Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1907-02-20

Witnesses 80 Testify Monday Before
the Senate Committee.

Witnesses 30 Testify Monday Before
the Senate Committee.
/ Washington. Feb. 19.-witnesses IN
the Brownsville hearing testified that
the shooting began In the rear OF the
commissary. away from the town. and
continued around the road and into
the town while the call to arms was
being sounded. The committee ON mil.
itary affairs heard a great deal OF
contradictory testimony. the value OF
which must be heard by other wit.
nesses. AS to certain incidents n was
white soldiers against negro ex-sol
diers.
w. c. Nolan. private OF the first
class In the hospital corps, a white
soldier. testified. He said that he
was at the hospital when the shooting
began with Sargeants Altman and San
born and three or four other patients.
He was awake. he said. suffering with
muscular RI eumatisn. The first shot
he thought came from the rear OF the
commissary. back OF the hospital. and
not from the direction OF the town.
He said In a few minutes there were
three more shots. and then five shots
which he said sounded as II the men
firing were moving around the road.
Northeast OF the town IL a saloon
which was apened for the negroes
trade, and Nolan said that from near
that point several more shots were
Tired. and then from n point near the
gate In the reservation came a yolley
OF shots. He thought the fort was be-
ing attacked. but would not be Ger.
tain that the shooters were outside or
within the military enclosure.
Nolan said that few nights before
the shooting Private Newton, n negro
soldier. came to the hospital for treat.
ment. His face was badly bruised,
and Nolan asked him how he was injur
ed. According 10 Nolan's story. New.
ton said he was In town, and that a
man knocked him down with the butt
OF his six-shooter without reason. No.
Ian told the man Il was funny he
ala not know the reason for the as.
saul'. and Newton insisted that he did !
nothing. Nolan said that Newton then
said Well, that's the way Il was;
but we'll fix the yet"
Nolan said he told the man he |
should not talk that way: that he
would get in trouble.
On cross-examination Nolan said
there was only one call 10 arms. and
that was rendered by the musicians M !
the guard house gate. and that twenty
or twenty-five minutes elapsed be.
tween the frs shot and the call I.
arms.
william Harden. a negro ex-soldier
was called. He said he was IN the
hospital on Aug. 10. and that he had
been given permission TO 70 10 the post
exchange to buy an apple pie. but had
been instructed to get back before the
arrival OF Major McComb. who was
acting surgeon at the hospital. While
coming back. he said. he almost ran
into Major Penrose. Major McComb
ana another man walking toward the
hospital. He said that he stepped back
10 let them pass. and they stepped up
and began TO talk The strange man.
according 10 Harden. said:
Il tell you. Texas won't stand for
u. and he then said something about
IN assault upon his wife, and added.
III some soldiers are not put under
arrest by 10 o'clock tonight we'll Kill
every d-n niger soldier In Fort
Brown"
Harden said he lodged into the hos.
pital. and heard nothing more. Har.
len said Sergeant Sanborn ordered him
% get back OF brick pile. and he got
behind one. During the firing the
witness said that Newton himself was
'lso on the porch. and he got back OF
pillar so as not TO be struck by stray
bullets. He said he heard about M.
cen horsemen gallop'ng around the
country road and entering the town.
rhe firing. he thought. was by this
'ody Of men.
Nolan testified that there were no
lorsemen passing around this road
sergeant Altman OF the hospital corps,
Ilso a white soldier. was the next wit.
less. In his brief testimony he sus.
aimed Nolan. II vii require the ties.
imony OF Sanborn. who has been sub.
oenaed, to clear the situation