The Washington herald., 1907-06-15
WITH The PRESIDENT
Sustained by Majority in the
Brownsville Inquiry.
HEARING COMES TO AN END
Present Indications Are the Final
Vote VIII BE = TO 4-TwO Reports
VIII BE Presented Next Fall-Ad-
Journment Taken Until November.
Gen, Burt Praises ColOred Troops.

The investigation Of the shooting up
Of Brownsville. for which three companies
Of the Twenty-hfth Infantry were dis
honorably discharged. was practically
finished by the Senate Committee on Mill
tary Affairs yesterday, and the committee
took adjournment until November IS Its
inquiry was begun in February, and has
continued ever since, except for a months
recess
The committee has taken thousands Of
pages OF testimony. examining nearly all
the discharged soldiers and their former
officers. and many citizens Of Browns
VILE, and experts from the War Depart
ment
The committee may take further evil
dence after rs meeting in November if
anything Of importance should come up
but the main object OF the meeting viii be
the preparation Of the committees report
on the result Of its labors for presentation
to the Senate in December.
From the attitude Of the members Of
| the committee. as disclosed by their ex
animation Of witnesses, II Is evident thar
| unless changed by strong testimony that
may yet be offered, there viii be two
| reports presented-a majority report up-
holding the course Of the President in
ordering the discharge Of the battalion,
and finding that some unidentified mem-
| bers of the three companies are guilty
Of the Brownsville outrage, and a minor
/ ity report, declaring their discharge un-
warranted and that proof is lacking that
I the shooting was done by the colored
/ soldiers.
Foraker TO Prepare Report.
The latter report Will be prepared by
/ Senator Foraker. who introduced the
/ resolution upon which the investigation
/ was ordered. and who has conducted the
/ examination for that side OF the contro-
/ versy. The committee. from present in
/ dlcauons. now stands 10 4, with one
/ member doubtful
/ OF the witnesses heard yesterday, Brig.
/ Gen. Andrew s. Burt retired. who COM
/ mauded the Twenty-ffth Infantry for ten
years, testified 20 the high character Of
N-'H .|a..- N--afl -aalllr ALlt L-F e44A were
/ only the equal in efficiency OF any SOL
/ diers On the United States army, but Of
/ any IN tho world II the Brownsville
/ shooting were done by ten or fifteen men
/ NJ the regiment of which he had extreme
/ doubt be was sure that the other men
/ Of the three companies knew nothing
/ about it, or they would have told OF g.
/ on discrimination, be admitted that
/ he had heard Of four midnight raids
/ similar % that az Brownsville that had
/ been committed hy from ten % fifty mem
/ noTs OF the regiment az different places Il
/ had been sfatiOued-at Fort Meade. az
/ Fort Niobrara. al Key West. and az Fort
/ Bliss. The records showed that as re-
/ Gently as seven years ago, while az Fort
/ Bliss. men Of the TWenty-ffth had raide6
/ the El PasO CTeX1 Jail. where two OF
! their number were locked up for dlsor-
/ |derly conduct. and had killed a policeman
Lieut.. Leckie Heard.
/ Lieut. Leckie. Of the Twenty-ffth. In
! fartr-. who was not with his company
ON ta. sight Of the shooting. tlt who
/ auerward I.vesugated the conditions at
/ Brownsville. tt the request of counsel
/ for Mai Peurose. commanding the dis
I charged battalion ar that time. who was
/ on trial 10y c7urt-martal for lax disci-
pIinc, and thereby being responsible fr-
/ the shooting testified that 1t was i-.-
possible 90 recognize co!ored soldiers on
a starllt night. as some Of the Browns
/ willie people had testified. He also, In
response TO questions by Senator Foraker
/ advanced the theory that the shells found
/ ON the streets Of Brownsville might have
/ been fred from Winchester rifles IL the
/ chambers of the guns We're reamed out
/ John !. KIeiber, prosecuting attorney
/ for the district in which Brownsville is
situated, told the committee Of the in
/ vestgatine Of the shooting which he had
conducted for presentation TO the grand
jury. which had reported the soldiers
/ guilty Of the outrage, but Of its inability
/ 20 bring I'm an indictment owing TO lack
/ Of evidence discriminating against indi-
/ yiIuals
The last witness was Capt John II.
| Rice. ordnance department. who had
/ cleaned IN from one to three minutes
/ some Of the guns fired by orders Of Gen.
/ Croze-, and previously presented to the
/ committee Ie testified that the guns
would have passed inspection at the time
even though they failed upon his eXamiaa-
/ tign in the committee room.