The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-09-28
courts MARTIAL TO
Be OPEN TOPUBL|c
Trials Of Men Of Twenty-fourth
Infantry For Completely In
Riot To Start Next Week

& FORT BLISS, Texas, September %
---tAssoeiated Press S,fTriais BY court
martial Of the soldiers Of the Twenty
fourth Infantry who are charged with
responsibility for or participating in
the rioting in Houston last month win
start next week. II is the Intention of
the war department that full public
ity shall be given TO these trials and
it Is announced that they win be. open
to the public and newspapers are ip-
vitcd to send representatives to re-
port the testimony that may be offered.
The rioting in ~ Houston occurred
While the Third Battalion Of the TWEEN
ty-iourth Infantry was guarding new
hull lings being erected Mt Camp 10.
gan. During the afternoon of August
% report was circulated In the negro
camp that Corporal Baltimore Of the
battalion had been shot and killed by
Houston police officer. This was said
to have been directly responsible for
the trouble. " az -''
Fire On Automobile ..........
According 10 the testimony of one of
the participants the negroes obtained
their rifles and quantity of ammuni
ton after retreat the same evening
and after dark started toward Houston
There were about l25 Of these negroes,
according to the statement, and they
opened fire on an automobile in which
an American was riding. He was said
to have been the first one killed, Com
tinuing toward the city the negroes
partially concealed themselves and
firel into houses and along streets, 4.
Riot calls were turned in, police and
army patrols were rushed to the scene
and while attempting to quell the riot,
ers Captain j.. w. Mates Of the Sec
ond Illinois Artillery was shot and
killed and his body is said TO have been
mutilated. An army ambulance also
was fred upon. The rioters were finally
rounded up, returned to camp and later
the entire battalion of 500 men dis.
armed by troops after thirty four had
been arrested and placed in the county
Jail. A blanket charge of murder was
made against these men. ~.
Orders were issued the following day
for the battalion to return at once to
Columbus, New Mexico, and the men
alleged to have been implicated were
taken along under heavy guard. They
were sent to the fort here and confined
in the stockade. ..' @
Army Board inquiries, '.
Inspector General John L. Chamber.
lain of the army made a special trip to
Columbus and Houston in order to as.
certain the facts at first hand. This
was followed by the appointment Of an
army board of inquiry, 5conaposedt OF
three officers of the Twenty fourth
Infantry, of which the battalion sta.
toned at Fort Houston at the time of
the rioting was a part. The board has
prepared several volumes of typewrit
ten evidence obtained from the negroes
here and at Columbus. This board of
inquiry with Capt. Homer Preston pre-
siding, held its sessions within the
stockRde where the negroes are con.
fined and examined each of the pris.
Oners. Many of these were. in leg
irons and under night and day guard
by eight regiment eavalrymen who
were armed with loaded rifles and sta
toned in lookout towers.
Extreme Penalty Death
The extreme penalty in the event o.
conviction of mutiny in war time is
fixed by the articles of war at execu'
tion before a firing squad or, If the
crime is held by the court to have been
exceptionally heipous the court may
orIrr the convicted soldiers hanged
rather than shot. Hanging is consid.
cred more ignominous than shooting in
the UnitedrStates Army. 4"