The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1917-12-12
IS u. s. SOLDIERS
HANG FOR RIOT
Negroes at Fort Sam Houston
Pay Penalty for Outbreak
of August 23.
II GET LIFE SENTENCES
Only the Sheriff of Bexar County and
Army Officers Were Present at
the 'Execution-Five Prl-
Yates Are Acquitted.

San Antonio, Tex, Dec. 12.-Thir-
teen of the negroes of the Twenty
fourth infantry, o. S. A, found guilty
of completely in the riot and mutiny
at Houston August %, were hanged on
the military reservation at Fort Sam
Houston at I'll 9. m. Tuesday. An
nouncement of the carrying out Of the
sentence was made at headquarters Of
the southern department of the army
at a. m.
Only army officers and Sheriff John
Tobin of Bexar county were present
when the sentence was carried out by
soldiers from the post. No newspaper
men or civilian spectators were al
lowed, the time and place Of execution
having been kept a secret.
"oood-by Boys" the Last Word.
"Good-by, boys of Company Or were
the last words uttered by the con-
'demned men as the traps were sprung
and they dropped tc their death.
Men of Company G, Nineteenth IN
fantry, had guarded the negro prison
ers since they were brought to San An
tonic to stand trial before a court
martial for completely In the riot.
The execution took place In an ar
royO about two miles east of Camp
Travis on great scaffold erected dur
Ing the nighr by engineers from the
post.
A column consisting Of approximate
~ 125 cavalrymen and 100 infantry SOL
diers assembled at the cavalry guard
house where the negroes were confined
at 5 80 a. ID. Trucks were provided
to convey the prisoners to the scene
Of the execution.
March on Death Traps.
Col. Millard F. Waltz, post COM
mander, was in command of the column
and led the way to the Scaffold.
The column arrived at the scaffold
at 6 20 am. A flood of light had been
arranged to give light for those in
charge of the actual work of prepar-
ing the nooses and adjusting them to
the necks of the condemned men. The
cavalry and infantry guard assembled
in hollow square formation around the
scaffold and the prisoners were given
the order to march upon the death
traps.
Sing Hymn Walking to ScaffoId.
Without a tremor they stepped out
with soldierly tread and singing a
hymn they walked to their places.
Prayers were said by negro minister
and by two army chaplains and then
the men were ordered to stand on the
traps. Resuming their song they stood
erect and displayed the greatest forti-
tude while the ropes were adjusted.
At IT the major in charge of the
execution gave the order to spring the
traps. The triggers had been arranged,
one for each drop, and six men were
assigned to each one. At the word Of
command they pulled on the triggers
and the Is negroes dropped to death.
Eleven of them died almost instantly,
the other two quivering moment or
two after the rope became taut.
Life imprisonment for Al.
OF the SO men tried by the same
court-martial Al were sentenced to life
Imprisonment. One man was SEN
fenced TO dishonorable discharge from
Tue dTulyp VI dli pay anu di-
lowances and to be confined at hard
labor for two and half years. Three
were sentenced to be dishonorably dis
charged from the army, forfeit all pay
and allowances and be confined at
hard labor for two years. Five were
acquitted.
The negro soldiers who paid the
death penalty were:
Sergt. William G. Nesbitt, Corporal
Larnon j. Brown, Corporal James
Wheatley, Corporal Jesse Moore, Cor
poral Charles w. Baltimore, Private
William Breckenridge, Private Thomas
C. Hawkins, Private Carlos Snodgrass.
Private Ira B. Davis, Private James
Divins, Private Frank Johnson, Private
Risley w. Young, Private Pat Mac
Whorter.
After the hanging of the 13 men the
chief of staff of the Southern depart
ment gave out written statement, at
the same time refusing to answer any
questions. The bodies were buried
near the place of execution. Those
sentenced to life Imprisonment will be
sent to the federal prison at Leaven
worth. Kan.
Texas Girl Smashes Air Record.
San Francisco, Dec. 12-Miss Kath