Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-01-14
PRESIDENT IN
HIS OWN DEFENSE
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port of the inspecting officers to be en-
tirely sufficient upon which to base the
executive action which was taken, The
reports of the inspecting officers were
made In the usual form In such reports
and do not set out at length the evil
denoe upon which they based their con-
clusions. The matter has now become
subject of a resolution In Congress
and for consideration in the house OF
representatives by reason of the in
PRODUCTION of a bill intended to affect
the status of the men now discharged
with reference TO re-enlistmellt A num-
Der of the men who were discharged
have applied for leave to re-enlist. The
accuracy of the conclusions reported by
Maj. Blocksom has been questioned be-
cause of an absence of the evidence in
full upon which he made his report as
to who committed the crime charged
All these matters require the setting
out Of the evidenc IN greater detail
than is contained In Maj. Blocksom's
report
THE president is of the opinion in
view of the new phases which the mat
ter has taken, that Maj. Blocksom
should be directed to return TO Browns
vile and to other places whore evil
dence upon the subject matter Is avail
able to have the evidence reduced to
writing and taken under the sanctity
OF an oath. To assist him in this mat
ter he has directed that Asst Atty.
Gen. Purdy shall accompany him and
shall conduct careful, thorough and
impartial examii,ation of the Witnesses
The evidence wal be taken by stenog-
raphers transcribed and submitted to
the witnesses for signatures.
The presider. wishes me TO say that
MAJ. Blocksom does not go as a prose-
cutting officer in the trial of an indict-
ment. but only as an examiner TO elicit
the truth and put the evidence in re-
spect TO the matter in permanent form.
THE president has reached u conclu-
sion as to what the facts are. but this
should not influence Maj. Blocksnm Ia
his examination. for IL the presidents
conclusion IN the matter is wrong he
earnestly wishes to be set right.
Very respectfully,
WILLIAM Fl. TAFT,
Secretary OF War
The inspector general OF the army
Dec. 90. 1906
LETTER TO MIR. PURDY,
My Dear Purdy. AS the president
has directed your visit to Brownsville
to accompany Maj Blocksom of the
inspector generals department to con-
duct thorough, careful and impartial
examination OF the witnesses as to the
issue who were the perpetrators of the
crime committed on the night of the
10th of August in the town OF Browns
vile, Tex. by shooting into the various
houses, and killing one man and
wounding the lieutenant OF police, l en-
close a letter which, by direction of the
president, l have sent TO the inspector
general, as instructed to Maj. Block
som.
Very sincerely yours.
WILLIAM II. TAFT.
Secretary of War"
Hon. NJ. D. Purdy. assistant attor-
ney general"
COPY OF TESTIMONY.
have the honor now to transmit
to you copy of all the testimony TAX
en- and reduced to writing by Maj.
Bocksom, under Mr.. Purdy's examina-
ton, in pursuance of the directions
contained in the letters set forth above
except the statement of one witness
which had little or no bearing or
weight upon the issues raised upon the
present evidences. but did have, IL
trustworthy. a very direct bearing upon
the issue TO be raised III the courtnlar-
tial proceedings pending against Capt.
Macklin. and which l have therefore
transmitted 90 Brig.-Gen. McCaskey,
to be delivered TO the judge advocate
in the court-martial proceedings. ]
also enclose sworn statement OF one
witness, a hospital steward named
Francois Oltmans, taken by Inspector
Gen. Darlington by my direction. l
also enclose a report from Gen. Gro
zier, chief of the ordnance, and Capt.
Rice, with respect TO the Springfield
rifle, model of 93, in use by the soldiers
of the Twenty-tifth infantry, its oper-
alton, its calibre, and its riiiing, the ex-
istence of other guns using the same
cartridges or cartridges of the same
size. etc. The map and photograph
exhibits have been reproduced and are
included in the printed copy of the
evidence. The shells clips, ball cart
ridges, and bandolier referred TO in the
evidence, are in the custody of this
department and would be produced
when called for.
FORT BROWN.
In order to understand the testimony
1t should be said that Fort Brown res
ervation is south of the city of Browns
Vile and Immediately adjoins 1t. The
Rio Grande river runs by the city on
it's west and then circles around the
reservation. In the minds of the wit
nesses, therefore, the river lies to the
west of the city, while the reservation
lies to its south.
In order to prevent private building
close up to the reservation the garri-
son wall is constructed 30 feet within
the reservation line. leaving a narrow
road OF about 30 feet In width between
the garrison wall and the houses that
front the garrison road on the city side
The reservation line is not parallel to
the east and west streets of the city.
nor is It at right angles to the north
and south streets. but at the points OF
Importance In this controversy 1t runs
in general direction cast and west.
PLACES INVOLVED.
The streets and places here involved
We're, first the three barracks of ID
company b company and C company.
They stood about 80 feet inside of the
garrison wall Between ID and r COM
panies was road leading to the garri-
son gate which led Immediately into
Elizabeth street. running north from
3 a rrc ol, he