New-York tribune., 1909-01-06
BROWNSVILLE REPORT.
Senate Receives Mr. Tafts Letter
4driang DcteCtices' Employment.
fFrom III. Trthun. Rureau-l

Washington Jan h-The Senate to-day received
the Presidents message Enclosing the report Of the
( Secretary Of War the Brownsville mVestlga-
! tion. William II. Taft. Secretary Of War, rec
commended 10 the President the employment or
Herbert J. Browne and William J. Baldwin, de-
tectives ferret out the culprtts in the raid on
Brownsville. advising the President that II the
Warner resolution was adopted he would he called
upon 10 pass upon the guilt innocence OF the
individual soldiers who had been discharged and
that the Senate investigation. while serving to FIX
guilt the soldiers. failed 10 determine which
were guilty and which were innocent
The investigation, which has served in large part
TO relieve majority of the soldiers Of the burden
OF guilt which rested upon them, has cost the
government $500 which is probably only a small
fraction OF the cost OF tho Senate investigation
Senator Foraker will address the Senate in con-
demnation OF the course Of the government II IS
| asserted by some of the friends OF the Ohio Sen
ator that he expects TO counsel for the SOL
Giers after his retirement from the Senate. despite
| the that the Supreme Court has rendered a
decision establishing the right OF the President to
| discharge the
Attached to Secretary WrishtH communication
were copies of the various contracts entered into
! between responsible officials OF the War Depart
mcnt ana the detective agencies There also
the following confidential letter from Mr.. Taft
! then Secretary Of War, under date Of April Is.
1905:
| My dear Mr.. President: The Brownsville nvestI-
gat!on before the Senate committee, while it es-
| tablishes beyond any reasonable doubt the cor
| Tectness Of the conclusion reached by you on the
report of the inspectors and the other evidence,
has done nothing to identify the particular mem
bers of the battalion who did the shooting who
were accessories before after the fact.
| If the bill now pending, introduced by Mr.. War
| further eXaminatlo into the evidence to deter
mine whether certain of those now discharged
were not parties to the shooting Gid not know the
+ persons who did it and were unable to give any
| clews the perpetrators 1t becomes your duty
therefore. and that of the department. to make
the shooting and to establish the innocence of
| as many innocent among those discharged
In nursllit of that purpose | have had q con-
! ference with Herbert j. Browne who under cir
| cumstances not IUCessary TO repeat made an m
| vestigation into the circumstances Of the aHray
and Is journalist of considerable experience ana
| with ". G. Baldwin. the head of large detective
| agency at Roanoke Va, serving the three great
railways that pass through that town. have
| Mr. baldwin serves know whether he is con.
| sidered by them to be Trustworthy, reliable and
! from them on the subject ! shall not sign the
| contract the contract has been prepared by the
Judge advocate general go -
! / nave talked wi IA Mr. Baldwin and with Mr.
/ Frowne and they think that unless within thirty
"a IIaS Se.1ess ~ continue the investigation further
/ - however their ceWs found, as they expect
10 find themShrough the use Of the large torce W OF
5etartives in the employ of Mr. Baldwin, then
! thirty days further may he needed IN order 10
rap.5cr nroofs satisfactory. There Is, as YOU
Vii sec in the contract the right 10 cancel the
contract a the end Of thirty days, ana thus save
half the expense should II turn ott te! me ~ !
- NJ tho contract a formal Endorsement ana
authorize ton by YOU 10 sign; in order tnat Ine
: ,noney NAV be withdrawn ana pald from lhe dP-
! propriation there mentioned
Tho contract recommended by Mr.. Taft was the
ravr,ent of 5000 in four weekly nstalments. Sec
retarv wrights letter covers fully the empl oyinet
of Browne and Baldwin