New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-19
BROWNSVILLE BULLETS.
Evidence That They We're Fired
from Guns Used by Negro Troops.

Washington, March ls.-FouT rifles from Company
B. 18th Infantry. used in the Brownsville ar
fray, II the ordnance department OF the army can
substantiate reports sent to the Senate Committee
Military Affairs to-day concerning the micro
scopic examination of the thirythree shells picked
up in the streets OF the town on the morning FOL
lowing the shooting.
All the rifles in the possession OF the oattahoh a.
Fort Brown the night of August Is were sent ~
the Springfield Arsenal. and two shots were hred
from each. The shells used were then compared
with those picked up al Brownsville. ana the OH
GERS making the tests reported that II hau Ueeil
demonstrated beyond dispute that four guns OF
Company were used in discharginE al the thirty
three shells. The reports were made part OF the
committees record and Lieutenant Hawkins OF the
ordnance department. and G. A Spooner' expert
inspector OF gauges used in the mahulactuIe ol
muskets at the Springfield Arsenal. are ready
to 60 on the stand to explain their reports and be
cross-examined concerning them
Two OF Company BIS rifles said to have been USED
IN the ARRAY. kept IN the storehouse under
lock- the key OF which was IN the possession OF
former Ouartermaster Sergeant Walker McCurdy
and the other two rifles were said 10 have been
issued 10 Privates Joseph l. Wilson ana InomaS
Taylor. Senator Foraker Immediately had suo
poenas issued for Taylor and Wilson and toF the
recall OF McCurdy. He also asked that the War
Department be instructed to send for Lieutenant
Laurison, who commanded Company b al the ume
Of the ARRAY. Secretary Taft, IN a letter 10 the
committee, pointed out that the men who did me
shooting may nave used any guns lAey SOu41 oS-
tain and that Taylor and Wilson cannot be held
guilty because of the showing made by the tests Al
the arsenal
The alleged confession OF ID. ". Gray, supposed
10 be a memoer of Company b, which was printed
at Galy estOn. formally denied to-day in tele-
gram from Major BlocksOIn al san Antonio, 10 the
War Department Major BlOcksom said in his dis
patch that he had received a telegram from the
chief of police at Galveston saying that the publ
cation was q fake" Senator Foraker had the al
legged confession put in the records with the denial
which had been furnished 10 Chairman Warren by
the War Department. The Ohio Senator also had
recorded the fact that there was no man named
I'D. w Gray IN the discharged battalion. but that
there two named Gray, one q. W, and
the other J. II. Gray, in Company c. Both OF these
heard from to-day, denying that they
had made confessions. one IS IN West Virginia
and the other in Pennsylvania.
No members of the 18th Infantry examined
to-day. and no testimony was given which had any
direct bearing the shooting, except tnat Of
Henry Watson, a private OF Company NJ, 26th In
fantry. He testified that he was left behind as a
guard at the post when the Goth Infantry moved
and Springfield type lying about the barracks. He
said that he also 35-calibre revolver Rmmuni-
ton lying around. and that the barracks open.
that citizens could get access to this ammunition
on cross-eXamnation he admitted that II Is always
easy for soldiers to get extra ammunition II they
desired IT,
The committee to-day took up the question OF
going TO Brownsville in Connection with the investi
cation. It decided that IL probably will be
necessary TO visit Brownsville. but no action was
taken toward fixing time for the trip