New-York tribune., 1908-12-15
BROWNSVILLE RAID
UP IN SENATE AGAIN
MR.. FORAKER AROUSED
RTSHES TO DEFENCE or
NEGRO SOLDIERS.
Attacks Presidents Course and Use
of DetectiUes- Bitter Debate
Expected.
From The Tribune Bureau ]

A%N l'OCiO"'
From The Tribune Bureau-l
Washington, Dec. II The President sent to
the Senate to-day wholly unexpected special
message on the Brownsville affray, in which ne
disclosed the fact that detectives had been
working on the affair and had obtained a con-
fession of guilt from one of the negro soldiers
of the 25th Infantry. in which he implicated
several other soldiers as his accomplices-
Senator Foraker Immediately undertook to Off
set the effect of the message by a long and some
what sensational discourse in which he de
nounced the course of the President in employ
ing detectives and making secret tnvestiga-
tions after those under suspicion had pleaded
mot guilty outrageous He declared that
the Senate had not yet got TO the bottom OF the
affair and added: Il am of the opinion that
when this thing has been gone to the bottom of.
all honest men will be ashamed of it.
Mr.. Foraker took the ground that because two
Of the thirteen members of the Committee on
Military Affairs had voted against a resolution
declaring that the evidence failed exOnerate
the negro soldiers and because by a vote Of
s TO 4, the committee decided that the shooting
Brownsville was done by the negroes, the
under suspicion had already been tried for their
lives and therefore any further effort on the
part of the President the War Department to
detect the actual culprits was shameful perse-
cution."
Those familiar with the mass of evidence
taken by the Military Affairs Committee call
attention to the fact that the defence either
failed entirely to call before the committee the
men now asserted to be the real culprits. or. in
the case of those called subjected them only to
the most cursory examination. The calling OF
negro witnesses and their direct examination
was left entirely in the hands of the defence.
SENATOR FORAKER's SPEECH
Mr. Foraker offered an amendment to his res
oution now pending, which provides for the
creation of a commission to be composed Of
Lieutenant Generals Bates and Chaffee. Major
Generals Davis and Jesse Lee and Brigadier
General Daggett. all retired to pass on the
question Of whether not the soldiers should
be allowed to re-enlist, but the amendment was
purely Incidental to the long speech he made in
which he sought to turn TO ridicule the report
of negro detective employed by the War De-
partment because he signed his report with his
mark and tried generally 70 Offset the force of
the information the President submitted TO the
Senate.
Mr. Foraker read a letter from Boyd Conyers,
a discharged soldier who is alleged TO have
made a confession to a negro detective named
Lawson. whose report accompanies others col
Iected in the document made I'D by the War De
partment and read to-day. In his letter TO Sen
Lawson TO Monroe. Ga. where Conyers was Nv
ing C,onvers saws he learned that Lawson was
there to pick him. and that he had the high
sheriff arrest Lawson. AS Lawson mad not
had an opportunity to have private talk Win
C,onvers. according TO the latters letter II
made him angry. and Conyers says Lawson
told les to the Sheriff about him
At this point Nj Foraker referred caustically
70 the negro detective. calling attention to the
fact that his high sounding. smooth Logical re-
port is signed with his mark
Taking up a second letter from Conyers, oe-
fore reading II. Senator Foraker said: This is
a little tedious perhaps. but l think 1t Is due
to this soldier due to the TRUTH and due to com
,,,,n decencv that the whole Of this story be
told"
Mr. Foraker said the statement Of the Presi-
dent concerning this investigation by detectives
showed the propriety of adopting such provl-
sion as that embodied in his amendment He
road letter he had written TO Conyers, in which
ba said he (the Senator) would look after the
,7etacttvas who we're visiting him at the proper
time"
THAT promise will be made good declared
Mr. Foraker Enough has been shown he as
serted TO make it the imperative duty OF the
Senate to create tribunal before which these
men can go and receive hearing Is there
ANYTHING more atrocious than this proceeding
against these men? This is the sixth time they
have been put on trial. and five times they have
been acquitted. in my opinion
Mr. Foraker closed by declaring that the
Presidents statement that the espionage on the
soldiers of the 25th Regiment would be
tinued was additional reason for some prompt
action by the Senate.
MIR LODGE TO SPEAK TOMORROW.
While there is almost likelihood OF Mr..
Foraker's proposition receiving favorable con-
sideration that will not prevent a lively and
possibly acrimonious debate at this session.
brownsville has been made the regular order
for Wednesday. on which day Senator Lodge
will speak. explaining his reasons for his vote
In committee His address has been carefully
prepared and viii doubtless have great weight.
MIR Foraker's attitude to-day. however. ind-
Gates that he will strenuously contest the posi-
tion of the large majority of the committee
and endeavor 10 have the evidence submitted by
the President to-day rejected. on account of
the Presidents remarks on the Secret Service
Mr. Foraker will undoubtedly find some sym
uathizers in the Senate. II was noticeable to-
day "that although the President clearly ex-
nlained that the information he had obtained
had been furnished by a private detective
agency there was suspicion among Senators
that In some way they could not explain the
Secret Service had had a hand in the affair
and that suspicion made some. at least hostile
The President says in his message that the in
vestigation is still in progress. and this led to
inquiries TO where the money coming
from. and promises that the appropriation bills
would be carefully scanned with a view to
eliminating any funds which the Executive
is charged against soldiers