The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-01-15
Discharge of Negro Troops
Subject of a Lengthy
Communication
NEW EVIDENCE
is DISCOVERED
The Case Reviewed in Detail
and Positive Opinions
Expressed.
REPORT @ MAJOR RLocksoM,
WHO WAS COMMISSIONED BY
PRESIDENT TO THOROUGHLY
INVESTIGATE THE MATTER
TRANSMITTED TO SENATE I'M
A VIGOROUS MESSAGE BY Elk
ECUTWE.
BY Associated Press.


Washington, Jan. 1.-THE follow.
ang message of the president to the
senate regarding the discharge of the
three companies of the 25th, infantry
was submitted to-day:
10 the Senate: In nv message Tn
the senate treating of the dismissal
without honor of certain named mem.
EDers or the three companies of the
EPWenty-nftn infantry, l gave the re-
EPorts OF the officers upon which the
F0lsmlssaI was based. These reports
Fweree made in accordance with the
scustom IN such cases: for IL would of
course, be impossible to preserve dis
clpline IN the army save by pursuing
precisely the course that in this case
was pursued. In as much however
as In the senate question was raised
as TO the suficiency of evidence. I
iueemed IL wise to send Major Block
som and assistant to the ATTORNEY
General Purdy to Brownsville to make
"a thorough investigation on the
tground in reference to the Testimony
taken under oath of the various wit
tnesaey examined in the course of the
pnvsstigation. l also submit various
exhibits. fffCfuding maps OF Browns
Z VIE and Fort Brown, photographs of
various buildings, a letter from Judge
.Farks 70 his wife tegather with al
rDandoier, th1rty-three empty shells.
seven baii cartridges ana -four Clips
picked up in the streets of Browns
willie within a few hours after the
shooting; three steel jacketed bullets
and some scraps of the castings of
other bullets picked out of the houses
-
Telegram from u s. Commissioner
tR. B. Croeger at Brownsville, with
ssix additional bullets like the others
from Springfield rifles taken from
buildings in Brownsville with sup
porting affidayits have since been sent
ITO the secretary of war.
Several Grimes.
It appears from the testimony that
.On the night of the thirteenth of
August, several crimes were commit !
ted by some person or persons in the |
city of Brownsville Among these
were the following:
A: The murder of Frank Mutus
b: The assault with intent to kill |
the Lieutenant of Police DOminguez, |
whose horse was killed under him and |
whose arm was shot so severely that |
1t had to be amputated.
C: The assault with intent to kill |
Mr. and Mrs. Hale Odin and their /
little boy, who were in the window /
of the Miller hotel.
\ d; The shooting into several pri-
vate residences in the city of Browns
Vile. three Of them containing women
and children.
, f: The shooting at and slightly
wounding of Preciado.
These crimes were certainly com
mitted by somebody
As to the motive for the committing
of the crimes, it appears that trouble
of a more or less serious nature had
occurred between individual members
OF the companies and individual citi-
zens of Brownsville. eliminating in
which resulted in the sol
diers being confined within the limits
of the garrison on the evening of the
day in question.
The evidence as will be seen. shows
beyond any possibility of honest cues
ton. that some individuals among the
colored troops. whom have dis
missed, committed the Outrages men
toned: and that some or all of them
had knowledge of the deed and shield
ing from the law those who commit
ted il.
Another Motive.
The only motive suggested as DOS
sfbly influencing any one else, was a
desire to get rid of the cOlored troops.
so strong that il compelled the citi-
Zens OF Brownsville TO shoot up their
own houses. to kill one OF their own
TO assault their own police.
woundinS the Lieutenant, who had
been an officer for % years. all with
the purpose Of discrediting the negro
troops. The suggestion is on its face
sol luficrously impossible that it is
difficult TO treat it as if honestly made. |
This theory supposes that the assaiI- [
ants succeeded in obtaining the uni |
form of the negro soldiers; that be-
lore starting on their raid, they got [
over the fence of the fort unchsl- @
enged and without discovery BY the c
negro troops. opened nre on the town I
rom within the fort; that they I
Hacked their faces so that at least II
'ourteen eve witnesses mistook them Z
or negroes; that they disguised their i