Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-24
WHAT CAN THEY DO2
Pulling Situation Faces
Twenty Discharged Soldiers.
HAVE PROVED AN ALIBI
Demonstrated NATURALIZATION in
the Brownsville Raid.
SUPPORTED BY THEIR OFFICERS
It Is Not Known What Evidence
Will Convince the Authorities Of
the Innocence of the Men.
BY THEIR OFFICERS

Inquiry at the War Department and
elsewhere shows that the enactment of the
Warner bill 10 permit the re-enlistment
Of the members of the discharged bat
talon of the 25th Infantry. under certain
conditions. would make their status just
what it was when the President promised
clemency to all the men who could sat
isfy him of their innocence. About TWEEN
ty men. including Sergt. Mnso Sanders
and other veterans of about twenty years
service. applied for re-enlistmeHt under
the conditions there imposed b. the Pres
ident They were severally examined
under oath by Judge Advocate General
Davis and other high-ranking officers OF
the army and, each man swOre that ne
had mot taken part in the BroWhsVuie
raid and had no knowledge Of the per-
sons who did. Their testimony that they
were asleep in the barracks at the time Of
the raid and responded 10 roll call When
the first alarm was given was supported
by the testimony of their officers.
Evidence Submitted to President.
Copies of the testimony taken in each
case We've submitted TO the President but
availed the men nothing. and the period
in which they might be re-enlfsted with
out impairing their continuous service rec
ord expired without favorable action I'm a
single case. This was nearly two months
before the Senate committee began its in
vestigation of the Brownsville affair. AS
understood at the War Department the
Warner bill simply renews for one year
the opportunity to the men to be re-en
listed in the army provided they can sat-
isfy tile President of their innocence. &
requirement that the only ones who APP
piled for re-enlistment were signally I'M
able to meet
In his message to Congress. dated jan
uary Ia, 1907, President Roosevelt an
nounced that he had revoked that part of
the order for the dismissal Of the soldiers
without honor which was designed 10 bar
them from all civil employment under
thu, government and closed with the
following statement:
IF any of the men discharged here
afte: shows to my satisfaction that he
is clear OF guilt or of shielding the guilty,
/ will take what action is warranted;
buE the circumstances I have above de-
tailed must certainly put upon any such
self"
The order providing for the re-enlist-
ment of any soldier who could establish
1906. by the Secretary Of War by di-
reCtion Of the President and the Senate
investigation began February 4. 1907.
"A uZLAAA6 0AtOaIAoA.
1t is not clear 10 army officers what
SORT of evidence is required to exonerate
the dismissed soldiers in addition to that
alre ady contained in the official records.
These records show that individual men,
bers of the battalion were repeatedly ex-
amined and cross-examined under oath
at different times and places. including
the examination by the Senate special
r avid nd hot
of their officers showed in the case OF
each soldier that when not otherwise ac-
counted for he was asleep in his bunk al
the time OF the shooting up and that
he was in line when the companies we're
assembled for roll call Immediately a fter
the alarm was. given. Each soldier mas
given absolutely all the testimony he
can obtain as to his whereabout at the
time of the raid and has declared his
entire ignorance Of the identity OF any
OF the raiders. In each case the alibi
was established by the only persons in
position to have direct knowledge on
the subject.
So far as known. no direct evidence has
been adduced to d'sprove the alibi in
the case OF any individual soldier.
1t is admitted on all sides that none
Of the participants in the raid has been
identified. and that despite the fact that
the entire machinery of the govern
ment has been directed to that end for
more than year. In view OF the fact
that the discharged soldiers who have
given all the evidence possible under
the circumstances to show their nom
parti :ipation in the raid. it is puZzling
their friends to know what ''new" evil
dence they can present which would be
satisfactory to the military authorities.
Few Would Re-Enlist.
Those who contend that the soldiers