Bisbee daily review., 1917-09-13
INVESTIGATION
OF NEGRO RIOTS
ENDS IN HOUSTON
Municipal Board of Texas
City Completes Its Probe
Into Reasons Behind Re-
cent Rioting by Black Sol
diers.
(By Review Leased wire.)

(By Review Leased Wire.)
HOUSTON. Texas, Sept 12.-Com-
plotting an inquiry into the causes of
the recent negro soldiers riot which
cost the lives of fifteen citizens of
Houston, the citizens board filed its
report with the city council today.
The report covers virtually every
phase of the recent trouble and deals
with the police situation in Houston.
Arrests Cause Riot
The committee is of the opinion
that the riot undoubtedly was pre-
cipitated by two arrests of negroes
made by Officer Sparks, although suf-
ficient evidence was presented at the
hearing to reveal the fact that Sc
rious disturbance was intended by
some of the negro soldiers before
leaving Houston and the arrests re-
ferred to simply brought it to a head
sooner and intensified the crimes
which followed.
Negroes After Whites
Continuing. the committee says that
the undisputed and convincing testi-
mony of witnesses prove that the ne
gro soldiers went forth to slay the
white populatio n Unfortunately
that not one negro was hurt or mo-
Tested by them; not one negro home
was fred into and that the negroes
were warned before and during the
riot to stay off the streets.
Had Planned Affair
THE testimony of the captain in
charge of the FIRE station at Camp
Logan" the report says, land one of
his assistants is that when the shoot
ing began in the negro camp one of
the negro guards stationed at the
frt station remarked that the troops
we're going to shoot up Houston; that
they had planned to do so on the
preceding Tuesday night, but could
not get quite ready. This testimony
and that of numerous other circum-
stances in the record convince US
tand our opinion is shared by Inspec-
tor General L. Chamberlain of the
I United States army. who so expressed
himself to u.s.. that the prior con
aicts with the police were mere in
cidents of the riots; that it probably
would have occurred, though possibly
not so severe. had the alteration
between Officer Sparks and the ne
gro Sergeant Baltimore not taken
place"
Hostility Evident
The report calls attention to the
fact that shortly after the arrival OF
the negro troops in Houston there
was manifested by at least some OF
them a feeling of hostilit and def
ance of the state law requiring the
/ separation of the white and negro
races in the street cars, when on
leave of absence from the camp the
soldiers frequently visited those sec.
tons of Houston and those establish
ments where the lewd and lawless
sections of the negro population were
to be found; that the discipline ex-
listing at the camp was grossly lax
in moral conditions; lewd negro wom-
en-, some mere children. being per
mitted freely to visit the camp and
remain there over night, and that
such women were permitted to bring
parcels into the camp without inspec-
ton by the sentries. keeping the sol
diers literally supplied with whisky
and other intoxicants.
Police Officials Censured
Chief among the recommendations
made is that regarding Superintend-
ent of Police c. l.. Brock.
IN our opinion" says the report
he is not qualified for the position
he holds. His course towards ORR
Ger Sparks shows his inability to en-
force discipline in difficulties; his
course on the night of the riot shows
that he is not q safe leader in an
emergency"