Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-02-28
STANDS BY THE PRESIDENT.
Senatorial Committee That Investigated
Brownsville Affair.

That the shooting in the affray at
Brownsville, Tex, on the night OF Au-
gust 18th 14th, 1906, was done by some
of the negro soldiers Of the twenty
fifth United States infantry, and that
the testimony taken before the senate
committee on military affairs falls to
identify the guilty parties is the opin-
ion Of eight members OF the committee.
Four members of the committee voted
against this decision and one member
did not vote. The resolution declaring
the guilt OF the negroes was submitted
by Senator Lodge and was adopted al
ter five resolutions by Senator Foraker,
one by Senator Dupont and one by Sen
IatOr Scott all of which were oHereu
as substitutes. had been voted down.
The vote was reached after prolong-
ed investigation extending over TWO
sessions Of congress and evidence ha1
been taken covering thousands Of pages.
Practically every negro Of the three
companies Of infantry dishonorably
discharged by President Roosevelt, tes-
titled in his own behalf, while evidence
In support Of the president was given by
many army officers and citizens OF
Brownsville. Throughout the entire
controversy which in many sections OF
the country has been made political
issue, the anti-administration side has
Deen OlTecIeu Dy oeudlOT rOIdhCi' III
the final vote in the committee ma
jority of the Republican members came
to his support. The Ohio senator ex-
pressed himself as gratified at this, as
1t was apparent from the outset that
all Of the Democratic members were
convinced that the negroes did the
shooting.
The fight again will be carried to the
floor OF the senate. The reports from
the committee will not be made for
about ten days. After the reports have
been made to the senate 1t Is expected
Senator Foraker will press the matter
to a vote there. The Ohio senator pur-
poses also to introduce bill to restore
to the military service such Of the dis
charged negroes as were shown beyond
a reasonable doubt to have been tnno-
cent Of any offense connected with the
affair.
The committee was in session today
for nearly three hours. II was In the
main harmonious. Practically the only
| passages at arms were Of parliamen-
tary nature. Senator Lodge offered q
resolution as follows:
THAT, in the opinion Of this commit
tee, the shooting in the affray at
Brownsville on the night Of August
13th-14th, 1905. was done by some Of
the soldiers belonging to the Twenty
| fifth United States infantry then sta
toned at Fort Brown, Tex"
Senator Foraker offered as substi-
tute the following:
The testimony wholly fails to iden-
tify the individuals or any Of them,
who participated in the shooting az
fray"
The Foraker substitute was defeated
by vote of to 5. the affirmative votes
icing Scott, Foraker, Hemenway,
Bulkeley and Dupont. The negatives
were Warren, Lodge, Warner, Taliafer-
70, Foster, Overman, Frazier and Nc
Creary. The last five named are Dem
ocrats The alignment substantially
was the same on most Of the substi-
tutes offered. The Lodge resolution
| enally was adopted by the same divls-
| ION, except that Senator Dupont did
not vote, making three Republicans and
Eve Democrats in favor Of dischargtng
the negroes, and four Republicans on
record against 1t.
After the Lodge resolution was
adopted Senator Warner offered the
following resolutions:
THAT the testimony fails to identlfy
the particular soldier or soldiers who
participated in the shooting affray.
Il was agreed to by a vote Of eight yeas.
| 1--we Republican senators opposed to the
Lodge resolution not voting. ...