The Washington herald., 1908-04-22


knowledge OF the raid,
Mr.. Warner had not finished more than
a quarter Of his speech when he yielded
the floor to Senator Hale In order that
the naval appropriation bill might be
considered, He will resume after the
routine morning business to-day
The Senator's opinion Of the facts In
the case were expressed in these words:
Mr., President, In the investigation Of
the Brownsville affray. extending through
months. have endeavored 70 weigh the
evidence with the sole view OF doing even
handed justice to the soldiers of Companies
b. c, and d OF the Twenty-flfth infantry
and guided by this rule. ] am driven
TO the conclusion that members Of those
companies whose identity has not been
shown made the midnight assault on the
sleeping and helpless citizens Of Browns
Vile"
Race Issue Not Involved.
He deprecated efforts which have as
their object to inject into the controversy
the race issue. saying:
The question of fact whether or not
members OF those companies participated
in the Brownsville ARRAY, should be an
swered without prejudice, either in favor
OF or against them, by reason OF their
race OF color and It IS 10 be regretted
that a studious and systematic effort has
been made 20 arouse the race feeling of
the negroes OF the country against the
President because OF his action with ref
erence 10 those companies
Il
issue, have taken upon themselves a
heavy responsibility. for their action must
necessarily serve 10 increase the race
prejudice which now exists TO an unfor-
tunate extent II is incredible 10 me that
any intelligent man. white or black.
should have the hardiho0d TO charge that
the President, in issuing the order dis
charging those soldiers was Influenced
against them by reason Of their
color"
Senator Warner reviewed the findings
OF the several bodies. military and civil.
which have investigated the raid, and the
evidence upon which the President acted
in dismissing the three companies without
honor. Al times Senator Foraker inter-
rUpted the speaker to contest or bring out
his view Of certain phases Of the evidence.
and It was these Interruptions which pre-
vented the Missouri Senator from making
more progress upon his speech.
"Indlgnitiess Led TO Raid.
When he had been speaking for nearly
two hours. Senator Warren suggested that
the speaker must be fatigued. and sug-
gested that he be allowed to continue to-
day. Mr.. Warner readily accepted the
suggestion. saying that he knew it was
the desire TO begin consideration Of the
naval bill
The causes Of the raid by the negroes.
! Senator Warner said, we're. in his opinion.
due to the alleged indignities which mem
/ bers Of the battalion suffered during their
short stay at Fort Brown. He called at
I tention, however TO the fact that these
/ indigniues were ali committed by customs
house officers, and not by private citizens
/ or the police, except the setting aside Of
| separate bars for the soldiers in some
and their exclusion from other American
/ saloons in the town.
Findings All Agree on Guilt.
| Defending the Presidents action. Mr..
Warner said, in part:
''The conclusion reached by the grand
! jury that the shooting was done by sol
diers was the same as that reached BY
the citizens' committee and by Majors
| Penrose and Blockson.
! Although all the reports coming 10 the
| President from civilians and army Off
| GERS cOncurred in the finding that the
i assault on Brownsville was made by un-
identified soldiers of the colored battal-
| ion, yet he was loath TO issue the order
discharging. without honor, all. or part.
| of the battalion present at Fort Brown
on the night OF the shooting, in the hope,
no doubt that further investigation would
develop facts that would enable him.
with reasonable certainty, TO separate the
/ innocent from the guilty. This delay. II
| was claimed In certain quarters. showed
on his part not only a want Of regard
for the discipline Of the army, but also
for the protection OF che lives OF the
citizens, some even going so far as to
charge that the delay was because OF
] faYoritism 10 the negro troops.
His Action Not Hasty.
in a final effort to get. If possible,
additional facts. the President, on the
Fourth day Of October, 1906 ordered Brig.
Gen. Darlington, inspector general Of the
United States Army, an officer of long
service, to proceed to Fort Reno Okla
where the Brownsville battalion was then
stationed. and make further investiga-
ton OF the Brownsville ARRAY, with in
structions to notify the soldiers OF Com
panies B and c and d, that if the iden-
| tity of the guilty parties was not re-
vealed. an order or dismissal without
honor, would be issued. Gen. Darlington
after many days OF careful investigation
at Fort Reno, Okla, where the Brown
vile battalion was then stationed. being
in constant consultation with the officers
found, beyond reasonable doubt TO use
his language, that the firing into the
homes of citizens Of BrOwnville
was done by enlisted men Of the colored
battalion.
since the Presidents order there have
been three separate Investigations OF the
Brownsville affray-one ex parte, it Ii
true, by Major Blockson, of the United
States army, and Mr.. Purdy, OF the De.
partment of Justice; another by the Pen.
rose court-martial, and the next by the
Senate committee. The evidence taker
at each of these investigations has
strengthened the reports submitted to the
President, and upon which he based his
order Of dismissal An impartial review
of the testimony Of these Investigations
leads irresistibly to the conclusion thai
some of the members of the eoIorec
battalion participated In the shooting up
Of the town Of Brownsville, and thai
others were guilty as accessories befor,
or after the fact
'sThe court-martial that tried Major
Penrose on the charge of neglect of duty
TO the prejudice Of good order and mill
tary discipline, in violation of the sixty
second article OF war, while it acquitted
that officer It found that certain men o.
his command shot, wounded, and kilIeC