Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-12-28
CLAIMS
DISCRIMINATION
Corporal Complains 10 Officer That Ne Was
Ordered From Hall Where Public Dance
Was in Progress-Citizens Claim No Re-
sp0nsibility.

Alleging that he was Disseminated
against al a supposed public dance at the
IlInkley hall Friday night by being ordered
from the hall" a United States soldier ha-
complained 10 his commanding officer. and
the incident apparently has reached 4 stage
where IL may 20 10 the war department Al
Washington. The occasion complained Of
was the charity dance, given AZ the hall
under the auspices Of several Of the young
er men Of the city.
The soldier complaining vas Corporal
Summers of the coast artillery corps. and
hi complaint IN the form Of a written
statement OF the occurrence i in the hands
of Lieutenant Cullen Of hiS company. lie
states that he went "a the hall IN the belief
that II was a public affair, having been %
advertised in one OF the theate- Of the
city. and that after h. had danced with Il
Young lady, and with two other dances On
hi program. h. was told by one Of the
Young men. Leonard Hobbs. "that soldiers
were not wanted III the hall"
The corporal states that he was told
this IN the presence Of several couples. and
that h. was greatly embarrassed a. a re-
suit Of the occurrence. lie SAYS that he
asked Hobbs what about the other dances
on hi~ program. and that Hobbs still in
sisted that he. was not wanted there.
Shortly after that hi money and that Of a
companion. also a soldier. was returned to
them. - in al. The young men were in
citizens clothes.
Hobbs consented Saturday afternoon to
sci forth hi side of the occurrence, and a.
the stories Of the two men concerning the
affair DO not agree Lieutenant Cullen stated
that he was forced under the circumstance
10 bring the matter to the attention Of the
commanding officer of the post, Colonel
Block~om.
Hobbs story was that after the dance
had progressed 4 short ways he was APP
preached ~ a young man VINO asked to
be "knocked own" To- some of the young
ladies. Hobbs says that he told the young
man he would see If any Of the Young
ladies would meet the young mar. lie said
that the young ladies asked refused, stat
lng that they did not know the young man.
Hobbs says that he 80 informed the young
man. aud declares that II was nor until the
stranger had been returned his money and
sand ''yuu are discriminating against n
United States soldier" that he was aware
that he was talking To a Srdier.
Hobbs denied that he had ordered any
one from the hall. though hc admitted that
the young men who had stood sponsors Tor
the affair had made a mistake IN advertis-
ing II. thus making ii III the nature Of Il
public dance.
Mayor A.. A. Browne. President :. c.
Tucker of the Chamber or Commerce,
President ID. l.. SpcrO OF the Brownsville
Merchants association. all state that even
though the charges Of the corporal, who
u vouchcd for by hi officers. were true
that the incident J. not in the least the
sentiment ot the people OF Brownsville with
regard t. the troops Al Fort Brown. They
regard Il a. an incident bctWccr. two Young
men. an occurrence that j. likely 10 take
place "a any affair oi the kind managed by
men who have not Yet reached their ma
lority.
II J. stated hy army officers that this J.
not the first incident Of the kind. and they
referred "a an occurrence III connection
with the giving ~ the recent Elk~' Minstrel.
Gallery tickets Tor that show were on sale
az Fort Brown. with reserved seat tickets
"n sale IA u drug store W the city. III some
uneSPlainahlc way the report was spread
through the barracks that soldiers would
not bc permitted On the ground floor ~ the
thcater. othcrr- ~ the Elk~. setting wind
81 the report. explained apparently to the
satisfaction Of the men that such Was ne,
the ease. the fact ot the matter having been
that. a. can easily BE- seen. The reserved
seat tickets could not be- separated and
had to h. sold 1T one place.