examination into
the Brownsville ARRAY today.
The committee began by hearing addi.
tional testimony by Sergeant Luther T.
Thornton after which Duty Sergeant
George Jackson of Company was called
| to the stand and testified fully
Did you hear any threats by the soldiers
Of your company or any other company
about committing acts of violence against
| the people Of Brownsvie?" asked Senator
| Foraker.
mo. SIR replied Sergeant Thornton.
| DO you know of any agreement or unders
standing not to talk about this affair Oh
to withhold knowledge of it from the of.
| ficers?"
mo, SIR"
| examination you have stated all you know
about this matter?"
| Yes, sir"
when your company was ordered ID
| Texas was there a reluctance on the parS
| OF the men to go there?"
| SO far as the men talked to me they de-
sired to have change of station on aor
count of having been stationed at Fort
Niobrara. Neb., long"
| Did you hear at Brownsville complaint
on the part of the soldiers of their treatS
| ment in the town?'
Yes, sir; that was discussed by the men,
| but each time they said they believed
proper steps could be taken by the aus
thoritles to rectify this complaint about
| their treatment"
| Senator Warner questioned the witness
| upon his testimony given to Gen. Garlings
| ton, and also in respect to disorders that
took place near Fort Niobrara and al
| huntsville, Ala.
Questioned by Senator Overman. he said
no one could get rifle from the rack Of
| Time except by permission of the non-coms
| m1ssioned officer in charge of them and
upon stating what he wished to do WITH
| his rifle.
| But he could get his rife?"
ficient''
Gould he get it at night?"
mo, sir, he could not get 1t at night"
Had Charge Of the Gun Racks.
Duty Sergeant George Jackson of Conn
| pany b, who was in charge of the gun racka
| on the night of August 10. was then called.
| He was second sergeant of the company,
the first sergeant being Mingo Sandera
Now he is employed icing cars at Louis.
ville KY.
| He said he was responsible for the gen.
| eral conduct of Company on the night Oh
| August IL. He was responsible for thu
conduct of the men in quarters and for thef
| equipment.
| By Senator Foraker: What time did vo,s
go on duty?'
| About 1890 o'clock on the morning Oh
August IL, and remained on duty until tha
next morning
State whether you had the keys to thu
gun racks
Yes, sir had nine keys all told Each
| rack had two locks, for revolvers and
| one for rifles. The revolvers were NOT ia
| the racks. There were two keys for each
| of the four racks. The surplus key hes
! longed to the billiard table, which was also
| IN my possession. Each key was for
| separate lock-"
The men were on a practice match that
| morning and the witness was with them
| The racks were opened between 10 and II
o'clock that morning, Immediately after
| the men returned from the practice
| march.
| tfnued Sergeant Jackson, land was in
charge OF quarters after We got back from
| the practice march. 1 received the keys
| and counted the rifles in the racks after
| the racks had been locked. / was responS
| sible for fifty-two rifles and there were
hfty-two rifles in the rack at that time.
| and they were turned over to me. After
| receiving these rifles the gun racks were
| locked. About ten minutes before the men
went on guard duty the racks were opened
| for them to get their rifles They rot
| their rifles and then the guns We're countS
| ed second time.
By Senator Lodge: Were there any
| revolvers in the rack?'
| mo, sir; there were none"
The Night Alarm.
Sergeant Jackson said that after takins
| the guns from the rack for the guard tina
| racks were not again unlocked until cali
to arms after midnight. The witness said
| he went to bed that night at 1920 o'clock
| and was asleep when the firing began and
the call to arms was sounded. There were
| no lights in quarters when he was awaken.
| ed. After getting up he lifted his pillow
and got the keys to the gun racks, as he
| always kept them under his pillow at night
| Senator Foraker-''Had anybody possess
sion of the keys besides yourself during the
day or night?
No, sir
Then what did you do?"
! II got up and lit a candle and went into
| the barracks from my room and starting
from the first section rack, which was OPP
| posite my door, unlocked all the racks. An
| l unlocked the racks the men came up and
| took their rifles and began going down.
stairs At the same time heard Maj. Pen-
| rose calling for the men to hurry up.
Senator Warner-"Were the racks all uns
| locked without damage?
| without damage"
| The witness sad that Sergt. Mingo San.
| ders came to him for a lantern and he gave
him one that he had obtained in the billiard
room.
anybody join the company IL he had come
up after you had formed"
| Yes, SIR" a.
| did you see anybody"
| mo, SIR
Every One Accounted For.
What was the result of the roll can
| made that night?'
The result was that everybody was pres.
| ent or accounted for"
| The witness said that the roll call wa
| made in the regular way. He did not think
he was sufficiently familiar with the voiced
| Of the men to tell whether the men answers
| ed to their right names. After roll call the
men were moved of to the rear of the conn
pany's barracks.
He was questioned minutelys as to the
movements of himself and the company
that night and ON the following morning