Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-05
Contracts With Private De-
teCtiveS Still in Force.
SENATE GETS THE FACTS
Taft's Confidential Letter to Presi-
dent Made Public.
LEGAL ADVICE FOR WRIGHT
Secretary of War Satisfies Himself
Tht Expenditure of Money
Was Within the Law.

was Iu6 Law.
The employment of private detective
agencies to Investigate the Brownsville
affray has cost the government $4,000
already. and the contracts with these
agencies are still in force.
This information was received by the
Senate today from Secretary Wright of
the War Department. i'm response to the
Foraker resolution inquiring when and by
what authority of law Herbert J. Browne
and w .. Baldwin were employed. 1t
was the report of Browne and Baldwin on
which President Roosevelt based n recent
message to Congress declaring that the
quit OF certain of the discharged negro
soldiers had been fixed beyond a shadow
OF doubt and this report was attacked
by Senator Foraker in speech on the
floor of the Senate
Attached to Secretary Wrights COM
munication were copies of the various
contracts entered into between respOn-
sible officials of the War Department and
the detective agencies There was also a
confidential letter from William II. Taft.
then Secretary of War under date of
April 16. 1908 urging the President to
make the original contract with Browne
and Ba ldwin.
Mr.. Taft's Confidential Letter.
Mr.. Taft's confidential letter to the
President follows:
War Department. April 16, 1908.
confidential.
MY Dear Mr.. President: The Browns
vile investigation before the Senate COM
mittee. while it establishes beyond any
reasonable doubt the correctness of the
conclusion reached by you on the report of
the inspectors and the other evidence. has
done nothing to identify the particular
members of the battalion who did the
NJ uyhn n crrtoc hnfn n~A
or after the fact.
IF the bill now pending. introduced by
Mr.. Warner, passes, it will throw upon
you the duty of further examination into
the evidence to determine whether certain
of those now discharged ought not to be
restored on the ground that they were
not parties to the shooting. did not know
the persons who did 1t and were unable
to give any clues to the perpetrators 1t
becomes your duty. therefore, and that
of the department., to make every effort
possible to identify the men who did the
shooting and to establish the innocence
OF as many as are innocent among those
discharged.
The Work Proposed.
In pursuit of that purpose 1 have had
conference with Herbert j. Browne,
who. under circumstances not necessary
to repeat, made an investigation into
the circumstances of the affray and is
journalist of considerable experience,
and with Mr. w. q. Baldwin. the head
of large detective agency at Roanoke.
Va, serving the three great railways
that pass through that town l have
written to the presidents of the three
railways which Mr.. Baldwin serves to
know whether he is considered by them
TO be trustworthy, reliable and skillful.
and until l have an affirmative answer
from them on the subject l shall not
sign the contract. The contract has been
prepared by the judge advocate general
have talked with MIR. Baldwin and
with Mr.. tBrowne and they think That
unless within thirty days the prospect OF
success are bright. it would be useless TO
continue the investigat tion further H.
however, their clues are found. as they
expect to find them. through the use of
the large force of detectives in the en-
ploy of Mr.. Baldwin then thirty days fur
ther may be needed in order to render the
proofs satisfactory. There is as you will
see In the contract the right 10 cancel the
tpnIract at the end of thirty days and
thus save half of the expense proposed
should II turn out that the effort is wholly
useless You will find written on the back
OF the contract formal Endorsement and
autnorizauon by YOU to sign I'm order that
tne money may Re withdrawn and paid
IRON the appropriation there mentioned
Very sincerely yours.
WILLIAM H. TAFT.
me contract recommended by Mr.. Taft
was for the payment of 5000 in four
weekly fnstallments. and the Secretary
OF War pointed out that ii would be ter
minated before its expiration in the event
that the investigation by private detec-
tlVes had been finished, or that it was
not successful
Why the Contract Was Made.
Secretary Wright's letter covers fully
the employment of Browne and Baldwin.
lie says that since the discharge order
was promulgated numerous applications
Tor re-enllStment had been made bv SOL
diers who asserted their innocence of par
lcfpation in the Brownsville shooting af-
fray. August 1914. 1906.
III appeared to the depa rtment save
secretary Wright, that some Of the mem
bers OF the command swere innocent and
TOT tnat reason the contract was made
WIN Browne, under which he was to as
soc1ate Baldwin with him and undertake
an independent investiga ton OF the Incl
dent Baldwin is described in the let
Ter as "a railway detective of large eX-
perlenCe and unusual ability who was
: recommended To the department by the
presidents OF several of the biggest rail-
roads of the south.
Approved by Law officer.
ITO that end an expression of view
from the judge advocate general as to
the legality OF the undertaking was
called for. and it was his opinion in
view of the existing executive and
legislative conditions referred to, that
ent IN character to bring il within the
operation OF the emergency clause of
the deficiency appropriation act"
Considerable difficulty was encountered
in locating the former members of the
negro battalion. according to Secretary
Wrights letter. but before the expiration
of the first contract sufficient information
had been obtained he says. to warrant
the department in continuing the investi-
cation by the same persons On Septem-
ber |. 1905. supplemental agreement was
entered into calling FOR the payment of
5000 and on December > a third contrac,
made calling for a further payment
of $,OOo. making $1,000 in all under the
three contracts.
The full amount involved in the three
contracts was paid between April - and
January last in ten instalments vary
ing in amounts from $1,000 to $500.
Secretary Wright says in Justification
of the third contract that it seems not
only desirable but highly important to
the public interest that the part taken by
certain members Of Company B. who have
finally been located In the disturbance
should be determined.