Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-30
CHANGED HIS BELIEF
Not Certain Now That Soldiers
Did the Shooting.
LIEUT.. GRIER QUESTIONED
Cross-Examined Regarding the
Brownsville Affair.
CONFIDENCE IN THE VETERANS
Resumption Of the Investigation by
Senator Warren's Committee
at the Capitol. -
LIEUT.. GRIER QUESTIONED
CONFIDENCE IN THE VETERANS

Lieut.. Harry 3. Grier, QuartermaSter ana
commissary and also adjutant at Fort
Brown. Texas. at the time the town Of
Brownsville was shot up. underwent a long
cross-examination today before the Senate
committee on military affairs at the Capt.
toll
Lieut.. Grier was prompt and explicit in
giving answers. After clips and bandoliers
were found in Brownsville the day follow
ing the shooting up of the town he had
come to the conclusion that the colored
soldiers had done the shooting. He had
made extensive inquiry after the shooting
among the men, but had not been able TO
learn who did the firing. He continued to
believe that the men were guilty until zen.
Darlington gave the order on a FRIDAY 10
discharge all the men without honor on .He
following Monday. After that the fact that
the men furnished no Information to save
the innocent ones and to punish the guiity
proved to him that they had not done the
shooting. 80.
convince me there was any BLUM ABOUT IT,
Then, he said, some testimony taken De
fore the Penrose court-martial had con-
WINGED him the men did not do the shooting.
Why He Changed His View.
Asked why he was so convinced. he SAID
the testimony of witnesses for the prose-
cution in that case in regard to distances
tbav couId see men on the night of August
IL and the possibility of people in Browns
Vile getting government ammunition had
changed his mind. Experts had testihed
that the Springfield shells couio De Hreo IN
Winchester rifles If there had been a plot
to shoot up the town there was posslplilty
that empty shells left on the back porch
of barracks B were taken and scattered IN
the town. The taking of the empty sheils.
he said, was remote possibility, WIN ho
evidence to sustain 1t.
The witness said he had had no oppor-
tunity to examine citizens of brownsville
on the shooting up of the town. ne mao
questioned soldiers only. with view or
clearing them of the charge of doing the
shooting, having in his mind at that Tune
the idea that the soldiers were gulity he
had great confidence in the truthfulness OF
the old soldiers, some of whom are serving
In the army when he was born. He wanted
to get at the guilty men In order TO clear
the innocent He spoke in the highest
terms of the non commissioned oncers Oh
the 25th Regiment.
Speaking of the shooting, ne sald the
fire from high-power rifles ceased pe1ore ne
got to the barracks OF Z company ne
did not believe any one could tell the diff
ference between various hiSh-power rifles,
and consequently he could not say whether
the high-power rifles he heard were Spring
fields, Krag-Jorgensen or W1nchestess S,,,,o
Asked by Senator Scott as to his opinion.
he said his mind Is still open on the ques-
ton as to who did the shooting. He had
believed at first 1t was done by the soldiers,
but after hearing the testimony In the
court-martial proceedings Of Major Pen
rose his prejudice had been overcome ana
he was now with his mind open to convic-
ton.
Other Witnesses.
First Sergt VIM. Blaney, who was away
on furlough from Company August IL,
was placed on the stand. and testified con-
corning the rifle he used at Fort Niobrara
and turned into the company. That rifle
was among those in the arm chest.
Capt c. G. Kinney. in command OF Com
pany C, 25th Infantry but not with the
Company August 10. was called to testify
concerning the record Of rifles turned In to
him at Fort l.eno.
Isaiah Raynor, a private In Company b.
was questioned concerning his actions on
the night of August ID. but at o'clock his
examination was discontinued and the COM
mittee adjourned until II o'clock Monday
morning.
Lieut. Grier was on the stand yesterday
afternoon until adjournment.
He thought the firing came from about
the center of the town and that shotSuns
and revolvers were used. 1t was LIS opin-
ion that high-power rifles were not used in
the firing he heard. He estimated that 1t
would require forty or fifty minutes to clean
gun so that it would stand inspection
after having been fired. He did not believe
the guns could have been cleaned in the
dark without showing traces of OIL If oil
were used, and If not used the guns could
not be thoroughly cleaned.