davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-05-02
A QUESTION on pIsTANCBs.

In all the Immediate neighborhooo
or the points where, according to ALI
the witnesses the first shots wdre
nred, whether inside or outside the
reservation, II was as dark as a very
dark night could make IL.
Ihese witnesses testified that hear
ing the firing they went TO their win
dows' looked out into this darkness
and at a distance ranging all the wav
from 80 up to $50 feet saw the firing
party and recognized them as SOL
dlers from the garrison by the color
OF their faces, by the uniforms they
wore, and the guns they carried.
IL Is unnecessary to go over this
evidence In a detailed way, for con-
ceding Tor the sake OF argument that
the witnesses undertook to testify
truthfully, the fiimsy and unreliable
character OF the whole OF IL is fairly
indicated by the testimony OF the
es." i'"eSS-
Without their testimony there ,e
no credible evidence whatever To SIM.
port the charge that the first shots
were fired from the barracks or from
any place within the reservation or
mat there was any jumping over the
wall by anybody.
Without the testimony of these
four witnesses the testimony of the
ofheers and the men of the battalion
that the shooting commenced at som.
point outside the reservation stands
practically uncontradicted.
These witnesses were George w.
Kendall and his wife, Jose MARTINEZ.
and ]. p. Mcdonnell.
Kendall and his wife lived In the
upper story OF a building that stood
on the corner OF Elizabeth street
and the Garrison road.
EVIDENCE ANALYZED.
Their front windows looked ont
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-05-02
Senator
FOTaker'S
Great
Speech.
CONTINUED From First Page.)

occupied on the night of the ARRAY
by Maj. Charles w. Penrose the COM
manding officer OF the battalion and
the post; Captain Lyon, commanding
Company ID; Captain Macklin. COM
handing Company G.; Lieutenant
Lawrason, commanding Company b,
and Lieutenant Grier. acting quar-
termaster and commissary of the
post.
Parallel with Elizabeth Street and
100 feet castwardly from the same,
in the middle OF the block. is an alley
20 feet in width, known in the tes-
timony as "Cowen alley"
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-05-02

habit Of working most opportunity IN
accordance with poor authors
plans.
BY some instinct. for which she
never ceased to be thankful. Ellen had
put their boat on the right course
when she hoisted the sail and crap
pied the tiller in that moment when
they had escaped from the Flying
Star. The moon rose late and by the
time II was shining brightly Ellen was
so far in shore toward the east side
OF Portsmouth ha-bor that the Brit
ANNA, numbering over toward the
Isle of Wight. had no chance OF pick
ing up the small boat
It was almost morning when Ellen
made a landing. The wind was ad-
verse for Portsmouth-whiCh did not
trouble her, for she was quite anxious
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-05-02

The Wall
not 20 appear I'm the streets OF that
town IN which she was sure her hus-
band, StrathCate and Sir Charles
would soon be assembled. She had
formed no plan ss 20 the future as vet
She only wished 90 get ashore. 90 get
something 10 eat and n place 70 lie
concealed while she thought 10 over.
The wind failed and it was not until
daybreak, or about four o'clock, that
Ellen ran ashore.
Il was lonely spot. some miles
10 the eastward or Portsmouth. She
aroused Deborah. who had slept most
or the nishl III me ooi'cn oi The boat
aud the TWO ure' women. after tying
the ooat 10 '.' s.'''' pc .lei inland.
Az FARMER
VIZ ''1 Jus y
'N'S 81, , '''"u ~-d i"''N "llcl
bluntcd the edge OF their appetite-it
must be remembered tlot they had
not eaten anything since the noon be-
fore-and from tie woman they
learned the lay cf tho land
They scrambled throU-h hy-paths
FOR loag time ard little after six
O'Clock reached the main road. Be
fore them rose the broken walls OF a
gentleman's country scat The road
was deserted at that hour. Ellen
hardly knew what to do. She did not
know how far IL was 10 the next inn.
nor was she certain. II she did know.
that II would be safe place for her
to hide. Debbie. out OF whom the
spirit had been almost crushed by the
succession OF dazzling adventures
through which she had passed, could
cHer no suggestion OF value. She
elung TO Ellen's arm as IL the latter
had been a man. and so far as
help or assistance was concerned was
mere dead weight.
"One thing tell you Ellen" she be-
gan at last. Il can 20 no farther; that
is, l can walk no farther. We must
ind some place 10 rest"
well. dear" said Ellen tired
enough herself. but a man beside moor
Debbie. Tets enter that mark per-
haps we can find some one there
among the servants who will helm ia
without asking too many questions
muse NlOluek You nave on. Ellen.
said Debbie. desperately. "are hound
TO attract attention. OF you in them.
j don't know what we are going to do
j wish were back in Darlington. or
I wish ! was in Boston. or on the Fly
ing Star, or anywhere but here"
Cheer up. Debbie." said Ellen tax.
ing her by the hand and leading her
forward. wen get into this mark and
It shall go hard with US If l don't find
some means of succoring Won"
The two stumbled along the roa5
for a quarter OF a mile Iool,tDo Co.
place OF entrance. The gate VS. he.
hind them. but Ellen did not deem Il
wise to try that. Finally they came
TO a low place in the wall over which
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-05-02
70 MORE NEEDED

