Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1907-05-22
ENSIGN BRISDIN DEAD.
Succumbs to SeIf-InfIicted Bullet Wound
Had Been In Bad Health.

Ensign Alfred Il. DIlSuiHs Ol the
cruiser Tacoma, who shot himself Mon
day with suicidal intent, died yes
terday morning az Guantanamo, Cuba.
His body will be buried today ut the
naval station at Guantanamo, where
the Tacoma is now stationed.
Ensign Brisbin had not been in the
best Of health, it is said, and the
belief is that the Santiago trouble, in
which he figured, unbalanced his
mind and led him TO take his life.
1t is probable that his remains will
ultimately be brought 10 Pennsyl-
vania for interment.
The news of Ensign Bribsins S death
was received at the Naval Academy
today With many expressions of sim
cere regret.
Nothing further concerning the re-
port has been made public, and there
is nothing yet TO throw any direct
light on the cause of young Brihsin's
self-destruction. It is generally be-
l1ieved that.Col. Charles l.. Ballard's
official report TO Secretary Taft of the
clash which occurred between the San
tiago police and the sailors of. the Ia
coma contains a solution of the reason
for the ensign's suicide. As a result
of the report, il is believed, he would
have been court t-martialed.
Naval officers are by no means con-
WINGED that there is any justification
for the abuse which it is said the
Cuban authorities have heaped on
him. The case was not considered
proved against Brisbin, and it was
hoped that he would be able 10 clear
himself from all blame. 1t is pre-
sumed, however. that the difficulty
he experienced in bringing TO light
the true facts of the case may have
led him to kill himself.
1T is astonishing, said an Official
of the Bureau of Navigation yester-
day, ''how difficult it is to get at
the truth in some instances which
have happened in Cuba. The state
ments handed in .are never given un-
der oath and usually do nothing more
than reflect sentiment and prejudices
which exist at the time. knew young
Brisbin we'll and refuse absolutely TO
believe the current reports that he
went so far as TO drink with enlisted
men and ordered them TO attack the
Cuban police. The fact that Brisbin
may have had to face court-martial
means nothing, as that is no evidence
of his guilt. Naval officers frequent
ly insist upon facing court-martial
charges whenever there can be any
doubt about the propriety of their
acts
Everyone who had known Brisbin
spoke we'll of him here today, and
expressed profound regret at his sad
end. 1t is generally believed that the
one-sided view which some prisons
took of the Santiago affair had most
4. Iii nd nc ha
was of very sensitive nature. The
lash between sailors from the Tacoma
and the Cuban police took place at
Santiago on April 30. Ensign Brisbin
Joined his men in resisting the po-
lice on that occasion. The Cubans
blamed the Americans for the disturb
ance.
Ensign Brisbin was born in Idaho
and appointed to the Naval Academy
from Pennsylvania. He had the rep
utation of being a dashing officer, of
considerable physical prowess, and in
the service no surprise was felt at
the reports that when he saw the po-
lice giving the worst of it to his men
he Joined in the fight. He-was badly
wounded in the affray.
Because of the serious injuries suffer
ed by the Americans Secretary Taft not
only sent a special agent from Wash
ington TO investigate the case, but or
dered Mr.. Magoon to make an inves-
tigation. The chief of the Santiago
police and the captain of the rural
guards, together with all the police
men. were temporarily suspended by
Governor Perez. Investigation seemed
to lay the major part Of the blame on
the American sailors, and Ensign
Brisbin was especially condemned by
the Cuban officials at Santiago. They
asserted that Ensign Brisbin ordered
his men to attack Captain Lay, of the
police, and Furthermore that he drank
with the enlisted men. As this would
naturally be serious offense, Secre-
tary Taft ordered Col. Robert Bull
lard to go to Santiago and make an
investigation. He sent full report
of all particulars to the Secretary at
Washington. Pending action by the
Navy Department, Secretary Taft did
not make it public. The inference
was that it reflected to the discredit
of Ensign Brisbin and his men.