Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-03-16

MORNING PAPERS
BATTLE STORY IS
NOW UP IN SMOKE
COL. r. L. BUlLARO MAKES A PER-
SONAL INVESTIGATION OF
BARREDA INCIDENT.
FOUND THAT FIRING OF TWO SHOTS
CAUSED FLAGGlNG SOUTHBOUND
PASSENGER TRAIN.

Inc same nlght thJt lt bulictined Tor the
benefit Of its reader, accurate news" Of
border events more than thousand miles
from Brownsville Brownsville morning
newspaper published "A sensational story of
a battle between United States soldiers
and bandits fourteen mile, from Browns
Vile which never occurred.
A squad from the Twenty
United States Infantry for some months
has been stationed at the little station of
Barreda, about fourteen miles north Of
Brownsville. Every night this dctachmcnt
after reconnaissance about 10 o'clock
signals to the souihbound passenger tram,
due in Brownsville al 10 30 D. ~. whether
the track is clear.
Last might the corporal IN charge of the
detachment was about to signal the tram
to go ahead when he heard two pistol shot,
in the vicinity. He promptly signallcd the
oncoming train 10 stop. The detachment
went down the track to investigate the
shots and to the trcste south OF Barreda.
an attempt to burn which was made last
summer by bandits during the troubles in
this section. In the meantime the train
came to a stop at Barrcda station to await
the result of the investigations guard
of United States soldiers which accom-
panles the southbound night train from
klngsvllle to Brownsville, detraned and
also went down the track to JOIN the first
detachment a. this detachment was pro
ceeding down the track four additional
shots were fired. and when IL reached the
bridge it was found they were fred by the
Barrcda squad.
total OF not more than six shots were
Tired. The treste was examined bv the
soldiers by the light of the moon and flash
lights, and nothing was found to Indicate
that II had been tampered with in any way.
This morning the corporal IN command
at Barreda made a further RECONNAISSANCE
IN the vicinity, and discovered tracks made
by two men who evidently were rcspon-
siblc for the firing OF the fTst two shots.
Colonel X. l.. Bullard. commanding The
Twenty sixth United States Infantry. with
headquarters at Harrington. this morning
made visit Ia Barrcda. and made an IN
vesiigation of the incident. and confirmed
the report a at first made by the corporal
IN command.
There were few passengers "a the train.
and even many of these did not know what
had been the cause of the train stopping
at Barreda station.
Colonel X. l.. Bullard. IN regard to tho
Barrrda incident. said today:
''rhc Twenty sixth Infantry detachment
~ barreda station i under orders ID pa
troll the railroad before the -outhbound
tram passes down. There are two rail
road bridges nearby. The detachment has
the habit of going to one before the ar
rival of the train. and visiting tie further
one last. Here. after finding an well. they
stand on the roadbed - that the flash nf
the headlight will catch them. Tins nor
uniting the engineer 10 see them and catch
'heir signal either To stop or go ahead .
Last night they made their patrol a.
usual While nj the second bridge some
body fired two shots from the resaca west
oi the bridge. The corporal had ono p,,r
with him. They stepped from view. but ~
more shots were fired The corporal then
decided that before doing ANYTHING further
he would signal the tram to >top. One of
the shots Int the bridge. while the second
flew over the corporal's head. Both were
pistol shots.
ihe two men then ran toward Barrcda
10 stop the tram. This they did. return
ing to the scene of the shooting with moro
men from their detachment Returning to
the bridge. they saw the forms of two men
and hired four or five shots. The men =.
capped, and nothing further occurred.
This morning the corporal made ~.
other reconnaissance. and found the tracks
made by two men. but they could mn, h.
followed. There were no indications Tho,
horses had been in the vicinity. made J
personal investigation this morning.
The following exaggerated report of tb,s
incident was wired from Brownsville 70 tba
Corpus Christi Caller. which publiShed !,
this morning:
THE first bandit trouble in several weeks
occurred at the Barreda bridge on Tho
Frisco railroad fourteen miles north ~
brownsville. ~ 10 o'clock tonight. wb., !