The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1917-12-13
HANG l3 NEGRO
SOLDIERS FOR RIOT
Army Officials Execute Blacks
for Houston Outbreak.
al GIVEN LIFE SENTENCES
Condemned Men Sing Hymn as They
March to the Scaffold In Desolate
Region Near Fort Sam
Houston.

fourth infantry, u. S. A., found guilty
of completely in the riot and mutiny
at Houston August %, were hanged on
the military reservation at Fort Sam
Houston at 7:17 a. m. Tuesday. An
| nouncement of the carrying out of the
sentence was made at headquarters of
the southern department of the army
at a. m.
Only army officers and Sheriff John
Tobin of Bexar county were present
when the sentence was carried out by
soldiers from the post. No newspaper
men or civilian spectators were al
lowed, the time and place of execution
having been kept 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 G. 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 a great scaffold erected dur
ing the night by engineers from the
post
A column consisting of approximate
ly 125 cavarymen and 100 infantry sol
diers assembled AT the cavalry guard
house where the negroes were confined
at 3 80 n. m. Trucks were provided
to convey the prisoners TO the scene
of the execution.
March on Death Traps.
Col. Willard r. Waltz, post com
mander was in command of the column
and led the way to the scaffod.
The column arrived at the scaffold
at 6 30 a. m. A food Of light had been
charge of the actual work of prepar-
ing the nooses and adjusting them TO
| the necks of the condemned men. The
cavalry and infantry guard assembled
I'm hollow square formation around the
| scaffold and the prisoners were given
the order to march upon the death
traps.
Sing Hymn Walking to Scafold.
without a tremor they stepped out
with sodierly tread and singing a
hymn they walked to their places.
Prayers We're said by II negro minister
and by two army chaplains and then
| the men were ordered 10 stand on the
traps Resumng their song they stood
erect and displayed the greatest forti-
tude while the ropes were adjusted.
At 7:17 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
| ass! @red to each one. AT the word of
command they pulled OF the triggers
and the IL negroes dropped to death.
Eleven of them died almost Instantly
the other two quivering moment or
two after the rope became taut
Life imprisonment for Al.
| OF the GO men tried by the same
| court martial Al We're sentenced to life
| Imprisonment. one man was SEN
fenced to dishonOrable discharge from
the army, forfeiture of all pay and al
| lowances and to be confined at hard
| labor for two and a half years. Three
were sentenced to be dishonorably dis
charged from the army. forfeit all pay
and allowances and be confined al
hard labor for two years. Five were
acquitted.
The negro soldiers who paid the
death penalty we're:
Sergt William G. Nesbltt, Corporal
Larnon J. Brown, Corporal James
Wheatley, Corporal Jesse Moore, Cor.
| pOral Charles w. Baltimore, Private
William Breckenridge, Private Thomas
c. Hawkins, Private Carlos Snodgrass
Private Ira b. Davis, Private James
Divins, Private Frank Johnson. Private
Rlsley w. Young, Private Pat Mac
Whorter
After the hanging of the IL men the
chief of staff of the Southern depart
ment gave out written statement. al
the same time refusing to answer any
| questions The bodies were buried
near the place Of execution. Thos,
sentenced to life Imprisonment will be-
sent to the federal prison AT Leaven
worth. Kan.
Kept Secret In Washington.
Washington. Dee l2.--Thc hanging
of 13 negro troopers for completely IN
the Houston riot was unknown to vlr
tuully all officials of the war depart
ment until II was announced at For
Sam Houston. Doubtless the dealt
sentence Of the cuurt-murtial and the
| preparations for the execution were
known to few high officials, but. s.
far ns can be learned, the department
al commander carried out the execu
tions rs a routine affair. as he is war
rnnted 10 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
ecutlons would have reqsired the ap
proyal Of the president. In time d
war. however. all such authority Is de
centralized and placed with RESPONSE
BILE commander
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