Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1907-04-03
STANDS BY EX.SOLD|ERS
Captain Edgar A. Mscklin Says
His Men Did Not Do
SHOOTING AT BROWNSVILLE

Veonthktons AIfH NO tc.1uouy
Captain f. A. Macklin of Company
c, Twenty-flfth infantry. was taken
by the senate committee on military
affairs Monday In the Brownsville
investigation. II proved interesting.
particularly for the reason that Mack
lin Is TO be tried by courtmartial after
his return to Texas. and for the further
reason that he was shot by an unidenti-
fled negro at Fort Reno after the ne
gro soldiers were taken away from
Fert Brown. Although there In no ev-
idence TO show that the Brownsville
affray was responsible for the attack
upon him. many persons have express
cd the opinion that the two Incidents
are connected particularly as he was
the first Of the white officers to pro-
duce damaging evidence against the
former soldiers He does not now
believe that the negroes were guilty
OF shooting up Brownsville, according
TO his story. told on the stand Mon
day. gsX
Captain Macllin said that when the
firing occurred on the night OF Aug
Is he was in bed In his quarters. hav.
Ing retired about 1850 o'clock. and
was not awakened until 1855. some
time after the firing had ceased. He
then joined his company. and had
charge OF the guard the balance OF
the night. Early the next morning he
made an examination OF the Karri-
son. and finding no damage. went out,
side the gate. and at the mouth OF an
alley not far from the garrison wall
he found six cartridges clips and seven
cartridge shells OF the type used for
the Springfield rifle. These shells
were found In a circular space about
ten inches In diameter which. IN reply
TO a question from Senator Foraker.
he declared 10 be an impossible posi-
tion un ess they bad been placed there
by some one. After testifylng NJ
length concerning the incidents on the
night OF Aug. 10 Senator Foraker asked
Captain Macklin II he had ta'cn steDs
TO discover who did tho fhcol.aS. The
witness replied tha; he had done every.
thing possible. including the question.
ing Of the men Of his command Sena.
tor Foraker then asked the witness
10 give his opinion rs 20 who did the
shooting. Hesitating a moment. Capt.
Macklin said: well, l don't think the
men did a."
Afterward he said that In their e..
element and confusion the men might
have fired n few shots from the bar.
racks. but that he had seen nothing 70
indicate that they had done SO. and he
could not believe Il possible.
At the afternoon session the wit.
ness was cross-examined principally as
TO his whereabouts when the shooting
occurred and the evidence given By
former negro soldiers that they had
been unable to find the captain In his
quarters when Major Penrose sent
them TO arouse him. Captain Macklin
said that he did not believe the sol.
diers had come TO his quarters. He
said he had heard various reports as
TO where the men went. and his attor.
neys had talked with them about Il
asd their statement would probably
come out when he was tried by court.
martial. He was not pressed further
on this point.
The shells which Captain Mackiin
picked up outside the garrison were
put In his desk. he said. and were for.
gotten until after the battalion left
Fort Brown. Search for them later
had been unsyailing. He testified that
he had told all the facts connected with
the finding ol these shells 10 Major
Penrose. Mayor Combe OF Brownsville
and to Major Blocksom. inspector. but
that he had not told Colonel Lowering
Of them because the colonel. asked the
witness TO answer only such questions
as we're put 10 him.