Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-01-13
Ohio Senator Charges President
and Mr. Taft With Illegal Use
Of War Department Appro-
pdation,
WORK OF DETECTIVES
DENOUNCED AS OUTRAGE
Senator Lodge Defends En-
pIoyment of Special Agents
bby Mr. Roosevelt and Cites
PrecedentS for Action.

IBy Morning journal Special leased wirsl
Washington, Jan IA renewal o.
the discussion of the Brownsville af
far IN rne senate today by Senator
Foraker called out u large gathering
that filled the galleries to overflow
ing
The senator held the strictest atten-
ton Of his colleagues on the floor
nearly all of whom were present, to-
gether with a considerable number OF
members of the house who occupied
places i'm the rear of the chamber
Among the visitors in the gallery
there were many negro women and
men, many of whom have been pres
ent on every occasion when Mr.. For
aker has defended the negroes of the
Twenty fifth regiment against the
charge Of having shot up" the town
Of Brownsville on the night of August
1914, 1908.
senator Foraker had prepared his
speech very carefully, but his read
ing Of the manuscript had all of the
interest OF an extcmporancous adj
dress,
Mr. Foraker read his address in a
clear roice that enabled an to readily
follow every word Of his statements
Illegal diversion of public funds BY
the president and william H. Taft.
while secretary of war, to pay for the
Investigation by private detectives
into the Brownsville affair, was
charged by Senator Foraker in his
speech in reply to statements of Her
bert j. Browne, of this city, and
William G. Baldwin Of Roanoke, Va,
who We're employed by the secretary
OF war to secure evidence of the guilt
Of negro soldiers of the Twenty-fifth
infantry, United States army. in shoot
ing up Brownsville on the night of
August 1914. 1905. The government
use of the private detectives was char
acterized by Mr.. Foraker as afro
cious shocking and revolving"
The charge Of Illegally diverting
$4,000 from the war fund Of $4,000
600 appropriated by the deficiency
act Of March 3, 1908, was made by
Mr.. Foraker in concluding his re-
marks, which consisted of a very care
ful consideration of certain legal
phases Of the Brownsville affair, and
the reading of a number of affidavits
oy soldiers whose testimony and
confessions Mr.. Browne alleged he
had secured to unravel the mystery of
the Identity of the men who did the
shooting, and these affidavits denied
With great emphasis nearly every
statement of Importance by the detec-
tives
Speaking of the SS,OQ0.000 war fund
of 1889 appropriated as an emergency
10 meet unforeseen contingencies con
stantly arising, to be expended at the
discretion Of the president Mr. Fora
ker said
III would be surprising informa-
ilon that the appropriation made ten
years ago at the close Of the Spanish
American war. to enable the president
10 meet emergency army contingent
cies such as were then arising in con-
n'ction with our military establish
meht should have been construed to-
p' permanent appropriation"
MT Foraker declared that the stat
h''r directed the head of each depart
ment TO make an annual report to
congress. giving a detailed statement
oi inc manner in which the contin
gent fund Of his department has been
expended.
Ihis appropriation. he said. be
ing Tor the war department. the re-
port should have been made by the
secretary Of war. but so far as I can
ascertain no detailed or itemized re-
ports TO congress on expenditures from
inns fund have been made. but only
general reports
The contingency under which
'nls use Of the war fund of 1893 was
us'u' Mr.. Foraker declared. "was the
''in"ie one that men should be re-
Pu'fed to prove their innocence Of a
crime before "a Judge who had already
N "N'unced them guilty under bin
'"'h h reHelPg in the senate.
nator Foraker says that. waving
'n technical or doubtful objections
.'i'' assuming. for the sake of argu-
'"'nt that the constitutional provis-
~" quoted does not apply. "the ques-
''n remains whether such payments
-'" under consideration are legiti- |
.."'' ana proper To be made from it.
. -"uid seem that granting an I have
=. aled, they are yet. nevertheless. /
- Illegal and in flat violation of
'Nr statutory provision.
mar no emplcye Of the Pinker- |
N detective agency or similar agen- |
siaH De employed in any govern /
~. '.i service or by an officer OF the
-iiei oi Columbia"
AAing OF the use OF private de- |