Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-19
SLEPT THROUGH NOISE
PRIVATE JOHNSON DIDN'T HEAR
SHOOTING AT BROWNSVILLE.
Was Awakened After the Affair Was
All Over-Corporal Wheeler Sup
ports other Witnesses.

George johnson, a former private of Com
pany c. 25th Infantry, was the first witness
today before the Senate military committee
investigating the Brownsville affair. He
was assigned teamster and slept in the
headquarters stable, with three or four
other soldiers. On the night of the ARRAY
he said he was awakened by Corral BOSS
Voschclle after the shooting was all over.
He said Voschelle told him that he thought
the ambulance might be needed, and that
was why he came over. According to john
sons story Voschelle said that while on the
way to the stable he had seen a crowd of
men near Allison's saloon, kept by former
negro soldier and these men were moving
down the road toward the gate into the
reservation. Johnson said Voschelle had
not stated whether the men were armed or
not. The soldiers who slept at the stable,
he said, kept their guns at the barracks.
He could not say whether all of the soldiers
who slept at the stable were present when
he was awakened
Samuel Wheeler, who was one of the
corporals of the guard on the night of the
shooting, testified that the first firing was
from the main road northeast of the guard
house He said he heard three or four
horses on the road. but he thought that
riders would not have had time to reach the
town before the principal firing began.
His testimony on other points was in cor
roboration of that given by other members
of the guard who had testified.
When the afternoon session Of the COM
mittee yesterday was opened Charles w.
Askew, an eX-Soldier, who had given con-
fusing testimony during the forenoon, was
not recalled as was expected. Senator For
aker called HOytt Robinson. formerly of
Company ID, who was musician of the
guard and sounded the call to arms on the
night of August 13 The call was sounded,
he said, at about midnight, after he had
been awakened by Sergt. Reid and his call
was taken up by the trumpeters at the bar
racks. He said the firing continued for
about fifteen minutes after the call ceased
stationed in the town near the gate into
the military reservation. He did not hear
. any shots passing over the guard house.
White Soldier Tells of Threats.
The next witness was William C. Nolan
a private of the first class in the Hospital
Corps, white soldier, who had been sta
toned at Fort Brown for two years prior
to the arrival of the negro soldiers. He
said that he was at the hospital when the
shooting began with Sergts. Altman and
Sanborn and three or four patients. He
was awake. he said, suffering with mus
cular rheumatism. The first shot, he
thought, came from the rear of the COM
missary, back of the hospital and not
from the direction of the town. He said
he paid no attention TO that, but in a few
minutes there were three more shots, and
then five shots, which, he said, sounded
il the men firing We're moving around the
road. Northeast of the town is a saloon
which was opened for the negro soldier
trade, and Nolan said that from near that
point several more shots were fired, and
then from a point near the gate into the
= reservation came volley of shots. He
heard no bullets, nor saw any flashes from
guns. He thought the fort being at
tackled, but he would not be certain that
the shooters were outside or within the
military Enclosure.
Nolas said that few nights before the
CHI pri Of dior
came to the hospital for treatment. His
face was badly bruised, and Nolan asked
him how he was injured. According to
Nolan's story Newton said that he was in
town, and that man knocked him down
with the butt of his six-shooter without
reason. Nolan told the man it was
funny he did not know the reason for
the assault. and Newton insisted that he
did not. Nolan said that Newton then
said; Vel, that's the way it was So but
said he told the man he should not talk
that way; that he would get into trouble.
On cross-examination Nolan said that
there was only one call TO arms and that
was sounded by the musician at the guard
house and twenty-five TO thirty minutes
elapsed between the first shot and the
call to arms.
Alleged Threats by Texan.
William Harden, a negro ex-private SOL
der, was called He said that he was in
the hospital convalescent on August 10,
and that he had been given permission to
go to the post exchange to buy an apple
pie, but had been instructed to get back
before the arrival of Mayor McComb, who
was acting surgeon at the hospital While
coming back he said he almost ran into
Major Penrose, Mayor McComb and an
other man, walking toward the hospital.
He said he stepped back to let them pass
and they stopped and began TO talk. The
strange man. according to Harden, said:
Il tell you Texas won't stand for it,. He
then said something about an assault upon
his wife, and added: IF some soldiers
are not put under arrest by 10 o'clock to-
night, we'll kill every id niger soldier in
Fort Brown"
Harden said he lodged into the hospital
and heard nothing more.
Harden testified to having been ordered
to bed early because he was on the sick
roll and of hearing the shooting later. He
said that he was awake. His testimony,
however, differed greatly from that given
by Nolan. So far the location of the
firing is concerned there was not much
difference. but he said that number of
Sanborn, said Harden, ordered him to get
back of a brick pillar. and he got behind
one himself. The witness said that Nolan
also was on the porch and that he got be-
hind n pillar so as not to be struck by
stray bullets. He said he heard about fif-
teen horsemen gallopins around the coun-
try road and entering the town. The fir
ing, he thought, was by this body of men.
Nolan testified that there were no horse
men passing around this road.
Sergeant Altman of the Hospital Corps,
also a white soldier, was the next witness
1t will require the testimony of Sanburn,
who has been subpoenaed, to clear the
situation.