Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-14


ed the guardhouse they ran in the back
way and got into their hunks. Sergt
Reld came IN and SWore at them, but
Conyers was so excited and out of breath
that he could hardly stand, so Reid sta
toned him at the rear of the guardhouse
in the dark. where he could not be scruti-
niZed SO closely.
'Holloman came around with. extra
cartridges about daybreak and Reid
passed them out. The guns were all
cleaned before daylight"
William Lawson's Affidavit.
This day personally appeared before me
William Lawson. who, being duly sworn
deposes and says:
ON June D. 1908. ] was sent to Monroe
Ga, to interview Boyd Conyers, one of
the soldiers who was stationed at Browns
vile. Tex. in August, 1906. I was sent
by Mr.. Baldwin to get In with Conyers
and ascertain if he knew who did the
shooting at that point L was not given
the names of any of the members of
either of the companies stationed at that
point, nor was l given any other informa-
uon, except the fact that q shooting oc-
CURED at the time and place above men
toned and that Boyd Conyers was sus-
pected of knowing who did same.
i arrived at Monroe Ga. on June 5.
ana stopped at the home of Esther Crews
colored. l met Boyd Conyers, who is
known as 'Buddie Conyers. on the morn
ing of June 6, but had very little con-
Versation with him, but was introduced to
him as an old soldier. On the morning
of June 8. between and clock, l met
Conyers about halfway between the sta
ton house and Main street. We talked
some twenty OF twenty-five minutes. II
preached the Brownsville case. and men,
toned the fact that the soldiers had
shown their good sense by keeping their
mouths while at Washington I then
asked him what the motive was for the
shooting. He told me that the Crackers
at Brownsville had made threats that they
would have no negro soldiers at Browns
Vile, and the soldiers had made it up in
their minds that If they bothered them
that they would go In and clean up the
ground. He also said that they mentioned
this to Sergt. Reid. who was commander
of the guards, and that Reid said, All
that / have to say is to take care of your
self and the boys when you go down there
s. H. Parker, whose home is at Charles
ton S. c., was present and heard the
same conversation.
about then a gentleman called Conyers
to come and clean some clothes. and Con-
yers left. and nothing further was said
about the matter at this time. ! was with
Conyers nearly every day, and went to
Gainesville, Ga, on an excursion with him
on the 18th Of June. l did not mention
the Brownsville matter to ConyerS again
until on the 18th of June, when returned
| from Atlanta, having gone there on June
q. On this date l met him at Joe Bias
| singames. and had pint bottle of liquor.
offered him drink-he would not drink
in the house, but we went up the street
and we stopped under a Storehouse porch,
near Main street. We took a drink or
two. and 1 started the Brownsville case
again. He told me that he was doing
guard duty at the time Of the shooting at
Brownsville, and was stationed at the out
| let toward the town. He said that when
the guard was called the night of the
shooting they mentioned to Sergt. Reid
what had occurred downtown. and he said.
Boys, If you are not satisfied, you will
have to go and get satisfied and they re-
marked that they were going to get salts
faction that night Reid then laughed
and said. Boys. don't you go down there
and let them get the best of YOU He
then assigned the guard and went away.
in this conversation Conyers told me
that John Brown, J. II. Holloman and a
man named Powell and several others
came down where he was on guard. and
them h and after they shot out
all of their cartridges they ran back to
the barracks. and when they got back to
the barracks they found that the alarm
had been sounded and the officers were
calling the roll. Holloman. Brown and
himself were late for roll call but that
some one answered for Brown and Hollo-
man. but that he was late and that Reid
told him that they had gotten themselves
and himself in a h of hole. and told
him to go to the guardhouse and pretend
to be asleep. which he did.
"He told me that they had slipped a
| few cartridges when at target practice
| and that before inspection. after the
! shooting, Reid gave him some cartridges
| to replace the ones he had used. He
| further said that they had all agreed be-
| fore they went out that they would keep
| their mouths and that he would have told
| them at the investigation at Washington
| all about the shooting. but that he was
| afraid. I had no further talk with Con-
yers because l saw that l was being
| suspected by the negroes around Monroe,
Ga.
CIVILIAN CHS mark LAWSON"
Witnesses:
Fl. J BROWN
GEO. W. MADERT.
| District of Columbia, SIS:
| Subscribed and sworn to before me.
notary public in and for the District
| aforesaid, this 18th day of October. A. d.
| 1908.
(seaD GEO. W. MADERT.
Notary Public.
H. J. Brownies Investigation.
This day personally appeared before me
Herbert J. Browne Of Washington, D. c.,
who, being duly sworn. deposes and says:
| II was employed by the War Depart
ment in May, 1908, in company with
Capt. William G. Baldwin of Roanoke
| Va, chief of the Baldwin Detective
Agency, to investigate the conduct Of the
battalion of the 18th Infantry stationed
at Brownsville. Tex. which conduct re-
suited in the Brownsville raid so called,
| on the night of August 13-14, 1906. where
| in one Frank Natus was killed, Lieut.. of
Police Dominguez badly wounded, and
| the houses of several citizens were shot
| into Capt Baldwin has charge of the
| secret work for the Norfolk and Western
| railway. the Chesapeake and Ohio rail-
way. the Southern railway and the At
| lantic Coast Line. and is one of the best
| known and most responsible detectives in
| the country.
| I'm conjunction with him l have been
| continuously employed upon this work
| since it's inception. in May.
| 1.-The facts set forth in my report ad-
dressed to Gen. George b. Davis, judge
| advocate general, War Department, under