The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-12-23


pers relating to the Brownsville affray
IS as follows:
To the Senate: 1 inclosc herewith
letter from the secretary of war
transmitting a report of the investiga-
ton made by Mr. Herbert ]. Browne.
employed by the department in con-
junction with Capt. w. G.. Baldwin to
investigate as far as possible what
happened at Brownsville on the 18th
and 14th of August, 1906 The report
and documents contain some inform
| alton Of great value ard some state
| ments that are obviously worthless
but submit them in their entirety.
This report enables US to fix with
tolerable definiteness, at least some of
| the criminals who took the lead in the
murderous shooting Of private citizens
| at Brownsville. 1t establishes clearly
the fact that the colored soldiers did
the shooting; but upon this point fur
ther record was unneces sary, as the
Il
shooting has already been established
beyond all possibility Of doubt. The
investigation has not gone far enough
10 enable us to determine all the facts.
and we will proceed with it; but it has
gone far enough to determine with
sufficient accuracy certain facts of
enough importance to make it advisa-
BILE that 1 place the report before YOU.
1t appears that almost all the MEM
bers of Company B must have been
actively concerned in the shooting.
either to the extent Of being partici-
pants or to the extent of virtually en-
couraging those who were partici-
pants. AS to Companies c and d.
there can be no question that practi-
cally every man in them must have
had knowledge that the shooting was
| done by some Of the soldiers of B
Troop, and possibly by one or two
others In one Of the other Troops. This
cncealment was itself grave offense.
which was greatly aggravated by their
testifying before the senate committee
that they were ignorant Of what they
must have known. Nevertheless, 1t is
to be said in partial extenuation that
they were probably cowed by threats.
made by the more desperate of the
men who had actually been engaged
in the shooting. as to what would hap
pen to any man who failed to proteci
the wrongdoers. Moreover, there are
circumstances tending TO show that
these misguided men were encouraged
by outsiders to persist in their course
Of concealment and denial. feel.
therefore, that the guilt OF the men
who, after the event, thus shielded
the perpetrators of the wrong by re-
fusing to tell the truth about them.
though serious. was in part due to the
unwise and improper attitude of 9TH
ers and that some measure Of allow
ance should be made for the miscon-
duct In other words, I believe We
can afford to reinstate any OF these
men who now truthfully tell what has
happened. give all the aid they can
TO nix the responsibility upon those
who are really guilty, and show that
they themselves had no guilty know
ledge beforehand and were in no way
implicated in the affair, save by hav-
Ing knowledge Of it afterwards and
failing and refusing to divulge it. Un.
der the circumstances, and in view of
the length Of time they have been out
or the service, and their loss OF the
benefit that would have accrued to
them by continuing longtime service.
we can afford to treat the men who
| meet the requirements given as hay.
Ing been sufficiently punished by the
consequences they brought upon them.
selves when they rendered necessary
the exercises Of the disciplinary power
recommend that law be passed al.
lowing the secretary of war, within
fixed period of time, say year. to
| reinstate any of these soldiers whom
ne, after careful examination, finds to
have been innocent and whom he finds
TO have done all in his power to help
bring to justice the guilty.
Meanwhile the investigation will be
continued. The results have made Il
OBVIOUS that only by carrying on the
investigation as the war departmet
mas actually carried it on is there the
slightest chance of following the Of
tenders to justice or of separating not
hardly any innocent but the less
guilty from those whose guilt was
heinous.
TheOdOre ROnSeualf