Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-29
COMPANY PET HEJ TENs
Shots Were Fired at An.
Said, Owing to Madn,
vOILEY FIRING is ALIEGL
Prosecution Points This Out Against
Mad Dog Theory.
FINDINGS ARE EXPECTED sOOl
Court Of Inquiry TO Report whether
Discharged Negro Soldiers May
He-Enaist in United states
Army.

WASHINGTON, March 2S.-on big
black dog may depend the decision as to
whether or not any of the negro soldiers
discharged as a result of the famous shoot
ing up OF Brown 'o Tex. are to be
allowed to re-enl, the army of the
United States. Such dog is said to have
tl0unded along ahead Of the raiders who
Went on their death dealing mission Au-
gust 1S, 1906.
This obscure bit OF testimony was brought
TO the fore today at the sitting of the mill
tary court Of inquiry created by law to
determine Il any uf the discharged soldiers
should be permitted +" re-enlist. Captain
Chs les r. Rowland, recorder Of the court,
asserted that this dog belonged TO Company
B of the Twenty-flfth regiment and scamp
cred along ahead Of the raiders, as ne
caid with whom It came in daily contact
Captain Rowland summarized the testi-
mony on the Brownsville affray. During
The last four months this court has ex-
amined score after score OF witnesses in
the matter and a still longer period has
been devoted. to analyzlng previous testl-
mony. taken by other hearings in the case.
IT will soon report its findings to congress.
The tenor Of the recorders address
throughout the day was that the discharged
soldiers shot mp the town. His story OF
the dog was only one Of the points mar
shaiied by the army officer in support of
his contention that the soldiers were guilty
OF the crime that has been laid at the
door of citizens Of the town. He viii con-
clude his address tomorrow.
The tale of the dog was told the court
when Captain Howland reached the part
OF his argument dealing with the raid
through tho town. AS the raiders went
through Cowan alley he recalled that Mr..
and Mrs. Idin heard the noise, and, look
ing out, saw dog leaping along ahead Of
the men, and thought the men were shoot
ing at this supposed mad dog. He said
Mr.. Odin described 1t as large black
dog"
This big black dog which has heretofore
been neglected In the case" said the rec
order. enters into Il with very illuminating
effect, because not hRif an hourNbefore he
was standing at watch at the gate of the
post and keeping children out who were
going home from the Cowan party.
There are generally dogs about wherever
soldiers are gathered and in this particular
case we find that there was large black
dog with b company, as shown by refer
ence TO Captain Macklin's testimony. The
dog that MIR. Odn saw and which he felt
was a mad dog that they were trying to
shoot was merely the company dog run
ming ahead Of the soldiers with whom he
came IN daily contact"
Stress was laid by the recorder upon the
fact that the firing was done by volleys.
An attempt by civilians to fire by volleys,
he said, would not have been successful.
He attached Importance to the claim that
only enlisted men had claimed that the
sound OF firing that night was done from
Winchester instead of Sprlngfields with
which The soldiers were armed. 1t was
suggested by members Of the court at this
point in the argument that experiments be
made by It to see whether the differences
Between Winchesters and Springfelds can
b. Identified.
q Another point taken up by the recorder
during the day was the bullet holes found
after the shooting.
F'Not one scrap Of evidence" said he,
has ever been furnished before any trlb-
uhal or official that a single building or
ohjsh OF any kind in the limits of Fort
HE( Wh was struck by a bullet fired from
thel direction OF the town of Brownsville,
The town was rldG.cd with bullets during
the firing and nu,., women and children,
residents Of the IN and who belonged to
every class OF ETY. except negro, were
exposed to the dger of being hit.
Reconsideration OF the above facts alone
Is sufficient to show that the firing party
came from the protected zone. namely,
Fort Brown"
a Study Of the trajectory of the bullets
fired that night as made by experts for
the court Of inquiry Captain Rowland said
demonstrated that there was firing from
the porehes OF d and barracks and prob
ably c and much firing from the post be-
tween the barracks and the wall.
IN the realm OF reason" he inquired,
rs there any man who win claim that
citizens Of Brownsville In their blind fury
To- get rid Of soldiers succeeded In entering
the post of Fort brown and concealed
themselves on the porches OF the barracks,
from which they delivered this fire? Ger
taiply not"
careful scrutiny OF all the evidence
laid before this court shows. he said, that
the roll calls following the shooting were
rot held quickly enough after the firing 10
have detected any OF the raiders.