The National tribune., 1907-03-21
IS IT IMPORTANT?
The Statement of Ex.SOldier Gray May
nard May Not be Of Decided Value.

That sleepy old investigation of The
Brownsville ARRAY by the Senate Com
mittee on Military Affairs may have a
waking up. 4 message comes over the
wire from Galveston, Tex, that a for
mer soldier of the 25th U. S. has con-
fessed; the secret of the cause celebre
is out.
Probably one ought to proceed eau
tiously. The account alleged to have
been told by one D. C. Gray, of Co. B,
will have to be verified. 1t may prove
unfounded. Gray may have been de-
sirous of notoriety, and the chroniclers
in that part of the world may have
overdrawn the facts. But it is interest
ing that Gray is reported to have de-
clared that the shooting grew out of an
insult by white man to friend of one
of the colored soldiers. Several Of the
soldiers were sitting around card table
when this negro rushed in excitedly.
The story he told led to an expedition
into the town. 1t is told with consid-
cradle detail how they broke into the
gun racks for rifles, altho most of the
negros had reyolvers and used them as
well as the rifles in the shooting. Gray
relates how the men rushed back to
their barracks, just after the bugle
sounded. and jumped into bed with
great alacrity.
The War Department promptly pro-
nounced the statement fake" This
was based on a telegram from Mai.
Blocksom down in Texas, but the Mill
tary Affairs Committee will nevertheless
apply the probe. There are a couple of
men named Gray who served in the
18th, and there may be a grain OF truth
in the statement. 1t has been contend
ed that if a good clew was ever found
1t would not be difficult to unravel the
mystery about that shooting.
The negros have evidently been
coached for their testimony before the
Military Affairs Committee, and few be.
heve they have been telling anything
like the whole truth. Hitherto no one
has been able to get from them any,
thing more than the most commonplace
story. Once any member Of the COM
mittee is able to successfully contradict
any essential portion of the testim ony
there might be important revelations.
Senator Foraker has been building up
an idea that the shooting was done by
some one outside the regiment The
testimony has by no means been con-
elusive on the point, but number of
little matters have been brought out
that would warrant such conclusion.
As Senator Foraker has been dominat-
ing the investigation and is a skilful
lawyer, he seemed likely to succeed with
his plan of showing that the soldiers
did not do the shooting
In fact, he has gotten along 50 well
in that direction that the Administra-
ton has become a little disturbed. It'll
does not want Senator Foraker to es-
tablish enough to base a plausible
speech upon. For If he can gather
some shreds of testimony, he will pre-
sent the case to the Senate and to the
country next December in ringing ut
terances.
OF course, if 1t can be proven that the
soldiers did shoot up the town and the
names of the culprits can be gotten al
both sides of the controversy will be
confused to some extent That would
explode Senator Foraker's theory that
the negros had nothing to do with the
shooting. IT would also damage the
contention of the War Department and
Of the President that the names of the
offenders could not be learned, and that
therefore nothing could be done but to
discharge without honor the entire bat
TALON.
The case is likely to be injected into
politics next Winter. The Senate Com
mittee must make a report This can
not be till Congress assemblies again
Whatever the character of the majority
report, It will be debated. While the
interest in the shooting has largely SUBJ
sided among white people. it is still
very lively subject among the negros
Their papers in many cities and States
are full of articles about the Senate
Committees investigation.
The weakness with which the inter
ests of the President in the investiga-
ton are managed IS almost pitiable
Several Senators are attending the hear
fngs, but no one seems to take an ac-
tive concern in combating Senator For
aker, who in all particulars has his own
way.