The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-01-17
On Brownsville ARRAY Sent
Congress by Roosevelt.
STICKS TO CONTENTION
ALONG With this Message He Sends
Evidence of Guilt of Colored
Troops in Shape of Bullets,
Empty Shells, Etc.

garding the Brownsville incident,
which gives the additional vidence
collected by Assistant Attorney Gen
eral Purdy ard Major Blccksom, VINO
were sent TO Texas by the president
to investigate the affair.
The report submitted with his mes
sage, including maps Of Brownsville
and Fort Brown, ba1doleer, 23
empty shells, seven hall cartridges,
picked up in the streets q few hours
after the shooting; three steel jacket
ed bullets and some scraps of the
castings Of other bullets picked cut
of the houses into which they had
been fired.
The president declares that the evil
dence is positive that the outrage OF
August was committed by scme OF
the colored troops that have been
dismissed and that some or all Of
the individuals of the three compa-
nies the twenty-fifth infantry had
knowledge of the deed and have
shielded the guilty cnes.
The negro troops are referred to by
the president in his message as ''mid-
night assassins," and he declares that
very few, If any, of the soldiers dis
missed without heNcr" could have
heen ignorant Of what occurred.
That part of the order which bars
the soldier from all civil employment
under the government is revoked by
the president. This clause, the pres
ident says, was lacking validity. The
discharged troopers, however, will
he forever barred from enlisting in
the army or navy and as to this the
president says that there is NO
doubt of my constitutional and legal
power"
Secretary Taft's report giving the
sworn testimony of witnesses is trans
mitted with the message. The test,-
mcny of fourteen eye witnesses is
given and the president declares that
the evidence is conclusive that the
weapons used were Springfield rifles
now used by United States troops, in
cluGing the negro troops who were
in the garrison at Brownsville.
Taking bat brief time to pass
the legislative, executive ard Judicial
appropriation bill. carrying nearly
$1,000 600, the senate devoted the
remainder of the day to the Browns
vil{e afray.
The presidents message was read
and ordered printed.
The speech-making On the subject
began and continued until $3.50
o'clock, Mr.. Foraker saying he was not
going to make a speech, 'but few re-
marks" observed that the testimony
amounts to a great deal, for the
president tells us it is conclusive" !"
"But it does not remove the OBJ
| lection have had from the begiE-
ming of the proceedings. What l have
been trying to contend for, and hope
| I will be successful, is to secure a
hearing for the men charged with this
serious crime. This testimony has
been taken as the other was, behind
closed doors, without anybody repre-.
senting the men.
Stating that he did not agree with
the president in all he has done In
this case, Mr. Mallory of Florida d.
gressed to call attention to what he
regarded as the best illustration that
could be given of the incompetency
Of the negro to grapple with great
questions. His illustration was the
criticism Of the president by negro
mass meeting at Boston. A negro, he
said, held the most lucrative federal
Office in Florida, as collector OF IN
ternal revenue; the collector OF Gus
toms ct Savannah, Ca, was a negro
and the collector of internal revenue
of the state of Georgia was a negro
and everyone knew the fight which
the senate had made against Crum, g
negro, made collector of the port al
Charleston.
"But," added Mr.. Mallory, "the pat
riots of Boston, who probably are the
best representatives of the negro race
in this country, allow themselves te
be carried away by the passion o1
the moment, unable to look fairly ane
and squarely at proposition which
should be judged justly and honestly
forget that they are under great obi
cations to the president, and SEND
forth a denunciation of the best friend
they have ever had in Office"