Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-01-15
In Message on Brownsville
incident Says Their Guilt
Is Conclusive
ROOSEVELT ADMITS
THAT HE WENT TOO FAR
Troops Cannot be Barred
From Civil Government
Work

Washington, D. c., Jan. 14.-Presi-
dent Roosevelt today sent to the SEN
ate a special message regarding the
Brownsville incident which gives addi-
tional evidence collected by Assistant
Attorney General Purdy and Major
Blocksom, who we're sent to Texas by
the President to investigate the affair.
Submits Evidence.
The President submitted with the
message various exhibits, including
maps of Brownsville and Fort Brown,
bandoleer, thirty-three empty shells
and seven ball cartridges, picked up in
the streets a few hours after the shoot
ing, three steel jacketed bullets and
some scraps of castings of other bull
lets picked out of houses into which
they had been fired.
Called Midnight Assassins.
The President declares the evidence
is positive that the outrages OF August
13 were committed by some OF the col
cred troops that have been dismissed,
and that some or all Of the members of
the three companies Of the Twenty
fifty infantry had knowledge of the
deed and have shielded the guilty ones.
The negro troops are referred to by
the President as midnight assassins."
He declares that very few if any of the
soldiers dismissed without honor could
have been ignorant of what occurred.
Admits Went Too Far.
That part of the orders which bars
soldiers from all civil employment un-
der the government is revoked by the
President. This clause the President
says was lacking in validity The dis
charged troops, however, will be for
ever barred from re-enlisting ia the
army and navy, and as to this the
President says: There is no doubt
of my constitutional and legal power"
Secretary Taft's report, giving the
sworn testimony of witnesses, is trans
mitted and with the message the testi-
mony of fourteen witnesses is given.
The President declares that the evi-
dence is conclusive that the weapons
used were Springfield rifles, now used
by the United States troops, including
the negro troops, who were in garrison
at Brownsville.
The Message.
10 -luG SGudIC LII uly LlSoSdSc W
the senate treating of the dismissal,
without honor, of certain named mem
bers Of the three companies of the
Twenty-ffth infantry, gave the re-
ports of the officers upon which the
dismissal was based. These reports
were made in accordance with the Gus
tom in such cases; for it would, of
course, be impossible to preserve disci-
pine in the army save by pursuing
precisely the course that in this case
was pursued Inasmuch, however, as
in the senate question was raised as
to the sufficiency of the evidence, |
deemed it wise to send Major Block
som, and Assistant to the Attorney
General Purdy, to Brownsville to make
a thorough investigation of the ground
in reference to the matter. | herewith
transmit Secretary Taft's report and
The testimony taken under oath of the
various witnesses examined in the
course of the investigation I also
submit various exhibits, including
maps of Brownsville and Fort Brown,
photographs of various buildings. a let
ter from Judge Parks to his wife, to-
gether with a bandoleer, thirty-three
empty shells, seven ball cartridges and
four clips picked up in the streets of
Brownsville within few hours after
the shooting, three steel jacketed bull
lets and some scraps of the castings of
other bullets picked out of the houses
into which they had been fired. A tel
egram from United States Commits
sioner R. B. Creager at Brownsville
announces that six additional bullets
like the others. from Springfield rifles,
taken from buildings in Brownsville,
with supporting afiidavits, have since
been sent to the secretary of war
The Crimes Committed
1t appears from the testimony that
IN the night of the 18th of August,
906. several crimes were committed
y some person or persons in the city
f Brownsville. Among these were
the following:
a) The murder of Frank Natus.
ib) The assault with intent to kill
the lieutenant of police, DomiEguez,
whose horse was killed under him, and
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