The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-12-17
LODGE:
SCORES
NEGRO y.
SOLDIERS

fBy ~ ISOLATED Press)
Washington, ID. c.. Dee. 17.-lh
opening hig speech on the Brownsville
affair, in Senate yesterday after
noon. senaf Lodge referred 10 tw
questians to be discussed in this Goa
neetion, one relating to the guilt or in
nccence OF the soldiers and the other
TO the bin presented by Senator For
aker compelling We President to Ie
stare these soldiers to the army
After hearing ana examining all th'
evidence, not only that taken by tht
Sefht5 committee Of which ] was q
member but that taken before th,
Penrose court-martial and before tn
citizens committee" said Mr.. t.odse
referring TO the shooting afffay y
Br wasvIlle on the night OF August j
1906. II have come to the clear con
clnsion that the shooting was done ",
soldiers of the 25th Infantry statione,
at Fort Brown"
This, he said, was also the c nclusi
of the citizens rommittee OF BROWNE
Vile and of the Penrose conrt-martia
II was also the opinion of a decisiN'
majority 4 the Senate committee Os
Military Affairs
"The proposition" he said, "declar
ing that the weight Of the TESTIMONY
shows that none of the soldiers OF th'
25th United States Infantry partic
rated In the shooting affray was re
iected by a yite OF II to and thf
proposition that in the opinon of III
committee the shooting was done y
come soldiers belonging te the 25il
Infantry was adpted by a vote OF
4. one senator not voting Thus II w
be seen that every official body whie
mas heard the testimony has decide
that the shooting at brownsville on ths
night OF the 18Th OF August. 1906 wa
the work of soldiers OF the zbth |
fantry'
Mr.. I.ndge declared the; While ther
Il a great deal of esldence that IN
shooting was done byth soldiers ther
Is no evidence Whatever that Il VA
Done by anx0ody else There Is. b
said. no linysical impossiblllty OF TIM
distance or alibi to prevent our
tributing the shooting TO the soldiers
"In fact he said. TT was easier fc
the soldiers % d. II than for anybod'
else because they were both armed ans
organized Motive was not lacking
Some OF the soldiers had had tronbl
with some Of the inhabitants. JUST.
OF unjussly. me OF them had beei
maitreated by some of the inhabitant
and they felt In greater or lesser az
gree. the bitterness OF race prejudice
Their freedom OF movement had Jus
been curtailed owing TO an affair ]
which White woman Was involved
They were suflering, therefore, AT m
moment from the troubles which ha'
arisen between them and some OF tn
people of leroNnsylllef Mr.. lodge ~
ferred to testimony of witnesses I
show tina eleven appearing before tn
Senete oo,anSEoa. bef1re the Blocks
man and purdv lquiry. or In the Pen
rose COZ martial testified that tn
men who did the shooting We're recol
nized by eaem as soldiers and negroes
Five witness recognized them as SO
Aiers and sly witnesses recognize
them q r-es by their, voices
snbmit af Mr.. Lodge, that that
a mass n dircct evidence sutficien
TO sustain ny affirmative propositio
ia court and not 10 be done away vii
by suggestions about the darkness q
the night ard lnlerenees that all thes
witnesses ". re- lying because the art
flcial light were few and there VA
nc moon"
MIR. Lodge reviewed essential fea
uree Of The testimony in the Brown
Wild affair -ud said that me ballel
fount IN the houses and the shell !
the Streets. taken together could nav
been used in only one rifle; and tn
was the Springfield New Model an
there we're no new model Springfield
in the D ssession OF anyone except IN
troops Of the United States. He spoi
Of the testimony OF the soldiers as CO.
stituting "a uniform denial
~That which renders all this test
mony. TO me, OF doubtful value, and d
prives il of the weight which Il wou
otherwise hagc said Mr. lodge, =
rs extraordinary uniformity. II Is po
slble for 100 or zoo men 20 tell withs'
exception a story agreed upon befol
hand bnt no two Witnesses can tell u
truth, as they understand H. In pr
elsely the same way, about the san
event. The soldiers have the stronge
pcsslble m tive Tor denying parilcip
lion In or knowledge Of the shootin
There could not have been any stroI
personal motive 20 enduee the "
nessas cn the other side 10 testi
oth1fkise than truthfully.'
Mr.. Lodge declared that he "
bred up With profound sympathy 4
ana interest Ia. the negroes og q
United States and have always .tri
10 aid and serve them. he biil faf
he reporiea.s aud .whieA Rassel 4
House oi Representatives represdu
the lest attempt made 10 securt
them their liucal rights IN l
South.
II have encountered criticism. odiu
ana political attack in their beha
which can not be said Of many ot the
WHO outside OF this chambe. have