The weekly Alaska citizen., 1917-12-17
NEGROES FOUND GUILTY MUlINY
 ARE EXECUTED
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 SAN ANTONIO, Tex, Dec IL Thirteen negroes of the Twenty fourth United States infantry were hanged at Fort sam Uou ton today and forty-one others sentenced 10 serve life terms In federal prisons. These negro soldiers were convicted of mutiny in war time and killing an officer of the United States army while rioting in IIou ton, TsNas, on the night of August 23, 1917
 The sentence of death by hanging instead of shooting Is exceptional, and given because it is considered an ignominious death for a soldier who is unworthy of a military nath by shooting. The negroes who were hanged marched to their death sing ing hymns.
 The riotlng in Houston occurred while the third battalion of the Twenty-fourth infantry was guarding naw buildings being erected at Camp Logan During the afternoon of Au gust 23 report was circulated in the negro camp that Corporal Balu more, of the battalion, had been shot and killed by a Houston polio" officer This was said to have been directly responsible for the trouble.
 According to the testimony of one of the participants, the negroes ob tained their rifles and a quantity of ammunition after retreat the same evening and after dark started to ward Houston There were about l25 of these negroes, according to the statement, and they op d fir on an automobile in which an Am erican was mG-ng. He was Said to have been the first one killed Con tinuing toward the city, the negroes partially concealed themselves and fired into houses and along strcots
 Riot calls were turned in, polio and army patrols were rushed to tho sccne, and while attempting to Qual the rioters, Captain J. W. Matto3. of the second Illinois artillery, wa shot and killed and his body Is said to have been mutilated. An arm ambulance also was fired upon. Tn rioters were finally round q u2, re tu to camp and later the entire battalion of coo mon disarmcd by troops after 3t had been arrested and plac in thu county jail blanket charge of murder was mad again t these men.
 Orders were issued the following day for the battalion to return d once to Columbus, N. NJ. and tn men alleged to have been implicated were taken along under heavy guard They were sent to the fort there and confined in the stockade.
 Inspector General John L. Cham berlain, of the army, made special trip to Columbus and IIou ton in order to ascertain the facts at first hand This was followed by tn" appointment of an army board Of in Quiry, composed of three officers Of the Twenty-fourth infantry, of which the battalion stationed at Fort Hous- -x ,+ tIn of a a part The board has prepared several volumes of typewriter eVi- dence obtained from the negroes, This board Of inquiry, with Captain Homer Preston presiding. held it's sessions within the stoCkade where the negroes were confined and eX- amined each of the prisoners. Many of these were in leg irons and under a night and day guard by eight regi ment cavalrymen who were armed with loaded rifles and stationed in lookout towers.
 The extreme penalty in the event of conviction of mutiny in war time is fixed by the articles of war at execution before firing squad or, if the crime Is held by the court to have been exceptionally hcinous. the court may order the convicted soldiers hanged rather than shot Hanging is considered more lgnoml- nious than shooting in the United States army. INVESTICATI..