New-York tribune., 1908-12-15
MESSAGE BY PRESIDENT
SENDS REPORT LNPLICAT-
ING NEGROES.
Detectire Employed by Udr De-
partment Obtained Confession
from Discharged Soldier.

made bv Herbert J. Browne detective IN tne
employ of the War Department who stated anaI
he had secured confession from Boyd ConyeTS.
one Of the former privates in the battalion OF
the 18th Infantry which was discharged for the
shooting up OF Brownsville. that the shooting
had been done by members OF Company 3 or
the battalion. and that the raid was part or a
conspiracy which formed before the nesro
troops were sent 10 Brownsville
, In his report Mr. Browne declares that let-
ter which COnyers had received from Senator
Foraker had been extremely obstructive as
Conyers seemed to regard it mandate 70
adhere to the false story told by him before
the Senate Committee on Military Affairs and
as absoIving him from any and all obligations
to aid in uncovering the truth The letter OF
Senator Foraker referred to is quoted as follows
in Brownies report:
United states Senate.
Committee on Pacific Islands and Porto Rico.
Cincinnati. Aug IS. 1905
Mr. Boyd Conyers. Monroe. Ga
Dear Sir. On my return here found await
ing me your letter Of July "a hardly know
from what you state just what II IS that ha5
transpired, do I know just what u Is
should do TO get the character Of information 70
which YOU refer II you viii W-ite me again AZ
YOUR convenience. giving me clearer account.
will be glad to avail myself Of it TO the extent
remen1ber YOU very well as a witness before
the committee. and I sure you did not there
testify to anything except only the truth very
truly yours, etc J. B. FOHAhEF~
In his message the President recommends that
a law be passed authorizing the Secretary OF
War to refnstate within years time the inno-
cent or less guilty" members Of the battalion
who satisfy him that they have done al they
can TO bring the guilty TO justice
The Presidents message accompanying the
report of Mr.. Browne follows
To the Senate:
I fnclose herewith a letter from the Secretary
of War transmitting report Of the investtga-
ton made by Mr.. Herbert J. Browne. ernpIoyed
! by the department IN conjunction Win captain
/ ". G. Baldwin 10 investigate as far as pcsSlole
what happened at BrownsE1le On the 18TH ana
| 18th Of August 1SO6 Ihe report ana oOGu-
| ments contain some information Of great value
| and some statements that are obviously worth
| less but I submit them in their entirety
This report enables US to FIX with toleraols
defniteness at least some Of the criminals who
took the lead in the murderous shooting or
private citizens at Brownsville II establishes
clearly the fact that the COOred soldiers did the
shooting but upon this point further record
,,-as UNNECESSARY as the fact that the COlOred
soldiers did the shooting has already been es-
tabIished beyond all possibility OF doubt The
investigation has not gone far enough 20 enable
Us TO determine all the facts. and viii pro-
80 7itb r. br+ II has gone far enough 70 de-
termine with sufficient accuracy certain facts
of enough Importance TO make 1t advisable that
/ place the report before YOU II appears that
almost all the members Of Company must
have been actively concerned in the shooting.
either TO the extent Of being participants or 70
the extent of virtually encouraging those who
we're partlclpaHIS- As u oLhIaillsS aLI1 =,
there can be question that practically every
shooting was done by some OF the soldiers OF
Troop and possibly by two others in
one of the other troops ms concealInent vas
itself grave orfenCe- Wnlcn was SreaIly assTa-
waited by their testifytng before the Senate com
mittee that they were ignorant or Wnat tney
must have known NeveTtneieSs- II IS 10 %
said in partial extenuatiOn that they were prob
ably cOwed by threats. made by the more des-
perate of the men who had actually oeen en-
gagged in the shooting as to what would happen
to any man who failed TO protect the wrong
doers Moreover. there are circumstances tend
ing to show that these misguided men were en-
couraged by outsiders to persist IN their course
of conceaIment and denial 1 feel. therefore.
that the guilt of the men who. after the event.
thus shielded the perpetrators OF the wrong by
refusing to tell the truth about them though
serious was IN part due to the Unwtse and i'm
proper attitude of others, and that some meas
IRE Of aIIovance should be made for the mis-
conduct In other words. believe We can sf-
ford to reinstate any of these who
truthfully tell what has happened. give all tbs
aid they can to fix the responsibility upon thOss
who are really guilty, and show that they them
selves had guilty knowledge beforehand and
in way implicated in the affair. save by
having knowledge OF II afterward and falling
and refusing TO divulge IL. Under the circum-
stances. and in view Of the length OF time they
have been out Of the service. and their loss OF
the benefit that would have accrued 20 them by
continuous lohStlhe SerVtce. we can aIIOrd 20
treat the men who meet the requirements given
above as having been sufficiently punished BY
the consequences they brought upon themselves
when they rendered necessary the exercise OF
the disciplinary power. recommend that law
be passed allowing the Secretary Of War within
fixed period Of time. say a year 70 retnstate
any of these soldiers whom he after careful ex-
animation finds to have been innocent and
whom he finds. TO have done ali in his power TO
help bring to justice the guilty
Meanwhile the investigation will be continued.
The results have made il obvious that only by
carving on the investigation the War De-
partment has actually carried il is there the
slightest chance Of bringing the offenders 10
Justice or OF separating not the innocent. for
there were doubtless hardly any innocent. but
the less guilty from those whose guilt he'll
nous. THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House December - 1905.
THE REPORT OF MIR BROWNE
The report Of Mr.. Browne which vas transmits
ted hv Secretary Wright the President.
of general survey of the investigation. the con-
fession OF Boyd Conyers. late private Company B.
a5th Infantry. report the participation OF the
guard and sentlnels and details Of evidence con-
cerning the raid afndavits the statements made
and voluminous correspondence on the case The
| general report dated December 3. 1eoS. says
F,x-Prtvate Boyd Conyers. OF Company B. 18Th
Infantry now at Monroe. Ga. told William Law
son. a detective In the employ OF Captain William
G; Baldwin. OF Roanoke. Va. that he and three
Tor fourI other men OF the 18th Infantry the
leaders in the Brownsville raid This information
was obtained az different dates during the month
| Of June. 1895.
| submit the afidavit presented There are
certain discrepancies OF minor character due 70
the fact that Lawson is Hiiterate and had de-
pend on his memory for details. But IL should Be
/ borne in mind that Lawson unacquainted with
the details OF the Brownsville raid. and given
/ information which could have only from cns
familiar with the history Of the affair Law
! YEAR ROUND LIMITED QUICKEST
1 \ n.