Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-02
CAPTAIN MAcKLIN oN STAND
Omoer who is to he COurt-Martialed
Does Not Believe Negro Soldiers
Are Guilty.

WASHINGTON. April 1.-The testimony
OF Captain Edgar A. Macklin of company
c, Twenty-ffth infantry, was taken by the
senate committee on military affairs today
In the Brownsville investigation. II proved
interesting particularly for the reason that
MaclSlin is to be tried by court martial
after his return to Texas, and for the
further reason that he was shot by an un-
Identified negro at Fort Reno after the
negro soldiers were taken away from Fort
Brown. Macklin does not believe the ne
groes were guilty of shooting up Browns
vile, according TO his story told on the
stand today
Captain Edgar A. Macxlin of company c,
Twenty-ffth infantry. testified today in the
senate Brownsville investigation. He had
just arrived from San Antonio, Tex, where
he attended the Penrose court martial and
where he will be court martialed also on
charges growing out Of the ARRAY. He said
today that after he had examined the gar
rison to ascertain the effect of the shooting
and finding no damage there he went out
side the gate and at the mouth OF an alley
not far from the garrison wall he found
six cartridge slips and seven cartridge
shells Of the type used for the Springfield
rife These shells were found in a circular
space about ten inches in diameter which
ne declared to be an impossible position
unless they had been placed there by some
one. Captain Macklin said he had done
everything possible to discover who did the
shooting including the careful questioning
OF the men of his command.
Senator Foraker asked the witness to give
his opinion as to who did the shooting.
Captain Macklin said;
We'll, 1 don't think the men did IT,"
He told of the attitude OF his men to-
ward the investigation and said he had
read every line of testimony that had been
taken in at the various inquiries and that
he is convinced that the firing was not
done by the men Of the Twenty-hfth in
fantry
At the afternoon session Captain MaclSlin
was cross examined. principally as to his
whereabouts when the shooting occurred
and the evidence given by former negro
soldiers that they had been unable to find
the captain in his quarters when Major
Penrose sent them TO arouse him. Captain
Macklin said that he did not believe the
soldiers had come TO his quarters
The shells which Captain Macklin picked
up outside the garrison wall were put in
his deFk, he said, and were forgotten until
after the battalion left Fort Brown. Search
for them later had been unavalllng
Chairman Warren questioned Captain
Macklin concerning the attack upon him
at Fort Reno after the Brownsville ARRAY
whom the captain was shot through the
head. The witness said he was in doubt as
to who did the shooting.
"Ohicers of my regiment tried to make
me believe that the shooting was for the
purpose OF robbery" he said but It is
my own theory that Il was not" He said
the shooting had been done by a masked
negro but that he knew nothing more con-
cerning IT, Corporal Knowles Of company
A. Twenty-hfth infautey Is under arrest
charged with having committed the as
sault, but Captain Maoklin said that the
evidence against Knowles is purely circum-
stantial.