The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1907-01-26
PRESIDENT STANDS HIS GROUND.

Declares His Course in Dismissing Negro
Troops was justified by the Facts. and
Submits Additional Evidence to
Prove His Contention.
Last week President Roosevelt added
two more to the already unusual num-
Der of special messages which he has
transmitted to the congress of the
United States since the opening of the
pending session. One of these latest
communications pertained to the break
in the banks of the Colorado river by
which the "Salton Sea" has been
created and large area of extremely
fertile land inundated. The president
recommends that government aid be
given to the work of closing the break,
and it is deemed likely that the recon-
menda alton will receive the favorable
consideration of congress.
The other special message deals with
the subject of the dismissal without
honor of the battalion of negro sol
diers of the TWenty-ffth United States
Infantry implicated in the murderous
midnight attack upon peaceful resi-
dents of Brownsville, Texas, and is
accompanied by much new evidence
and succinct review of all the circum-
stances of the outrage. The additional
evidence was gathered by Assistant
Attorney General Purdy and Major
Blocksom, who were sent to Browns
vile by the president for the express
purpose of making careful and i'm
partial inquiry into the matter, and
the results of this investig cation have
been such as to affirm the attitude and
action taken by the chief executive.
The following extracts from the mes
sage will serve to indicate clearly the
character of the proof adduced of the
guilt or the guilty knowledge of the
soldiers, and it is difficult
70 understand how any nnpreiudiced
and well-balanced intelligent mind can
dissent from the presidents declara-
ion that his course was not only JUS
,ifed by the facts, but that he would |
nave been false to his sworn duty had |
1e pursued different one:
"The evidence, as will be seen, shows
Beyond any possibility of honest ques- I
ion that some individuals among the
;olored troops whom I have dismissed
committed the outrages mentioned;
md that some or all of the other in
Iividuals whom dismissed had
of the deed and were shield
ng those who committed it.
1.-THE only motive suggested as pos
IDLY influencing anyone else was
esire to get rid of the colored troops
D strong that it compelled the citizens
t Brownsville to shoot up their own
ouses, to kill one of their own num-
or, to assault their own police,
ounding the lieutenant, who had been
q officer for twenty years, all with
lie purpose of discrediting the negro
oops. The suggestion is, on its face,
impossible. This theory
opposes that the citizens assailants
lcceeded in obtaining the uniform of
% negro soldiers; that before starting
i their raid they got over the fence
the fort unchallenged, and without
scovery by the negro troops opened
e on the town; that they blacked :,
cir faces so that fourteen eye-wit- !
,sses mistook them for negroes; that
ely disguised their voices. They were
It Mexicans, for they were heard by !,
lrious witnesses TO speak in English.
le weapons they used we're Spring )
Id rifles; and the ammunition which
ey used was that for the Springfield
lie and no other, and could not have
en- used in any gun in Texas, in any 2
.rt of the Union. or in Mexico, or in q
~ other part of the world, save only
the Springfield rife now used by :,
. United States troops, including s
> negro troops in the garrison at a
and by no other persons i
We these troops. Taking the !;
ellis and the bullets together, the 5
oof is conclusive that the new
'ringfeld rifle was the weapon used b
the midnight assassins, and could r
It by any possibility have been any
her rife of any kind in the world. Ct
This establishes the fact that the II
sailants we're United States soldiers, J.
d would be conclusive on this point, b
not one soldier had been seen or O
ard by any of the residents Of g
'ownsyilie on the night in question, 3 8
4 if nothing we're known save the St
ding OF the shells, clips and bullets. ! ii