Los Angeles herald., 1908-02-26
ROOSEVEL7'S
ACT UPHELD
BY SENA7 TORS
GUILT OF THE BROWNSVILLE
NEGROES PROVED
DISCHARGE OF
TROOPS SUSTAINED
Committee by Close Vote Sides with
Executive, but Fight viii Be
Carried on by Foraker
and His Friends

carried on by Foraker
and His Friends
BY Associated Press
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25.-That the
shooting affray at Brownsville, Texas.
was done by some negro soldiers of
the twenty fifth United States infan-
try, and that the testimony taken by
the senate committee on military af-
fairs fails to identify the guilty per-
sons is the opinion of eight members
of the committee. Four members of
the committee voted against this de-
cision and one member did not vote.
The resolution declaring the guilt
of the negroes was submitted by Sen
ator Lodge and was adopted after five
resolutions. four by Senator Foraker
and one by Senator Dupont, offered as
substitutes, had been voted down.
The vote today was reached after
prolonged investigation extending over
two sessions of congress and after evil
dence had been taken covering thou
sands of pages.
Negroes Offer Defense
Practically every negro of the three
companies of infantry dishonorably
discharged by President Roosevelt. tes-
titled in his own behalf, while evidence
in support of the president was given
by many army officers and citizens of
Brownsville.
Throughout the entire controversy,
which in many sections of the country
had been made a political issue, the
anti-administration side has been di-
rected by Senator Foraker. In the
final vote in the committee a majority
of the Republican members came to
his support. The Ohio senator ex-
pressed himself as gratified at this, as
1t was apparent from the outset that
all of the Democratic members were
convinced that the negroes did the
shooting.
After the reports have been made to
the senate it is expected Senator Fora
ker will press the matter to vote. If
ne should secure the same proportion
of Republicans there that he did in the
committee the vote will be close. He
purposes also to introduce bill to re-
store to the military service such of
the discharged negroes as were shown
beyond reasonable doubt to have been
innocent of any offense connected
with the affray.
At today's meeting Senator Lodge
offered a resolution as follows:
THAT in the opinion of this commit
tee the shooting affray in Brownsville
on the nights of August 1914, 1905.
was done by number of soldiers be-
longing to the Twenty-f1fth infantry,
U. S. A, then stationed at Fort Brown,
Texas"
Senator Foraker offered as substi-
tute the following:
1.-THE testimony wholly fails to iden-
tify the individuals or any of them who
participated in the shooting affray."
The Foraker substitute was defeated
by a vote OF to 5, the Alternatives be-
ing Senators Scott, Foraker, Hemen-
way, Bulkeley and Dupont; the mega
tive votes being Senators Warren,
Lodge, Warner, Taliaferro, Foster,
Overman, Frazier and McCreary.
Democrats Unite
The last five named are Democrats.
The alignment substantially was the
same on most of the substitutes offered.
The Lodge resolution was finally
adopted by the same division, except
that Senator Dupont did not vote, maxi
ing three Republicans and five Demo-
Gratis in favor of supporting the dis
charge of the negroes and four Repub-
licans on record against 1t.
The other Foraker substitutes were
as follows:
"The testimony wholly fails to show
that the discharged soldiers of the
United States Twenty-fifth Infantry,
or any of them, entered in any agree
ment or so-called conspiracy of silence
or that they had among themselves
any understanding of any nature to
withhold any information of which they
or any of them might be possessed
concerning the shooting ARRAY"
Five senators voted for and eight
against the resolution.
1.-THE testimony is so contradictory
and much of it so unreliable that 1t Is
not sufficient to sustain the charges
that soldiers Of the Twenty-fifth United
States infantry, or any of them, par
ticipated in the shooting ARRAY.
The affirmative votes We're four and
the negatives nine. Senator Dupont
Joined the latter.
'sThe weight of the testimony shows
that none of the soldiers of the Twenty
fifth United States infantry partici-
pated in the shooting affray."
Only Senators Foraker and Buckley
voted for this. eleven opposing 1t.
Foraker Loses
The final resolution offered by Sem
ator Foraker stated the testimony
show the discharged soldiers had q
good record as soldiers and 1t is the
| duty of congress to pass legislation
providing for their reinstatement in the
army 1t was defeated. 5 to 8.
Senator Duponts substitute declared
that the testimony showed that the
shots were fired from Springfield rifles
issued to company B, Twenty fifth in
fantry In effect it asserted the inno-
cence of companies G and D, both OF
which were discharged with company b
ONLY Senator Dupont and one other
senator voted for 1t.
Senator Scott's resolution declared
the evidence insufficient to hold guilty
any particular person or persons and
the identity of the guilty parties un-
known. 1t was defeated, 9 to 4.
There being no further substitutes
offered. the original resolution was
adopted.
Senator Warner then offered the fol-
lowing resolution: THAT the testi-
mony fails to identify the particular
soldier or soldiers who participated in
the shooting affray."
1t was agreed to by vote of yeas.
five Republican senators opposed to the
Lodge resolution not voting.