Richmond planet., 1907-04-06


ticn was inspected as well. Lieut.
Lawrason told the committee that
me satisfied himself that no guns of
his company had been used the night
before. and that the men had ALI of
their ammunition.
COULD NOT IDENTIFY BULLETS.
Senator Foraker called for the six
bullets taken from the walls of nous
es in Brownsville, and sent TO the
committee as a part OF the Purdy
testimony. He had the bullets laid
before the witness, and Mr.. Lawra-
son examined them closely, but could
not tell whether they were fred from
a Springfield or a Krag rifle.
The Ohio Senator then called for
the report OF the experts who exam
ined the thirty-three shells offered
IN evidence In the message Of Presi-
dent Roosevelt TO the Senate, and
which were picked up in Brownsville.
First, the Senator took up the group
of shells, which bore evidence OF
having been extracted from a rife,
or rifles, more than once. as IL they
had failed in one rifle and then were
fired in another.
Lieut.. Lawrason said that while
on the rifle range at Fort Niobrara
the guns were new and the bolts of
the guns cased in oil, and that fire.
Quently they missed fire there. He
said that when this oil was wiped out
and the men had got used to the new
guns there had been no more trouble.
/ lie expressed the belief that there
was not a rifle belonging to Company
b that would miss fire after the ar
rival of the company at Fort Brown.
ACCESSIBLE TO THIEVES.
The witness explained that shells
! picked up on the range are saved
and decapped and are then shipped
back TO the arsenal. He said that
at Fort Niobrara there was something
wrong with Company BIS decapper
and the shells, more than a thous-
and in number, were put in a boz
and shipped 10 Fort Brown to be de-
capped there.
He did not know what had become
OF the box after the arrival of the
company at Brownsville, but there
was considerable property left or
the rear porch of the barracks. The
inference plainly SHOWN by Senator
box may have been accessible to MeS
lean boys or others, and that shells
bearing marks that could be traced
to Company b rifles may have beer
carried into the town and afterward
Thrown in the streets for the purpose
Iof manufacturing evidence against
the Negro soldiers Senator Foraker
had not completed his direct exami-
nation when the committee adjourn
ed for the day.
! Washington Post, March %, 'O7.1
Capt. Samuel p. Lyon, of Compa.
ny ID, Twenty-dfth Infantry, was the
only witness examined yesterday in
the Brownsville investigation before
the Senate Committee on Military
Affairs. 1t is practically certain
that the committee cannot conclude
the examination of witnesses now
| here in time to take a recess or
April 6 as had been intended.
Although examined and cross-ex
amined at length, Capt Lyon was
unable to add much more than cor
roborative evidence. His persona
view that Negro soldiers did not dc
the shooting attracted much atten
ton, as he said that ne at first was
convinced OF their guilt, but his o
pinion waS changed by the report o.
experts who examined the shells
picked up in the streets OF Browns
vile. 1t was the finding OF shells
OF the type used In Springfield rife.
that had first caused the white Off
: GERS OF the Twenty-fifth Infantry Il
believe their men guilty.
HOLDS CITIZENS RESPONSIBLE
Capt. Lyon gave II as his opinion
that Negro soldiers were not guilt,
OF shooting up" the town, but tnai
the firing was done by the ''roughel
element" OF citizens of Brownsville
HeIwas examined at length by Sen
s.tor Foraker concerning the events
OK the night OF August 13. and was
ASKED II he had participated in tao
attack upon the town.