The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-22
ACTS OF NEGRO SOLDIERS
 JUSTIFIED TIE. DISCHARGE
Senator Warner Makes Careful An aIysis of the Brownsville Case and Declares the Testimony Shows
 the President Was Right.

tiga tions of the Brownsville affair which led to the discharge of a number of negro soldiers of the Twenty-fifth infantry and especially by the committee on military affairs, was presented to the Senate to- day by Senator Warner of Missouri.
 Tn the war of 1s6l-1S65 l served in the same command with negro troops" said MT Warner The surviving veterans of those troops wear with me, as comrades. the button of the Grand Army of the Republic, and certain it is l have no prej udice against negro soldiers. Lawless- ness is not distinguishing characteris- tic of any race or color"
 The Missouri Senator quoted freely throughout his discourse from testimony taken in the several investigations of the charge that the negro soldiers shot up the town
 Tt is to be regretted" he said, that studious and systematic effort has been made to arouse the race feeling of the Iegroes of the country against the Pres ident because of his action with reference to these companies. Those who thus work to arouse a race issue have taken upon themselves $ heavy responsibility, for their action must necessarily serve to increase the race prejudice which now exists to an unfortunate extent.
 Tt is incredible to me that any intelli- gent man, white or black, should have the hardihood to charge that the Presi- dent, ill issuing the order dscharging these soldiers was influenced against them by reason of their color"
 Investigation Ordered.
 It was not he pointed out, until after
  made it's reports, and Major. penrose had been convinced that the soldiers did the shooting that the President ordered Major Blocksom to investigate and further ad- vise him as to the facts MT. Warner quoted extensively from Major Blocksom'S reports. The President he said was not yet satisfied and ordered General Gar lington to make an investigation, so that if possible the guilty parties might be de- tected.
 Discussing the theory of possible plot on the part of the citizens of Brownsville against the negro soldiers, MT Warner said:
 After thorough examination of the evidence | am convinced that the atti- tude of the Brownsvllle people toward the coored troops was unjust and that the feeling of deep resentment against the citizens which the soldiers had was but natural vet such resentment, however just could furnish no excuse for the at tack which was made by soldiers, but the record of the troops at other army posts in the south and west, whether the troops were white or coored, shows such an outbreak and shooting up of town to De n method of revenge that naturally sug- pests itself to men who have arms at Iand and have been trained in the use or them.
 ssThat the negroes strongly resented the treatment received there is evidence.
 Change of Opinion.
 ..In connection with the change of opinion on the part of the officers, there is one fact. which. in my judgment, had an influence if not a controlling lnnn- .nce. OF them. The fact is, the ordering of the court-martial to try Major Penrose and Captain Macklin on the charge or neglect of duty in reference to the Brownsville affray
 That the courtmartial of the com manding officers and Captain Macknn nroduced strong feeling on the part or these officers and that the esprit de corps of the regiment has affected the other officers so that all those officers look eagerly to any circumstances to exculpate the men of their command there is little doubt This spirit is to be taken into consideration in weighing their evidence
 "The contention,' he added, that the saloonl<eepers of Brownsville shot up the town finds no support in their evidence fin fact the claim that the saloonkeepers, fiji order to get rid of.the colored troops, fired into the homes of their friends With a reckless regard of their lives, while thev were careful of the lives of the soldiers, is too great tax on ones credulity.''
 The claim that the citizens of Browns vile did the shooting, he said for the purpose of getting rid of the negro soldiers finds r1 reasonable support in the testi- mony.
 Citizens Not Responsible.
 Such a theory requires us to believe that the citizens of Brownsville entered into conspiracy to terrorize, maim and kill their unsuspectng friends and to ac- compish these acts in such manner that the terrorzing, mainiing and killing would be charged to the soldiers, he added, that is carrying this conspiracy into execution, handful of men, at the hour of midnight, clad in the klfahki uni form of soldiers, armed with high power guns met immediately In the rear of the barracks of the soldiers and opened fire so aiming their guns as not to scar the barracks or endanger the life or limb of the soldiers; that they then proceeded into the town shooting into the dwelling houses and business places of those who, like themselves, desired a riddance of the negro soldiers, and then that their crime might be fastened upon the negroes beyond the peradventure of doubt, this band of raiders marched to the saloon of one of the men who had been loud in demanding the removal of the negro troops and there shot down the barkeeper Frank Natus, and on their way wounded the lieutenant of the com pany Gan officer without an enemy in the city), and whose only offense on the fatal night was that, on seeing the rangers shooting in the houses, he realizing that the lives of men, women and children were imperled, rode. amid showers of bullets through the street shouting Put out your lights. put out your lights.
 He concluded by declaring that the three bullets in the Yurria house pointed con- clusively to the point from which they were fired, being, the second porch of the barracks occupied by Company B.