The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-26
SOLD SHELLS AND
RIFLES FOR JUNK
Corporal Says Men Had Extra
Ammunition and Extra
Guns.
IN POSSESSION OF COMPANY K
Taylor Denies Expert Evidence.
Says Ills Rifle Was Not
Fired.

WASHINGTON, March 25.-Tliat SOL
dicrs invariably were able to secure
extra cartridges and sometimes had
extra rifles as well, was asserted to-
& day by William Ryan, corporal In Com
pnny X. Twenty-slxth Infantry, In
the brownsville Investigation before
the Senate Committee on Military At
fairs Ryan was at Brownsville prior
to the coming or the negro soldiers
4 OF the Twcnty-nfth Infantry. He was
serving as this artilcer under the quar-
ttrmastcr- sergeant, at whose orders
no said he sold one thousand rounds
OF government ammunition to junk
y dealer In Brownsville. Under the
same mans orders he said that he de-
II faced six Jorgensen rifles which
had been secured in the Philippines
with fourteen others. The dcfacing
was done and the guns held out at the
time the order was issued for the
surrender of all the Krag type of rifles
In reply to a number of questions. he
declared that he did not consider that
he had done wrong in aiding in the
sale OF government property.
In detailing the transaction in refer
encc to the sale OF cartridges to the
Brownsville junk dealer, the witness said
he had taken the cartridges, which were
In the original government package, and
4 had placed the box inside Il kerosene
box. He insisted in reply 10 questions
by Senator Warner, that he had no idea
why this precantion was taken.
Obeyed Superior Officer.
Senator Foraker asked the witness II
he meant that he had done no wrong
IN assisting at the sale Of government
ammunition, ana Ryan said that he had
proceeded upon orders of his superior
officer. III my superior officer should
tell me- to jump in the river" he said.
II would do II: but OF course dc not
say thatI would not swim out again"
The extra guns which were in the pos.
session of Company X, Twcnty-nfth In.
fantry. he thought Captain kilburn. the
company commander had given some OF
them away; that one had been sold by
Chccsman. and Captain Kilburn still
has one. tfe said he could not say what
had become OF the others.
Taylor Denies Guilt.
When the session adjourned for the
day. Thomas Taylor. a former member
OF Company p, Twenty-tifth Infantry,
was on the stand. The expert examine
ton of shells picked up in Brownsville il
+ declared to show that his gun was used
in firing eleven OF these shells. Taylo-
denied that his gun had been fired since
his company left Fort Nirbrara, month
prior to the shooting
The Senate Committee on Military AZ
fairs to-day received from the acting
g Secretary OF War a copy OF telegram
from Brisadier- General McCaskey. com
mandinE the Department OF Texas con-
corning the Major Penrosc colirt-mnrtial
The telegram says thnt Penrose was ex-
onerated. but that the court found that
tho shooting up Of Brownsville was
done by men Of the Twcnty-fifth Infan-
try. The following is the text OF the
telegram
Major General Ainsworth. Major PEN
rose wa S exonerated by the court-Inartin
but the court found that the shooting at
Brownsville was done by the men Of the
Twenty-iifth Infantry. Finding approved
by me.
(Signcd) .'NI'CASkEY,
Commander