The Washington times., 1908-12-14

tllS bdlAdAiou OF luS IMeuLA-l4lln IN
fantry, stationed at Brownsville Tex,
which conduct resulted in the Browns
Vile raid, 50 called, on the night Of
August G-14 1876, wherein one Frank
Na;us was killed. Lieutenant OF Police
Dominguez badly wounded. and Ihs
houses OF several citizens were shot
into. Captain Baldwin has charge OF
the secret work for the Norfolk and
western Railway, the Chesapeake and
ONO Railway the Southern Railway.
and the Atlantic Coast Line, and Is one
OF the best known and most responsible
detectives In the country.
In conjunction with him l have been
continuously employed upon this work
since its inception, in May.
The facts set forth In my report ad-
dressed 10 Gen George b. Davis, judge
advocate general. War Department. un-
der date Of December 3. 1893. are true 10
ehe best Of my knowledge and belief.
In particular ] visited Monroe. Ca,
TO cOrrObOrate the investigation at that
point of William Lawson. a cOlOred de-
teCtlye IN the employ OF Captain Bald
win, whose affidavit and reports are
annexed TO and made a part of my re
port or December .. 1905. afaye referred
10.
More Information
Il had several interviews at Monroe
with Boyd Conyers, ex-priyate OF Com
pany b, Twenty-ffth Infantry, one OF
the guard on the night Of the Browns
Vile raid, and found that William Law
sons statements regarding Conyers
were substantially and essentially cor
rect. 1 personally obtained from Con-
yers further information detailing how
the cartridges used IA the raid were sur
reptitiousIy and Illegally obtained and
distributed, how the principal raiders
proceeded. when and by whom the gun
racks in Company = were unlaWfully
and secretly opened for the purpose Of
the raid. how the raiders were protect
ed during and subsequent u the raid.
and given opportunity to clean their
guns. and. in particular, was furnished
by COnyers with the name Of eight
participants IN the raid other than the
three named by him in his statements
20 William Lawson. q total OF eleven, IN
GLIDING himself. the said ConyeTs, al
members Of Company 3 Twenty-ntth
"The leaders Of the raid. as named
by Boyd COnyers. were John HouOmOns
John Brown. Carolina dc SausSure, ana
himself Following them We're William
Anderson. James Bailey, Charles T..
Cooper, William Lemons Henry inner
son, James 'kastuS Johnson, and
Henry Sonny Jones Sergeant Reid, IN
charge OF the guard. was accused by
Conyers OF knowledge before and after
the raid. Sergt- George Jackson in
charge OF the keys Of the gun racks OF
3, was accused OF opening
the racks for the raiders, and OF again
opening them subsequent to the raid IN
order that the guns might be removed
and cleaned
frame or mind No claim IS made that
his original declarations 70 William
] wson were other than those OF
bossting 10 one Of his own
race Of his crime and OF his success in
aScapinr discovery. His subsequent
declarations 20 me were given partly
during moments OF COutritOn and in
a desire 20 unload his conscience by a
confession and partly as the result OF
careful and persistent questioning
FOIaker's Letter.
81 found the effect OF the letter from
Senator Foraker to Conyers extremely
Obstructive. He seemed to regard II
as g. mandate TO adhere TO the false
story told by him before the Senate
Committee on Military Affairs. and as
absoIving him from any and all obliga- /
lions to aid in uncovering tie truth.
Similar influences were encountered at
many points, adding largely 20 the dif-
icuIty OF obtaining admissions OF even
the most obvious facts relative TO the
raid. HERBERT 7. BROWNE.
Subscribed and sworn TO before ME
This 9th day of December. 1908.
-Seal1 J. b RANDOLPH.
Notary Public I
AnaIyzing the admitted facts and re-
,orCed testimony concerning the guard
1n the night Of August '5-14, 1906, the
following is presented
The guard consisted OF seventeen men, /
10 wit:
sergt ]. R. Reid. Company B. IN
charge.
CorpL Ray Burdett. Company b
Corpl. Anthony Franklin, Company 3. /
Corpl- Samuel Wheeler, Company D, /
)n post
Musician Hoyt Robinson, Company D. /
Pvt. Boyd Conyers, Company 3.
Pvt. Carolina de Saussure, Company I
Pvt. Lawrence Daniels, Company B. (
Pvt. Frank Bounsler. Company c.
Pvt r. L. Collier. Company G.
Pvt. Joseph Rogers, Company Q.
PVT Andrew Mitchell, Company c.
Pvt. S NJ. Battle, Company D.
On post:
No. /. Pvt. B. F. Johnson. Company d.
No. >, Pvt. Joseph Howard, Company
No. ,, Pvt Charley Hairston, Com
No. 4, Pvt. Alexander Ash. Company
None Implicated
None Of the men on post are impIi-
.ated in the charges as active partici-
,ants in the raid.
CT the men on relief Pvt. Boyd Con-
'ers' statements directly affect himse,r
nd Pvt. Carolina de Saussure as two oCI
he principal participants and ring
eaders. and Sergt. ]. R. Reid as hav-
ng guilty knowledge pcrOre and after
he raid, using his position to aid in
overing and protecting the raiders
There is strong circumstantial evil
ence pointing TO the participation or
'vt- r l. Collier in the raid and guilty
after the raid on the part
f several OF the guard relief. OF the
elief guard. nOncOmmissiOned officers
no men alike. none could have escaped
ONE knowledge Of the more or less
terminating evidence against the
lardsmen now directly charged with
In the raid.
The gpardhOuse, situated east Of the
enter Of the parade. had a west-front
ntrance, with rooms for tIe nOncouI-
lissioned officers to the right and left
f the entrance. a general bunk room
)r the privates, a rear door leading
ito sally port which crossed the
uilding entirely from north to south.
pen at each end. and separating the
'ont portion from the prison cells IN