t- Is. -. ~ !
other contradictory statements
might be cited. but it is unnecessary
90 add 90 those already given. They
are sufficient 90 show that these wit
nesses on account OF the darkness
and the excitement, made only the
most imperfect observation and were
unable at the INHERENT times they
testified TO recall them with accur-
acy or in such a way as 10 clearly
establish anything which they testi-
fed 20, except only that somewhere
IN their locality the firing commenced
by which they were aroused. and
that almost Immediately afterwards
the call TO arms was sounded. the
different companies were formed. and
they saw bodies OF men miving in dif-
ferent directions within the reserva-
ton, all OF which, in a general way. is
entirely consistent with what did in
fact happen
That the testimony OF these So
called "eye-witnesses. aside from
the many contradictions by them
selves and by one another, was en-
tirely unreliable Is shown by the tes-
timony OF all the officers and the
many other witnesses who testified
as 10 the darkness OF the night and
the impossibility OF recognizing indt-
viduals at any distance without the
help OF artificial light.
TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-05-02
ATLANTIC COASTLINE.
effective January 5. lO0sD
ZIP ANS LEAVE UTNTnFnNrn * a

TRAINS LEAvE RICHMOND DAILY.
For Florida and south-s:l5 A. n AID Ia
P. n, s1I:4O y. NJ
For Norfolk-o:oO A. n. 500 P. y and 7:zs
p N
For n. and W. Ry. west-s.os A. n. 12ls
and $40 p. NJ
For Petersburg: 500 A. n. 1910, 800. - q
r N, $500. $50 p. "A, 7:25 and 1850 p. N
FOR Goldsboro and Fayetteville: $40 p. NJ
Trains arrive Richmond daily-6:I0, s-so:5s
7;40 A. n; IS :S5, "Ho.f5 and IL 80 A. N u n
2:o5. ESQ. SEQ and SIS p N
Except Sunday. s'Sunday only sssExeept
Monday.
Time Of arrivals and departures and oonnes-
tions not guaranteed.
O. 8. cAlrPBEIL.p p
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-05-02

over the reservation Kendall testi-
fed that he was awakened by the
first shots that were fired; that he
went 10 his window and looking out
over the reservation TO see what was
occurring that while ne was looking
TO his right. in the direction Of the
barracks occupied by ID Company. he
heard a shot TO his left which sound
ed as though it had been fired from
some point i'm the reservation: that
thorcupon he turned mis- head to the
left 20 look I'm the direction from
which the sound came. and saw two
other shots fired in succession: that
they were fired from somewhere near
the east end OF B Company barracks.
and that the piece from which these
shots were fired, whether . sun or
a revolver, seemed TO be pointed up
ward, for the shots seemed 10 DC
fired into the air. He then saw and
heard men moving toward the wall
az point I'm front OF the mouth Of
Cowen alley, and saw and heard
them jump over the wall at that
point. on further examination and
cross-eXamination the witness stated
that he was scventy-two years
OF age; that he was totally blind in
one eye; that he had been so for n
generation IlauEhterl, and that his
sight from the other had been so far
impaired that he had been compelled
TO wear glasses for many years.
Before the Penrese court-martiaI
he testified that when he was awak-
ened and got up and went TO the
window he put on his glasses and
Herewith saw what he narrated.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-05-02
THE CHARGES.

