The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1907-01-15
President Transmits Special Message
on Brownsville Affair,
FORAKER STILL oBDuRATE
Not Satisfied and Demands Investigation
as Originally Asked For.

Washington, Jan 14.-President
Roosevelt today sent to the senate a
special message regarding the Browns
vile incident which gives the evil
dence collected by Assistant Attorney
General Purdy and Major Blocksom,
who were sent to Texas by the presi-
dent to investigate the affair The
president submitted with his mes
sage various exhibits, including three
empty shells, seven ball cartridges
picked up in the streets a few hours
after the shooting, three steel.jacketed
bullets and some scraps of the casingp
of other bullets picked out of the
houses into which they had been
fred.
The president says the evidence
is positive that the outrages of Aug
nst 13 were committed by some II the
colored troops that have been dis
missed and that some or all Of the
members of the three companies of
the Twenty-fifth infantry had a knowl-
edge of the deed and had shielded the
guilty ones
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 homer" could have
been ignorant Of what occurred.
That part of the order which bars
the soldiers from all civil employment
under the government is revoked by
the president This clause of the presi-
dents was lacking in validity. The dis
charged troops, however, will be for
ever barred from reenlisting in the
aruny or navy, and as to this the presi-
dent says that there is no doubt of
my constitutional legal power"
Secretary Taft's report gives the
sworn testimony If witnesses and Is
transmitted with the message.
The message, accompanied by a box
neatly wrapped and tied with red tape,
containing cartridges and shells as
exhibits in the case, was received by
the senate The message was atten-
lively listened to. Mr.. Foraker re-
quested that it be printed, with the ac-
companying exhibits.
Mr.. Foraker observed that the testi-
mony amounted to great deal, for
the president "tells us 1t is conclu-
sive But it does not remove the OBJ
lection have held from the begin
ming Of this proceeding" said the SEN
ator. "What I am trying for ls a
hearing"
"That is the reason ] shall not de-
sist, Notwithstanding what the presi-
dent has said as to the character Of it,
from pressing for an investigation of
the subject where the men charged
with murder, perjury and conspiracy
can be heard to the end il they can
establish any facts in their favor they
may have opportunity to do so.''
Later Mr. Foraker went to the
clerks desk and unwrapped the pack
ages, took from the cigar box for a
thorough inspection the bullets and
the shells the president had sent
Mr.. Roosevelt in his message de-
fends his action in discharging the
negro troops, saying it would be alb
solutely impossible to preserve army
discipline by pursuing any other
course. To Justify his action, he sub
mits reports from Major Blocksom
and Assistant Attorney General Purdy,
giving the results Of the exhaustive in
vestigation they conducted at Browns
vile at the presidents order The
president with his message submits
maps with diagrams and photographs
designed to aid the senate in reaching
an intelligent understanding OF the
situation, in edition to empty shells
and bullets from Springfield rides.
OF the crimes committed at Browns
Vile the night Of August 13 according
to the investigation the president
says:
(A)-Murder OF Frank Natur.
tB)--Assault ON Lieutenant OF Po-
lice Domlngueg.
tc)-Assault on Mr.. and Mrs. Hale
0din and son.
(D)-shooting into houses contaln-
ing women aad children.
"1gy evaGenOs has peovea beycad