Bisbee daily review., 1917-11-03
THREE NEGROES
IDENTIFIED BY
OFFICER OF Army
Court-Martial of Members of
the Twenty-fourth Infantry
Continues in Session at Fl.
Sam Houston.
CBy Review Leased wire.)

SAN ANTONIO, Tex, Nov. Posi-
tive identification Of three negroes of
the twenty-fourth infantry who partic-
ipated in the riot at Houston, Angus.
23rd, last, which resulted in fhe death
of twenty-five persons was made this
afternoon by Captain Haig Sherkerjian
of the twenty-fourth infantry, ties -ify-
ing at the court martial trial of sixty
three negroes who are charged with
mutiny, murder and rioting. The iden-
LITIGATION was made in connection with
a detailed narration of events leading
up to the rioting.
The three negroes who were identi-
i fed were Corporal ]. R. Hawkins, Cor
poral G.. Brown and Private Ira Davis.
They were among the defendants in
The court room. The shooting up of
Houston, according to Captain Sher-
kerjian's testimony was precipitated
| by the action of Policeman Sparks Of
Houston in abusing Corporal Charles
BALTIMORE of the twenty-fourth in
fantry when Sparks arrested him on
the afternoon preceding the outbreak.
At the time of Baltimoore's arrest the
witness testified. BALTIMORE was on
military police duty and wore a police
badge that was plainly visible to
Sparks.
The trouble started, Captain Sher
kerjian testified when BALTIMORE ask
ed Policeman Sparks why he had ar
rested a negro member of the twenty
fourth infantry. BALTIMORE, accord
ing to Sherkerjian said Sparks cursed
him and told him it was none of his
business" BALTIMORE then told
Sparks that he was on guard duty and
would have to report back to his COM
handing officer why the soldier had
been arrested. To this, according to
the witness, Sparks replied he did not
have to tell "a niger" and hit him on
the head twice with his pistol. Balti-
moore then ran down the street while
Sparks fired three shots after him.
Baltimore was captured and taken to
Jail.
Meantime the report reached Camp
Logan, where the negro troops were
stationed that BALTIMORE had been
shot and killed.
Captain Sherkerjian testified that
Major X. S. Snow sent him into the
city to investigate the report. He
went to police headquarters where he
conferred with Chief of Police Brock.
Both BALTIMORE and Sparks told their
stories of the incident in the chiefs Of
fee, Sherkerjian testified and it was
agreed at police headquarters that
Sparks was a. fault. Sparks was then
suspended.
Captain Sherkerjian then said he
took BALTIMORE to camp where he call
ed all the first sergeants into his tent
and told them of the incident, explain
ing that Sparks would be properly pun
ished and instructed the non-commis-
stoned officers to explain the situation
fully to the men at retreat" at 6
O'Clock Major Snow had previously
cancelled all passes for the night, he
said.
Sherkerjian then detailed the hap
penings in camp later in the evening.
telling of learning that the negro sol
dieN were obtaining ammunition and
of his effort to restore order.
The soldiers he said, seemed pos
sessed with the idea that a mob of
Houston civilians were coming to the
camp to shoot them.
Men, nobody can come into this
camp to harm you unless /: is over
me-" Sherkerjian said he told them.
I'VE are tired of this. We will take
the Law into our own hands" one ne
gro shouted, the captain testified.
At this juncture Sherkerjian tes-
tilted, somebody knocked me over. |
got up, pulled my fiashlight and threw
il in the face of a man whose face inn
pressed me. Drop that light or | will
put hole through you. he commanded
me. put out the light"
Here the captain pointed out Ira
Davis, negro seated among the de-
PENDANTS as the man he referred to
Colonel ]. A. Hull, judge advocate, con-
Quoting the prosecution said, IRA Da-
Wis, arise" The negro Sherkerjian
had pointed out arose. visibly nervous,
He was then commanded to sit down.
Continuing his narration Sherkerjian
testified:
1T all happened faster than l can
tell you. Men began firing. There
was too much noise for them to hear
my commands to stop.
About this time l heard some one
yell. To HI with going to France!
Let's go clean up that - city,"
The negroes then started toward