The Washington times., 1909-01-12
RenewS Attack on Discharge
of the Brownsville
Troops.
CONTRADICTIONS IN
MESSAGES CHARGED
mo Precedent So Shocking
Found in American
Jurisprudence.
BY JOHN sNURE.

~ 1@--A ~+@A - 49,
In a bitter speech on the Brownsville
affair IN the Senate this afternoon, SEN
/ ator Joseph 3. Foraker Of Ohio made
a terrific onslaught on the President
and on the transactions that resulted
IN the gathering of evidence by Herbert
/ J. Browne and w c. Baldwin. private
! detectives against certain Of tie dis
/ charged negro soldiers OF the @welty-
| hfth Infantry
Not merely did Senator Foraker. with
even more than his usual vehement elo-
quencc, strike at Mr.. Roosevelt. but ss
well at PresIdent-elect Taft, who was
Secretary of War when the contracts with
Browne and Baldwin were made. Three
contracts providing for a total expandI-
ture Of El5,OO0. were made. These agree
ments and all payments made under
/ them. Senator Foraker declared, were
utterly without warrant of law.
Concerning the employment or privats
detectives TO ferret ont the facts Of the
case and with reference 10 the manner
in which the alleged confession of one
Of the soldiers. Boyd CoHyers, was OBJ
tained, Senator Foraker said.
Shocking Precedents.
'I do not hesitate to say that, in my
opinion, aside from the question whether
there has been a missppropristiou OF
public funds no precedent for anything
so shocking can be found I'm all the his
tory Of American criminal jurispru-
dence''
Mad" was the adjective applied by
the Senator to the Presidents pursuit
Of these helpless victims OF his incon-
sideTed acton "
+Tt VIII appear from the President
message. continued Senator Foraker
"sod from the exhibits thereto attached
showing the mode in which the deter
tives are operating, and the testimony
in answer thereto. that fraudulent fHl
personatlou. Misrepresentation. lying.
deceit, treachery, liquor and intoZics-
tion, coupled with promises OF inn
munity. and the excitement Of hope
and fear and the offer OF employment
and remUueTatiVe wages have been re-
sorted to 10 secure the testimony sought
for, and that the sO-Called confessions
are not confined to such as affect the
parties making them or to those affected
Dy them who may be present when
such confessions are made. They eN-
tend also TO those not present when
they are made but who are absent and
without knowledge Of what Is trans
piring, and without any opportunity
whatever TO be heard in their own de-
fense-even TO make an objection that
such statements and such confessions
are uutruthfuL'
President Contradicted
Senator Foraker spoke with especial
reference TO the message Of the Presi-
dent of December Il. 1903, in which the
latter told of the employment of the
private detectives, OF the contradictory
nature OF the Presidents other mes
sages on the case, or the evidence the
private detectives dug up and which
was submitted TO Congress- and of the
letter of the Secretary or War trans
mitting, in response 10 the Foraker
rasniuffon of December l6, 1903. a report
on the employment Of the detectives.
Dissectiug the evidence gathered ana
presenting afidaylJs 70 disprONe the al
legations that Boyd tonEers made the
confession imputed 10 him. Senator For
aIer sought TO show that the evidence
was utterly worthless and such as
would not be entitled 10 weight before
q court He said
Condemns Methods
"The message of the President with
its exhibits and this report Of the See-
rctary of War present a new and most
serious feature Of this unhappy bust
ness. They not only disclose determined
EFFORT on the part OF the President to
again bolster up the case against these
fEETI Mll-E ne mas ltr-l rLl-ffI on L.t-
merOus occasions. both officially and
uuOfrCialIy characterized as 'cGuClu-
siye and overwhelming, but thar Ls
has resOrted to q method In his effort
10 secure such testimony that cannot be
6ttiugly characterized without the use
of language which, if employed. might
appear TO be dlsrespecEtul to the Chief
Executive. And, worst or all iu tins
andeav0r to secure such testimony le
himself has committed the serious OIL
fense condemned by every court that
administers the Conmou law that has
ever had occasion TO speak on the sub
ieCr OF holding out Ia these men IN
nducement OF a reward for giving sucn
testimony lU the form or re-Gnlistmeut
with fuIl pay and reinstatement in all
their rights as soldiers.
"His Mad Pursuit"
"It does not lessen the gravity 81
his ofeuse that it appears to be I'M
percepubIe to- him, or, If not so. that
he has become utterly obliyious 10 al
the restraints of law. deCency and pro
pTIctN lu his mad pursuit or these helm
less victims of Hls il-cousideFed actor.
Moreover, / shall be able to show
think. that an this has been done vifr-
out authority OF law and with public
money that has been dIcled from the
public treasury I'm fiat defiance of rTs
Constitution and a statute I'm fun force
and effect
Senator Foraker presented letters o.,
show how the detectives approached
tried 20 deceive him with offers of a
position OF $50 per month He read "a
letter from Jerry l.. Reeves. one of the
discharged men. whom a "Mr Ward
had seen AT Oklahoma City. telling
Reeves falsely that Senator Forakrr
had sent Ward TO him to get fuforma-
ton about the Brownsville affray. IT,
j. PDkerr. uf Omaha. wrote a letter
to Senator Foraker telling that Ward
pretended there % he representing him
They wrote similar letters TO Boyd
Conyers.' said Foraker, and then
sought tn mislead and entrap him With
slanderQus lieS that bis comradea. zaaza.