Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-07

what occurred at Brownsville are being
drawn out
The committee took a recess until 2:so
O'Clock.
Feeling Of the Citizens.
After The Stars report closed yesterday
Mr.. Overman asked ex-Sergt. Frazier: do
You think citizens would kill one Of their
own number-commft murder-to get you
away?"
Frazier replied: ST don't know whether
any one was killed; they wanted US away
Colored men would spend very little money
in the saloons on account Of their treat
ment. and the citizens of Brownsville
wanted white soldiers, who would spend
the money"
In further explanation of his theory that
the citizens had done the shooting, the wit
ness said that 1t was possible for them 10
get ammunition from the soldiers. He con-
tended that the men were not allowed out
Of barracks after 8 o'clock at night. be-
cause of an insult alleged to have been Of
fered by two colored soldiers to white
women just previous to the shooting.
With reference to the contention that the
citizens of Brownsville were disguised as
soldiers. the fact was brought out that the
witness had testified in q former hearing
that the citizens might have procured dis
carded caps and uniforms from soldiers
who had been there before them. He said
today. however. that all men In the 10Th
Infantry wore hats.
Senator Overman questioned the wit
ness regarding the whereabouts OF men
who were not at roll call and were unac-
counted for, but Frazier could give no d.
rect testimony on that point. He stated
that his zeal in trying 10 find out Sc
cretly who did the shooting was due to
his desire to protect his own army record
and he : presented a letter from =. capt la.
excellent character and recommending
that he be permitted to re-enlist. He
testified that all the pistols of the men
were In the quartermasterss storehouse
the night of the shooting.
Discrepancy in Testimony.
Charles Dade. former cook of Company
D, was the next witness: After testify
ing that he had been in the service for
twenty-five years he stated that the Nc
Keever belts and boxes were carried by
the men at the inspection on the morning
after the shooting. Frazier had previous
ly stated that these boxes were not worn
at that inspection.
Jerry E. Reeves, former sergeant of
Company D, said that on the night Of the
trouble he was awakened by shots which
appeared to be in the direction of the
quarters of Companies and C. He was
positive that his company wore web belts
at the inspection and that the McKeever
boxes were in quarters. Shortly after
inspection witness stated that the guns
were taken away from the men. but he
believed that the ammunition was still
left in their care
He could not state who did the shoot
ing and said he had never been able to
get any information from members of
Company D.
He knew nothing of any conspiracy Of
silence and did not believe any Of the
soldiers were implicated in the ARRAY.
Reeves thought it took from twenty to
thirty minutes to clean rife, but it de-
pended largely upon the quickness of the
man.
No soldier has chance to procure
cartridges at target practice or at quar-
ters without running risk Of court-mar-
tial, he said.
Senator Overman asked: Gould the
citizens of Brownsville get any Spring.
field cartridges?' and Reeves replied,
No"
Witness Reeves, when asked about the
gun inspection, stated that the cooks gun
was the only one that was not thor
oughly clean. but that cobwebs were
found in 1t.
Reeves said that Maj. Penrose ordered
every non-commissioned officer to find
out who did the shooting. The examina-
ton of Reeves was not finished when the
committee adjourned untn today.