This so-called "Purdy testimony"
was given by the citizens of Browns
vile, and was largely but q replti-
ton OF the testimony given previous
| ly, though not given under oath. II
did not embrace any testimony of the
soldiers, or Of anybody, I'm regard to
a Withholding of knowledge by the
soldiers, and there was no pretense
on the part Of anyone that any evil
dence had been discovered since Cen
eral Darlington s report 60 indicate.
much less establish, conspiracy of
silence, and at that time he officially
reported that he could find no evil
denCe whatever of any conspiracy Of
silence.
But whether justified or not. the
men were finally charged with
1. The organization of a conspiracy
20 shoot up the town.
2 That the squad which did the
shooting necessarily had q number
of accessories both before and after
the fact.
g. That the first shots were fred
from the upper gallery OF B barracks.
4. That other shots were fred
from within tho reservation.
8. That the raiders then jumped
over the wall and committed the out
RACES mentioned, returned 20 quar-
ters, and Joined their companies
without the detection OF any OF them
by their commissioned officers.
6. That or necessity such a con-
| spiracy could not have been formed
and executed without many. IL not
all, Of the enlisted men. particularly
the uon-commissioned officers. having
knowledge, which, II disclosed, would
lead 90 the identity. of the raiders.
and that the refusal OF the men TO
disclose such information was evil
dence OF conspiracy Of silence TO
defeat the ends of justice.
EVIDENCE AGAINST THE sol
DIERS.
The testimony 10 support these
charges consists of two classes-so.
called 'eye-witnesses." who testified
TO their personal observations. and
circumstantial evidence. such as the
finding OF cartridges, exploded shells
and so forth, at the places where
the firing was done
We are told in the majority re-
port that there were fifteen witness
es who saw the men who did the
hring and recognized them as sol
diers from the garrison. Most OF
these witnesses have testified four
different times.
First, before the citizens commit
tee a day or two after the shooting
occurred
Second, before the grand jury OF
Cameron County, in which Browns
Vile is situated.
Third, before the Penrose Court
martial, and finally before the Senate
Committee on Military Affairs.
Their testimony so given is suAi-
Gently contradictory to show that II
is unreliable.
But, aside from the contradictions
on account of the darkness of the
hight, many things that were testi-
fed to by these witnesses could not
have possibly been observed by them
There were no artificial lights in
the Cowen alley and no light OF any
Kind In the reservation. except at the
main gate, 12O feet distant from the
mouth of Cowen alley.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-05-02

OF the battalion that they have as
yet hardly discovered a single clue
70 such a terrible preconcerted crime
committed by so many men.
Il believe the battalion had an
excellent reputation up to the 18th
of August, but the stain now upon it
is the worst l have ever seen in the
Army.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-05-02
WANTED TO CHANGE TESTIMONY

Before the Senate committee ne
said he desired TO change that state
mont; that on reflection he had come
10 the conclusion that he did not
wear his glasses while making the
observations about which he testified.
but he claimed that at night his
sight was better without glasses than
with them.
But passing by all these damaging
features OF his testimony and giving
credence to what he says, the shots
he saw fred were doubtless those
fired by the sentinel. who testifes
that after the first fusillade OF shots
he passed between b and c barracks
to the front line. where. facing to-
ward the parade ground, he held HIS
piece in the air and fred upward
three shots in succession, calling out
after each shot. Corporal OF the
guard number two" That was the
kind Of signal which under such cir
cumstances he was required TO give.
Kendall was in a situation TO have
seen other shots, If any had been fred
Tie did not see any others.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-05-02

est official report laid before the Pres
ident, IL was said there was no tes-
| timony whatever. Although dill
gently searched for, the inspecting Of
ficers OF the Army had been unable
to find any testimony.
I In his message to the Senate OF
January Il, 1907, after the Purdy
testimony had been taken and the
President felt called upon to further
defend his action, he said:
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-05-02
a DETAILED EXPLANATION.

