The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1917-12-14

San Antonio, Tex, Dec. 11.-A tram
pied clearing in a lonely mesquite
thicket on the big government reser-
vation here, except for the ashes OF
two huge bonfres, showed no sign to-
night that it was the execution place
of thirteen negro soldiers of the twen-
ty-fourth infantry today. The negroes
convicted of participating in the riots
at Houston, Tex, August % last, were
hanged at TIT o'clock, one minute
before sunrise.
After dark last night motor trucks
carried the lumber for the scaffolds
and. a company of engineers to the
clearing. The scaffolds were built by
freight. Motor trucks shortly after
S o'clock this morning carried the con-
demned negroes from the barracks
where they spent their last night, and
the officers and military guard to the
place of execution. The trucks later
carried the bodies 10 place as indis-
tinguishable as the execution site,
where the burial took place, and then
they hauled back to Fort Sam Hous-
ton every piece of timber used in the
scaffold, so that the site was clear be-
fore formal announcement of the exc
,cution had been issued by the southern
department headquarters.
The condemned negroes had known
of their fate since Sunday. Twelve OF
them sought spiritual counsel of the
Army Y. M. C. A. workers. The thir-
teenth, whose name has not been dis
closed, gave no inkling that he knew.
Outwardly all were stoical. They did
not know the date of the execution, but
last night they were taken from the
cavalry guardhouses, where they had
been prisoners for more than month,
and placed in separate barracks.
Aside from less than dozen officers
of the southern department and the
sheriff Of Bexar county no one n the
c azaz sappl kasw e .aA tss
defendants were ignorant Of the faEs
ef their companions until after the for-
nal announcement had been made
The condemned men were aroused
this morning few minutes beforereg-
ular reveille-5:30 o'clock. The mill
tary guard had been summoned silent
ly and no sound was heard in the camp
where nearly 10000 men were sleeping
except the purring of the army truck
motors awaiting their loads. The ne
groes dressed in their regular uniforms
as carefully as for inspepction.
They displayed neither bravado
nor fear. They rode to the execution
singing hymn, but the singing was
as that of soldiers on the march. Ar
rived at the clearing, the song ceased;
the men, shackled, were helped from
the trucks to the scaffolds and seated
in chairs. A low goodbye, boys
addressed to members of their militia
ry guard, who had been in charge of
the negroes since they were brought
here from Fort Bliss, was the only ex-
preston from any of the negroes.
The mems feet were bound. An ar
my chaplain offered prayer. An Off
Ger called Attention" and, as on pa
rade, the negroes stood erect. They
stood quietly while the caps and noos-
es were adjusted, and then steppd on
the traps. The major in charge of the
execution gave a signal and the sol
diers sprung the traps.
The negroes plunged nine feet to
instant death.
No announcement has been made
when the forty-one negro defendants
given life sentences by the court mar
tial will be taken to Fort Leavenworth,
The men executed, with fifty-one
others of the same regiment, recently
were tried before court-martial here
on charges of murder, mutiny and riot
ing. The trial ended about two weeks
ago, but no announcement was made
as to the finding until after the execu-
tion this morning of the thirteen SEN
fenced to death. In addition to those
hanged, forty-one of the negro soldiers
were sentenced to life Imprisonment,
one was sentenced to two and one-half
years Imprisonment at hard labor, two
were sentenced to two years, and five
were acquitted
After the carrying out Of the SEN
tenee a written statement was made
public at southern department head
quarters, announcing the finding of
the court
The formal announcement, issued at
department headquarters at o'clock
this morning, follows:
The proceedings, findings and SEN
tences Of the general court-martial,
which tried sixty-three members Of the
Twenty-fourth infantry for their inn
plication in the riots at Houston, Tex,
August 23, 1917, were approved by
the commanding general, southern
department, December 10, 1917.
Those named as sentenced to death
were hanged on the military reserva-