The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-26
A RENEGADE WHITE
SAYS WOMEN SOUGHT PROTECTION
 IN BROWNSVILLE
Were Not Afraid of Negro Soldiers,
 But Feared White Citizens Of Texas TOwn-Foraker is Jubilant.

washington. Feb. 25.--Francois l.. Oltmans, sergeant first class, hospital corps, a white soldier. was recalled to the stand today in the Brownsville in quiry before the Senate Committee on Military Affairs.
 He was stationed at Brownsville for some time with white soldiers as well as with negro soldiers. and he testi- fled that citizens and soldiers had trou- ble before the arrival of the negro sol- diers, and said the citizens protested they did not want black soldiers to be sent there.
 The witness was examined at length concerning the arrival of two women at the hospital during the shooting. One of these women was the wire or a white soldier. who lived In town. Her husband was absent on compeu- tive drill and the witness said the wo- men came to the hospital ana askeo permission to remain there for the night as they thought the cit'zehs shooting up the town.
 The witness said tlse women thought her house might be attacked. senator Foraker brought out the fact that 'he women had no thought of danger from the negro soldiers. ..o
 W. H. Sharpe. white. who was .ne blacksmith at Fort Brown ou, ,,mn .r.;s;aa time and before the shooting testlllso fo hearing the shooting on the ni2h. of August 13. saying that the shots ap- peared to come from near the sa'eS into the garrison, .,r-
 Roland Osborn. duartermaster ser geant. a white soldier, testitied that ie was a very common thing to near shooting around Brownsville at night When the call to arms was sounded ne thought it was for night drill ne salo and he did not get up. He thought tue fir'rg was from files and reVoivers and the shots seemed 10 De rom 'he direction of the barracks
 Charles F.. Rhudy wlo was one or the negro soldiers. an artificer of company c. testified that when the shooting oc cured he was sleeping on the iront porch of c barracks and was awakened probably by the first shot in the towh. He said he saw the guard outside the barracks fire his piece in the air to call the guards and then several shots came from outside the wall
 After the call to arms Rhudy said he protested against falling in without his rifle and lieutenant Grier gave orders to break open the racks if the non com missioned officer with the keys could not be found. Rhudy said that he sent one of the men after fire axe and took 1t from the man and broke open the rack himsel He said he helped sergeant McMurray issue ball ammuni- tion to the men after the company fell in.
 Temple Thornton, formerly cor poral of Company D, was called to corroborate the testimony by num- Der of his former comrades. He esti- mated that twenty minutes was the shortest time in which a gun could be cleaned if shot only once. He was asked by Senator Foraker if he had ever seen a commissioned officer clean a rifle. The witness had not, and, said Senator Foraker: We are told that one of our Generals can clean a gun in two minutes"
 "I'll work for him the rest of my life if he can do 1t In two minutes, or five minutes, or ten minutes" replied the witness.
 If he cleans a gun in two minutes, he breaks the record"
 Senator Foraker smiled and said to Senator Scott: I'll give a thousand dollars to charity if the General can clean a gun in ten minutes. I doubt whether he could clean a gun in an hour"
 Adjournment was taken until tomor- row.