The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-12-15

This information was COrrQbOrated in
the presence of witnesses, but before
Lawson could finish his work Conyers
became suspicious and would give no
further evidence discriminating himself.
From then on he furnished to A. H
Baldwin. captain. w. G. Baldwin and
myself information by piecemeaI and
reluctantly. The name OF Carolina De
Saussure. his bunk mate, was the last
one obtained.
Attempt at Suicide.
"Conyers tried to commit suicide af-
ter he found that he had made his
statements to a detective, declaring that
the other negroes would kill him when
it got out He finally wrote TO Senator
Foraker and received a reply. copy of
which IS annexed. That reply ne con-
strued TO me, and stated that he would
stick to his original story told before
the senate committee at all hazards,
and there he stands. I have every rea-
son to believe that his confession is
genuine and gives for the first time the
true secret history of the Brownsville
raid.
THE list of participants given in this
report Conyers furnished personally. /
believe il is substantially correct, but
with the influences shown to be backing
Conyers to adhere TO his false testi-
mony given before the senate committee
are still being exerted. and he cannot
be relied upon to support his own con-
fession until it is thoroughly sustained
from other sources.
Evidences of similar eneourag cement
to stick to the lies told at Brownsville
and before the senate committee were
found i'm many places, and subsequent
70 the date of the Foraker letter they
became stronger and more obstructive
than ever.
Mo Promises of Immunity.
THE investigation has been conducted
with strict recognition of the ADVISABLE
ty of preserving secrecy and with dis
cretion No promises of immunity We're
made The knowledge. on the part of
ex-soldiers. that the government could
not punish them after their separation
from the service, coupled with the be-
lief that by preserving silence they
would aid in the passage of the relief
legislation now pending in congress, has
added TO the difficulty of securing in
formation.
The issue has evidently become
racial. These colored detectives would
be confronted frequently i'm the smaller
towns. where these men are living. with
a demand from colored men for infor-
nation as to their business.
we have located over $50 OF these
ex-soldiers, and have been in thirty
states in quest of information. The ap-
pendices give statements as to the re-
suits obtained. They indicate general
knowledge on the part of ex-soldiers
that the raid came from inside the fort
and that the soldiers of company B
were the guilty parties.
I'VE earnestly urge that we be per-
mitted TO continue the investigation.
Several detectives are still in the field,
and within the coming week a number
of affidavits viii be forthcoming"
Alleged Story of conyers.
Boyd Conyers' story is given here in
narrative form:
The rumors of trouble over the assign
ment of colored troops to Brownsville
were circulated before the troops left
for Fort NiObra, and preparations were
made among the men to get even with
the crackers" as the whites were called.
Some cartridges were held out at range
practice, but more go route TO Browns
vile.
The friction with the citizens Of
Brownsville began at once. In Boyd
Conyers' language, whisky made all
the trouble. If we hadn't been drinking,
shoot up the town" II was agreed. at
a-gathering of few men of the gar
risOn in the saloon of Allison. the coli
ored ex-soldier, on the afternoon of Au-
gust Is, 1906. that the raid should take
place that night at u O'Clock 1t seems
to have been delayed a few minutes to
let Tamayo, the Mexican scavanger. get
away from b barracks.
Money Lender Chief Conspirator.
John HollOman. the money lender of
company b. was the chief conspira tor
and leader in the raid. and custodian
and distributor of the cartridges but
his plans could not have been carried
out had not Sergeant George Jackson
of company =. in charge of the keys TO
the gun racks in B barracks. and Ser
geant Reid, in command of the guards
eo-operated both before and after the
raid
The four men who led the IA d We're