The mouth Of this alley approach
es the fort at point about opposite
the space between the b Company
and c Company Barracks.
Along the wall outside the reser-
walton was a road SO feet in width.
called the Garrison road.
Along the wall inside the reserva-
ton were the sinks, coal houses. and
other Outbuildings OF the barracks.
The barracks were twO-story build
ings, with lower and upper porches
In rear along their entire length.
Each OF these barracks was about
l65 feet IN width. The upper porch
was only u feet above the ground
THE CHARGE AGAINST THE SOL
DIERS.
The charge against the soldiers IS
that few minutes before midnight.
August 13, 1906, a squad, estimated
by the different witnesses all the
way from five or six to twenty, in
pursuance OF carefully planned and
preconcerted conspiracy to shoot IN
the town, in some way secured their
guns from the gun racks, opened fire
on the town from the upper porch of
b barracks. then rushed down to the
ground, and to the wall separating
the reservation from the town, jump
ed over the wall at a point opposite
Cowen alley, proceeded northwardls.
along that alley a distance of > or 3
squares. shooting into the houses. bo-
tells, and saloons, and at citizens on
the streets. with the result tina they
fred probably from two to three hun
dred shots, killed a bartender Of the
Ttllman saloon by the name Of Frank
Natus, killed the horse of the lieuten
ant OF police, Dominique, wounding
him in mis- left arm, and did other
damages OF one kind and another:
that at the corner OF the alley and
thirteenth street, where the Miller
Hotel is situated, the squad divided.
one portion OF it going east on Thir-
teenth Street 10 Washington Street.
the next street east of Elizabeth St.
where they Tired a number OF shots
into the house of a revenue deputy
by the name of Starck; that after
this, which was the last of the firing.
they returned to the fort and Joined
their companies without being detect
ed by their officers, who were at that
time wide-awake and engaged in the
formation Of the companies.
THE CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE.
Finally, under the stress of cir
cumstances, 1t was further charged
that, in the nature of things, It was
impossible for such a squad OF SOL
diers TO plan and execute such con-
spiracy without many, If not all,
or the other members of the bat
talon having knowledge which, IL
disclosed, would identify the partic-
ular individuals who participated in
the shooting, and that the inability
of the inspection officers and others
TO secure any such information was
to be attributed to conspiracy of
silence into which all having such
knowledge, whether few or many,
must have entered.
The gradual evolution of this last
charge is interesting, suggestive, and
instructive.
It had its inception, so far as the
record discloses, In the following
passage from the report of Major
Blocksom, dated at Brownsville, Au-
gust 90, 1906.
The officers appeared to be trying
to find the criminals, but IL is GER
tainly unfortunate for the reputation
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-05-02
MAJOR BLOCKSOM'S CONCLU-
SIONS.

Many of its old soldiers who had
nothing TO do with the raid must
know something tangible as to iden-
tity OF the criminals. If they DO not
disclose their knowledge, they shonld
be made 10 suffer with others more
guilty, as far as the law Will permit
If satisfactory evidence concerning
the identity of the criminals does not
come from members OF the battalion
before a certain date to be fixed by
the War Department I recommend
that all enlisted men OF the three
companies present on the night OF
August I 3 be discharged the service
and debarred from re-enlistment I'm
the Army Navy or Marine Corps"
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-05-02

ct is out of the question that the
fifteen or twenty men engaged in
the assault could nave gathered be-
hind the wall of the fort, begun fir
ing, some Of them on the porches OF
the barracks, gone out into the town
fired in the neighborhood OF 200 shots
in the town. then returned-the to-
tai time occupied from the time OF
the first shots TO the time Of their re-
turn being somewhere I'm the neigh
borhoOd of ten minutes-without ma
ny of their comrades knowing what
they had done.
Indeed. the fuller details as es-
tablished by the additional evidence
taken since I last communicated with
the Senate make it likely that there
were very few If any. OF the soldiers
dismissed who could have been iE-
norant of what occurred. Il is we'll
nigh impossible that any of the non
commissioned officers who were ae
the barracks should not have known
what occurred"
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-05-02

1.-The testimony OF the witnesses
and the position OF the bullet holes
show that fifteen or twenty of the
Negro troops gathered inside the fort
and that the first shots fired into the
town We're fred from within the fort
some of them, at least, from the
upper galleries Of the barracks.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-05-02
Southern Ry


