Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-12

BROWNSVILLE. He said it has about 5000
inhabitants, mostly Mexicans.
BY Senator Foraker: What is the
character of the Mexican part of the
population"
Capt. Kilburn: Pretty low in intelli-
gence. I would not regard them as very
good citizens, Is rule"
The Brownsville Police.
State what you know about the police
force of Brownsville"
Il first went there in January, 1904,
when they had police force of ten men,
and only one of them could read, speak
and understand English. The other nine
men were MexicanS. In 1905 Major
Combes had the police regulations
| changed SO that the men wore uniforms
and badges. SO that citizen could tell
the policemen"
Did he change the personnel of the
force?''
Il know some Americans We're put on
the force, but l do not know whether
all the Mexicans were put off the force"
State what the habit of the people
was in carrying firearms in that vicinity"
|. Up to the time Mayor Combes went
in office it was a common thing to see
men on the streets with revolvers strap
ped on them, and some carried guns"
Capt. kilburn said two three nights
a week at Brownsville shots were fired on
the road skirting the barracks grounds on
the northeast.
firing, continued Capt. kilburn, unless
the shots We're so near that we thought
they were in the post"
Ill Treatment Of White Soldiers.
The witness was then asked about shoot
ing escapades at Brownsville, and gave a
narrative of many such cases he had heard
of while stationed there or had officially
investigated. John N. Bryan, i soldier Of
Company. NJ. 26th Infantry, had been shot
in the hip in 1905 or 1905. The man who
did the shooting was tried by the civil
authorities. and acquitted. Another man
of his own company was beaten by man
named Neff.
the time of rows between white soldiers
and people Of the town. All the cases he
referred to. of rows between soldiers and
people of the town involved white soldiers.
There was so much trouble that his supe-
rior officer Of the(post sent him to see the
mayor of the town relative to the way the
American soldiers were being treated.
Mayor Bartlett vas in office there at that
time. On one occasion Capt. Ktlburn sent
soldier into the town at night for medi-
cine, and he gave him revolver to take
with him. The man didn't turn up. and the
next morning he found that the police force
had locked the soldier up together with his
mule. Another instance occurred when a
soldier stepped out the gate Of the barracks
and came face to face with a Mexican who
asked him if he wanted to fight. The SOL
made a pass at him and the soldier re-
taliated by knocking him down.
The Mexican then claimed. to be an Off
Ger, and, pretending to arrest the. soldier,
took the latter to Jail and locked him up
Two soldiers being charged with taking a
watch were held up and searched, and; ffnd-
ing nothing. the Mexican knocked one of
them over the head with revolver.
Common Methods.
Senator Foraker: state whether that
was a common way of treating soldiers''
yes sir; il seemed to !be a convenient
way there,
The witness had been told of many other
cases of white soldiers being beaten in the
town A certain class of people at Browns
VILE he said, considered soldiers their legiti-
mate prey, but he would not say the whole
town Of Brownsville was hostile to the sol.
diers The better class did not look upon
these things favorably and frowned them
down as well as they could.
Senator Foraker: But there was a
crowd ready to pick quarrel with a
Yes, sir"
Mayor Combes prohibited the carrying
Of side arms, and tried to break up some
of these practices.
Did you hear of any murders thereT
YES, Sir"
Can you tell Of any murderers who
Senator Foster: Are you speaking OF
Senator Foraker: II am simply
showing the character of the men there
and how they got into scraps with the
soldiers.
Capt. Kilburn: II never heard of any,
body being brought to trial at Browns
Vile because of murder being conn
mitted."
He referred to two eases of murders
there which were not followed by trials.
Roughs From Matamoras
about one of the murdertrs at Brownsville
who wore his hair long, like Absalom.
Senator Overman asked whether this was
the man who had committed the murder re-
ferred to by Capt. Kilburn.
HE shot and killed a man." replied Sem
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