Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-08-25
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NEGRO GUARD TAKEN
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day is entirely in the hands Of the mill
ttarv. understanding that action Of
District Attorney John f Croker in
films murder charges against "a Of
them
The battalion Of the gath infantry.
which Included the shooters, early to-
dav was piled on train and started
west toward IFS old station AT Colum-
bus n NJ Major General George Bell,
Jr. who arrived this morning from
San Antonio and took command, indiv
Gated that there was slight probability
Of any of the men being returned here
for civil trials,
Il assume" he said. chat the local
authorities viii seek 70 try the men
against whom charges have been filed
However. their disposition is in the
hands of the military. They will be
eourt-martialed The justice melted
out by army authorities will be much
quicker obtained than 1t could by civil
procedure
District Attorney Croker said this
morning. when he heard that during
the night the - Negroes confined IN
the Harris county jail had been re
moved and sent to Columbus With their
comrades;
II don't think they would have TAX
en- them away 50 easily if I had been
the court TO issue the warrants against
them"
Cannot Discuss Plans.
General Bell said then that It would
be impossible for him 70 discuss plans
for she court-martial or 10 say where
1t viii take place. He said:
''Mutiny in time of war is punish
able by death. Murder at all times in
- Qsa17 a~esrsN
viii be dealt out to those participate
ing in the disturbance promptly and
effectually."
II am not prepared 20 speak OF tbs
causes Of Thursday nights trouble,
General Bell continued. 1T Is to be
assumed. though, that the Negroes
thought that some one had sighted
them IN some way. The 34th has had
q fine army record. None Of these men
We're implicated in this Brownsville
trouble At Columbus they behaved
themselves"
Martial Law Removed.
Houston viii be removed from mar
tiaI law tomorrow. This was the an
nouncement of Major General George
Bell, Jr.. today after he had toured the
city and conferred with city and ma
tionaI guard officials regarding the sit
uatIon. following the ri0ting on Thurs
day night by Negro soldiers Of the
gath infantry, which resulted in II
deaths. General Bell decided the sItu-
alton was so we'll IN hand that he sent
back to san Antonio the battalion OF
the 18th infantry brought from there
yesterday. and also ordered to Calves
ton the 35 men of the coast guard
rushed from there on Thursday night
Civil Authorities Protest.
Immediately after news was OBJ
tanned that the 81 Negroes held in the
county Jail had been turned back to
the military authorities. the Harris
county authorities began an inyestl-
cation.
The matter was called to the grand
iury.s attention by Laurence William
son. assistant district attorney. The
Jury investigated not only the muir
der charges brought against the Ne
goes, but the action Of Sheriff NJ. +
Hammond IN giving up custody Of the
prisoners.
Justice Leon Lusk. who issued
blanket murder warrant against the
~ men, said that persons charged with
the crime of murder or other crime
cannot be legally released without
release being issued by a court Of
competent Jurisdiction. He issued re-
leases for CorpoTals Mcknight and
Williams. who were absent on leave
the night Of the shooting, but who
were not in the party that rafded the
town. He found. howeevr, they al
ready had been returned TO the milf
tary yesterday
Want Illinois Negroes To 60.
kilograms were sent to the Texas
delegation at Washington today By
citizens stating that the Negro COM
pany Of the Eighth Illinois infantry
stationed here must GO" The tele-
grams pointed out that not since the
rioting had single negro been trou-
called to the attention OF the delega-
ton also the fact that on the very
night the disturbances took place the
chamber Of commerce had arranged
for watermelon feast for the Negro
soldiers here. The Illinois Negroes
took no part ia the troubles.