\. B.-following schedule figures pubiislsd
only as Information. RRd are not guaranteed:
o;2O A. A-Daily-LoCal for Charlotte
l:l5 4. A.-Daily-Limited- Buffet Pullman 20
Atlanta and Birmingham. New Orleans
Memphis, Chattanooga, and all the south
Through coach FOR Chase City, Oxford,
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600 +. M.-Ex. sunday-Kevsviile Local
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YORK RIVER LINE.
1880 p. M.-EX. sunday-To West Point-Con
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TRAINS ARRIVE RICHMOND.
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Q. ". WESTBURY, ID. p. A.
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Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-05-02
This suggestion. withoi

This suggestion, without the
help OF any further testimony. took
definite form I'm the order OF Octo-
Der 4, 1906. issued by the Assistant
Secretary OF War, directing General
Darlington to make an investigation.
in the following language:
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-05-02
PRESIDENT ROOSEvELTS De
CISION.

'The President authorizes you to
make known to those concerned the
orders given by him I'm this case.
namely: IF the guilty parties can not
be discovered, the President approves
the recommendation that the whole
three companies implicated I'm this a.
trocious outrage should be dismissed
and the men forever debarred from
're-enlisting in the Army or Navy Of
the United States
And in this connection the presi-
dent further authorizes you to make
known TO those concerned that un-
less such enlisted men of the Tween
ty-hfth Infantry as may have knowl-
edge OF the facts relating to the
shooting. killing and riotous con-
duct on the part Of the men with the
organizations serving at Fort Brown.
Texas, on the night of the 18th Of
August, 1906, report TO you such
facts and all other circumstances
within their knowledge which will
assist I'm apprehendinE the guilty par
ties, orders will be Immediately is
sued from the War Department dis
charging every man In Companies b
c, and ID OF the Twenty-Rfth Infan-
try, without honor, and forever de-
barring them from re-enlisting in the
Army or Navy Of the United States
as we'll as from employment in any
civil capacity under the Government.
Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1908-05-02
EVIDENCE ANALYzr1

Their front windows looked O,
World's cresset. [volume] (JAH-ville [Colony], Fowler, Mo.) 1891-19??, 1908-05-21

the Illinois delegation on the
frat ballot, and at leas. one. half
uf the New York delegation;
that New England would oe
largely fer Taft: that Senator
Aldrict would work for Taft's
domination, and that the socalled
interests which hated him
tRoosevelt)so cordially would
he found lined zap for Taft be.
cause III the fear that il they did
not they would be confronted
with Roosevelt for another term.
The President explained ii this
way: This is their
reasoning said Mr.. Roosevelt:
We won't have Taft, but if
we won't take Taft We will get
roosevelt, so We will take Taft
and they are not far wrong.
concluded the President. The
Presidents predictions are be.
ing borne out with remarkable
completeness. There is the
difference Of a few days as to
the time Of, but everything is
happening as he foretold il
would. The Presidents critics
find a mysterious and sinister
explanation for the Governors
convention, which has Just con.
cluded its sittings in the White
House. They claim that this
convention was a shrewd poli,i.
cal move on the part Of the
President; that he got the goyer.
nors together all of whom con.
slider themselves eligible to the
presidency in order, perhaps,
to give them a foretaste of the
White House, but with great
tact banished his favorite son to
Panama in order that these gen.
lemen might not be oyershadow.
ed by his presence.
Although the President has
been urging upon Congress the
passage Of a. modified injunction
World's cresset. [volume] (JAH-ville [Colony], Fowler, Mo.) 1891-19??, 1908-05-21
MISSOURI PATENTS.

G,arud last Week Ne?o.,e1 "
C. A. snos &C) ps.ra, ACIrnry
shins,0n d G
N Darn, St. LOUIS Ncntiiator.
f. Herkent, .Ir.. 81. louis Trunk
caster. p. McMillen Pierce city,
Levee protector. y. Petry St.
Joseph Reclining chair, T. j..
Ride way, Carlha &C, collar. W.
II Rosing, St. louis, Flue rat.
tier. J. Rumr |, Weston, Weed
cutting and loot destroying de.
vice. v. \. Skinner, sobcrly
ard +. +. Cain, Montgomery city
Locomotive. II. l.. Smith, st
Louis Mailing card. S. lbart,
St. Louis Pressure regulating
valve.
For copy Of ary above patent" sen,
ten cents IN postage stamp. with dat
News PAPER t. G. A. SNOW 49,
Ia sb'ppi"R ID. {