The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-12


 ty-fourth infantry today.
 The negroes, convicted of participal 23. last, were hanged at TIT o'clock. ( After dark last night motor trucks carried the lumber for the scaffolds and company of engineers to the clearing The scaffolds were built by fire light. Motor trucks shortly after 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 to a place as indis' tinguishable as the execution site, where the burial took place, and then they hauled back to Fort Sam Houston every piece of timber used in the scaf- fold, so that the site was clear before formal announcement of the executions had been issued by the southern de- partment headquarters.
 KNEW FATE SINCE SUNDAY The condemned negroes had known of their fate since Sunday. Twelve of them sought spiritual counsel of army Y. M. c. A. workers. The thirteenth, whose name has not been discloseu, gave no inkling that he knew. Out wardly all were stoical. They did not know the date of the execution, but last night they were taken from the cavalry guardhouse, where they have been prisoners for more than a month, and placed in separate barracks.
 Aside from less than dozen officers of the southern department and the sheriff of BeXas county, no one in the city or the army camps knew of the execution, date or place. The other of their companions until after the for etendants were ignorant of the fate nI announcement had been made.
 The condemned men were aroused this tFcining few minutes before regular ny reveille, o:so o'clock. The military Aa.d had been summoned silently and
 aound was heard in the camp where ly 4000o men were sleeping, except se purring of the army truck motors
 attfngi their loads. The negroes dressed 1 their regular uniforms as carefully as for inspection.
 NEITHER BRAVADO OR FEAR They displayed neither bravado or fear. They rode to the execution singing hymn, but the singing was as that of soldiers on the march. Arrived at the clearing, the song ceased, the men. shackled, were helped from the trucks to the scaffolds and seated on chairs. A low Good by boys addressed to members of their military guard who had been in
 
 brought here from Fort Bliss was the only expression from any of the negroes. The men's feet were bound. An army chaplain offered prayer An officer called "Attention!' and as on parade the ne- groes, stood erect. They stood quietly while caps and nooses were adjusted and then stepped on the traps The major in charge of the execution gave a signal and soldiers sprung the traps.
 The negroes plunged nine feet to in- stant death.
 No announcement has been made when the fl negro defendants given life sen tences by the courtmartial will be taken to Fort Leavenworth.
 ONLY FIVE ACQUITTED
 Of the others, four were sentenced to dishonorable discharge from tile army, forfeiture of all pay and allow ances due and prison terms of two years and six months. Five were ac- quilted and sent to join their com mands.
 In spite of the executions and all nouncement of the other sentences to- day, the riot at Houston is not closed incident Investigation is still in prog ress and it is expected additional court -martials will follow.
 Even after the execution and the return of the guard to camp, news ot what had occurred dfd not spread through the camp or through the city until announced by newspapers. It created some demonstration among negroes who had followed the progress of the trial in the nature of mourn ings" .at few negro churches. Crowds at these, however, were small. FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT MADE The formal announcement, issued at department headquarters at o'clock this morning, follows:
 .The proceedings, findings and sem tences of the general courtmartial which tried 63 members of the Twenty fourth infantry for their implication in the riots at Houston, Tex. August 23, 1917 were approved by the commanding gen.
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