Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-12
GIVES TOWN BLACK EYE
Capt. KiIburn's Low Opinion of
Brownsville.
HOSTILITY TO SOLDIERS
Continued III Treatment of White
Troops Charged.
THREATS AGAINST THE NEGROES
Investigation of the Alleged Shooting
Up of the Place Resumed by
Senate Committee.
THREATS AGAINST THE NEGROES

The proceedings before the Senate COM
| mittee military affairs investigating the
alleged shooting up of Brownsville Texas,
August ID last, was given c +o,ch OF nov
city today by the presence for short time
of former Senator David B. Hill, who had
come over from New York to argue case
before the Supreme Court of the United
States. Mr.. Hill looked about the commit
tee room, glanced over the attending wit
nesses in the corridors and spoke to SEN
ators he knew. He expressed no opinion
concerning the Brownsville case.
Hostility to the Negroes.
Hostility of the citizens Of Brownsville
to the coming Of negro troops and threats
to run them out Of town if the government
persisted in its order to supplapt while
soldiers with negroes at Fort Brown was
the subject of testimony given today.
The witness of the morning, who was
placed on the stand as soon as Mr.. Hill
left, gave pretty lively testimony concern
ing the toughness of large class of peo-
pie living at Brownsville. He said that
two or three times a week he heard shots
in the night time at Brownsville, and gave
many instances in which white soldiers had
been beaten in the town.
This witness was Capt. Daniel Willis
Kilburn of the 26th Infantry, that had been
stationed at Fort Brown during a couple
of years Immediately preceding the coming
of the colored troops of the 18th Infantry.
Before leaving town Capt Kilburn had
heard men about the town declare that
they would soon get rid of the colored SOL
diers and have white soldiers in their
places.
Capt Kilburn had been captain and quar-
termaster of the 26th Infantry, having been
in the army eighteen years, including his
time in the Military Academy, from which
he was graduated in 1894. He was in
command of the post at Fort Brown when
the white soldiers were ordered away.
Senator Foraker examined the witness.
What was the feeling at Brownsville
concerning the colored troops? Do you
know what the feeling was them" asked
Senator Foraker.
II went about the town pretty often" re-
piled the witness. Il think know pretty
well what the feeling was in reference to
the order directing that the colored troops
be sent to Brownsville. The better class
Of people in town simply expressed their
disapproval. Some of the others, the ordi-
nary men hanging around the drug stores
and on the streets, were more open in their
remarks"
Some Of the Threats.
BY Senator Foraker: What was the
character Of their remarks?
Capt. Kilburn: THAT it would not be
long before they had the colored troops
run out and the white troops back again."
''Give an instance of such remarks"
Near Cressers saloon a Mr. Tillman
made a remark to the effect that they
would run the 'niggers' out of town In
three weeks and that they would have the
white troops back. Other men made some
what similar remarks
This Tillman was the same man who
later kept in a saloon. At that time he
was keeping grocery and fruit store.
The witness heard at other times that
posse was being organized to meet
the colored troops at the train to pre-
vent them from getting OF. Another
time he heard that the people were to get
up subscription to send a delegation to
this city to prevent the colored soldiers
from getting off the train.
Was this hostility because the sol
diers ordered~there were colored?"
Undoubtedly it was.
Capt. Kilburn described the town Of