Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-12-13
HANG IS NEGRO
SOLDIERS FOR RIOT
Army Officials Execute Blacks
for Houston Outbreak.
Al GIVEN LIFE SENTENCES
Condemned Men Sing Hymn as They
March to the ScaffoId in Desolate
Region Near Fort Sam
Houston.

1OuSton.
San Antonio. Tex, Dec 12.-Thir-
teen of the negroes of the Twenty
fourth infantry, [. S. A. found guilty
of completely in the riot and mufiny
at Houston August 23. were hanged on
the military reservation at Fort Sam
Houston NJ III a. m Tuesday An
nouncem"nt Of the carrying out of the
sentence was made at headquarters of
the southern department of the army
ut 8 Il. NJ.
Oniy- army officers and Sheriff John
Tobin of BeNar county were present
when the sentence was carried out by
soldiers frcr0 the post No newspaper
men or civilian spectators We're al
lowed. the time and place of execution
having been kept Il secret.
"Good-by, Boys" the Last Word
"Good-by, boys of Company c." were
the last words uttered by The CON
demned men as the traps were sprung
and they dropped to their death.
Men of Company c, Nineteenth in
fantry, had guarded the negro prison
ers since they were brought to San An
tonic to stand trial before court
martial for completely in the riot
The execution took place in an ar
royo about two miles east of Camp
Travis on Il great scaffold erected dur
ing the night by engineers from the
post.
A column consisting of approximate
ly 125 cavalrymen and 100 infantry SOL
diers assembled at the cavalry guard
house where the negroes were confined
at 5 80 a. m. Trucks were provided
TO convey the prisoners to the scene
of the execution.
March on Death Traps
Col. NilIard 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 a. IN. A flood of light had been
arranged to give light for those in
charge of the actual work of prepar-
ing the hoOses ana adjusting them to
the necks of the condemned men. ThJ,
cavalry and infantry guard assembled
in hollow square formation around the
scaffold and the prisoners were given
the order Ia march upon the death
traps.
Sing Hymn Walking to scaffoid.
Without a tremor they stepped out
with soIdierly tread and singing IA
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 f0rti-
rude while the popes were adjusted
Al Z IL 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 quiverin& a moment or
two after the rope became taut.
Life Imprisonment for Al.
g OF the So men tried by The same
court-martial Al were sentenced to life
Imprisonment. One man was sen
fenced to dishOnOrabIe discharge from
the army, forfeiture of all pay and al
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 &. Nesbitt, Corporal
Larnon J. Brown, Corporal James
Wheatiey, Corporal Jesse Moore, Cor
poral Charles W. Baltimore. Private
William Breckenridge, Private Thomas
c. Hawkins. Private Carlos Snodgrass,
Private Ira 3. Davis, Private James
DiviHs, Private Frank johnson, Private
Risley W. Young. Private Fat Mac
WhOrter.
After the hang : Of the 13 men lhe(
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 VIII be
sent to the federal prison at Leaven-
worth. Kan.
Kept Secret in Washington.
Washington, Dec. 12-The hanging
of 13 negro troopers for completely i'm
the Houston riot was unknown TO vir-
tually all officials Of the war depart
ment until it was announced at Fort
Sam Houston. Doubtless the death
sentence Of the cOurt-martial and the
preparations for the execution were
known TO few high officials, but. so
far as can be learned. the department.
III commander carried out the execu-
tions as a routine affair, as ne is war
ranted to do in time Of war, and only
made the usual formal report. which
was received here after the news dis
patches.
Were the country at peace, the ex-
ecutionS would have required the APP
,,rovaI of rho prpSifipnf Tn tina Of