Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-01-23

WASHINGTON. Jan. 12.-Before
galleries filled with hundreds of spec
tatOrs and In the presence OF nearly
all his Senatorial colleagues, Senator
Foraker delivered a speech on the
floor OF the Senate to-day concerning
the Brownsville episode, which was
devoted almost entirely 20 the pre-
sentation OF evidence to show that
the private detectives employed by
the Administration 10 get confessions
from some OF the Negro soldiers dis
charged without honor from the
Twenty-dfth United States Infantry
had been guilty of wilful perjury and
subOvdination of perjury
At the outset there were indica-
tions that Mr.. ForakCr's colleagues
took little interest in the proceed
ings but as the Ohio Senator went
on and produced afidavit after afi-
davit declaring that the detectives
had sworn falsely. the Senators be-
gan 10 sit up and take notice. Be
fore he had concluded Mr Foraker
had the close attention OF the entire
Senate and il was evident from what
was said by Senators 0iterward that
many OF his colleagues believed he
had made out an exceedingly strong
case and had discredited the reports
of the sleuths employed by the Ad-
ministration.
THE LAWYERS ATTRACTED.
Part OF Mr.. Foraker's remarks at
tracted the attention OF lawyers in
the Senate. This portion was devot-
ed TO a legal argument TO show that
the funds used TO pay the Govern
ment's private detectives for endeav-
oring TO run down those guilty Of
the Brownsville shooting had been
taken Illegally from an appropriation
; placed at the disposal of the Secre-
tary OF War In 1899. just after the
outbreak of the Philippines insurrec-
tion.
Mr.. Foraker contended that under
a specific law on the subject, which
he read. the use OF this money by the
War Department had been revoked
automatically two years after the
money became available He read
also a statute enacted in 1898 and
still in force that prohibited the en-
ployment of private detectives Gin
any government service or bv any
officer OF the District OF Columbia"
and contended that in view OF this
statute there had been a clear vio,
lation of the law and a misuse of
public funds.
LEANED FORWARD TO HEAR.
Senators and gallery spectators
leaned forward 10 hear when Mr.
Foraker read afffdavits to show that
the detectives employed by the Gov
ernment had given false accounts Of
the information furnished to them
by former members of the Twenty
fifth Infantry. One afidavit read
was particularly striking. It was
made by G. c. Arnold, Georgia
Sheriff. who was present when Boyd
Conyers, a former soldier OF the
Twenty-fifth, was examined by Her
bert Browne. who with William
G.. Baldwin of Roanoke. Va, made
contracts with the Government to
run down the men responsible for
the Brownsville affair Sheriff Arm
old. &c whose high standing Senator
Clay of Georgia testified to-day on
the floor OF the Senate. expressed
himself as ''horrified" over Brownies
report as to Conyers' alleged disclos-
ures and asserted that Conyers had
made no confession or given any war
rant for the report submitted by
Browne
In the course of his remarks. Mr..
Foraker asserted that fraudulent i'm
personaiion, misrepresentation. lying