The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1910-04-07
,'i't.ujIlf
RAID FIXED
Military Court ConvIcts the
CoIOred Soldiers.
RAPS NEGLIGENT OFFICERS

The Report, Which Is Final, Recon-
mends That Only Fourteen of the
Discharged Soldiers Be Allowed to
Re.Enlist.
Washington. April THE colored
soldiers OF the Twenty-afth regiment
OF infantry were guilty of shooting
up" Brownsville. Tex, on Aug. l3 and
II, 1906 This is the verdict of the
military court that has had the AFFAIR
under Investigation for a year.
The court is unanimously Of the
opinion that the evidence sustained
the charges that the colored soldiers
Of the Twenty fifth infantry were
guilty as accused by the mayor and
citizens of Brownsville.
The officers of the regiment, the
members of the court find, had been
negligent in not performing their du-
ties properly Immediately prior to the
ARRAY and in not ordering an inspec-
ton Of the regiment after the raid on
the town instead of at daylight several
hours later If an immediate inspec-
ton had been held, the members OF
the court say. several of the culprits
would have been discovered In add
ton If the officers had performed their
duty properly before the raid the al
fray could not have occurred in the
opinion of the court.
The report, which was submitted to
Secretary of War Dickinson. recomI
nends that fourteen of the discharged
soldiers be alloweN to re-enlist Three
companies Of the Twenty-fifth infan-
try. Companies B, c and D. were dis
charged without honor for declining
to give information which would en-.
punish the soldiers who raided the
town.
The appointment OF the court of in
qniry was Mn accordance with an act
Of congress which was passed after
long fight by former Senator James B.
Foraker, Of Ohio. who defended the
negro soldiers.
creating the board of inquiry. its find
tnSs are final and cannot be reviewed
BY any one.
The shooting up" OF Brownsville,
Tex of which the colored members
OF Companies B. G and D. Twenty-f1fth
infantry were accused, occurred or
Aug lS and 4 1906. The investiga
tion made soon after the Trouble by
Lieutenant Colonel Lowering. of the
Fourth infantry. and later by Brigadier
General Darlington inspector general
of the army showed that citizens did
not want the colored troops there and
rhe soldiers knew it. The soldiers
were not allowed to drink with white
persons at the principal barroOms.
The i'll feeling became acute when two
colored soldiers rudely jostled party
of women on q sidewalk Mr.. Tate
husband of one of the women knock
ed down one of the soldiers with his
revolver On Aug IL soldier seized
by the hair Mrs Evans white Girl
zen's wife. threw her to the ground
and ran awev
This led to several clashes ut citi.
gems and soldiers, and on the night OF
Aug. Ii the soldiers according to tes-
timony. fired several shots in the air
to create alarm When the town was
aroused more shots were fred and
lieutenant of police was fired upon
by fifteen colored soldiers and wound
ed In several parts of his body.
On the following night the eolored
soldiers again invaded the town and
more shots were fired Several persons
were wounded
When the original investigation was
under way the answers of the soldiers
we're all alike to the officers trying to
detect the few men guilty of the crime
OF firing in the night upon the citizens
Of sleeping town They were general
denials of the charges.
President Roosevelt held that be-
cause they appeared ito stand togeth-
er In q determination to resist the de-
lection Of the guilty. they shall fall
together when the penalty falls. How.
ever. any non commissioned officer or
enlisted. man who can satisfy the Sec
rotary of wer that he has told all he
knows or can find out about the riot
can apply for re-enlistment