Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-12-11
THIRTEEN COLORED
SOLDIERS HUNG FOR
RIOT AT HOUSTON
Forty Others Given Life Sen
tences and Five Acquitted
at Trial


Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Tex
as, Dec. 11.-Thirteen negro soldiers,
members of the Twenty Fourth United
States infantry, were hanged here today
for participation in the Houston riot.
the night of August 23 in which seven
teen persons were killed and twenty
two injured.
So far as it is officially know, this
is the first execution of American sol
diers ON American territory since the
United States entered the war.
Aside from the thirteen blacks hang
I'd at 7:17 this morning, forty one were
given life sentence in federal prison,
one a sentence of two years and six
months, and three sentences Of two
years. Five were acuitted.
The thirteen negro soldiers were hang
ed near Camp Travis. Corporal Charles
Baltimore was one of the men executed.
Tho others were:
Sergeant Nesbit.
Corporal l.. j. Brown.
Corporal Wheatley.
Corporal Jesse Moore.
Private William Breckenridge (first
class.
Private Thomas G. Hawkins (first
class.
Private Carlos snodgrass (first
class.
Private Ira B. Davis.
Jrivate James Divins.
Private Frank johnson.
Private Rilay w. Young.
Dr;xvata Pot MaVhortar
The names of those sentenced to i'm.
prisonment and those acquitted have
not yet been made public.
The executions were in charge of Ma
ior General John w. Ruckman, com
mander of the southern department
They took place on the government res
ervation on Salado creek, Camp Tre
Wis. No ono aside from military Officials
knew Of the impending execution unit
this morning.
The verdict convicting the black sol
diers was returned November 30, II wa
stated officially.
The riot which resulted in the con
viction and imposition Of sentence on
negro soldiers occurred at Houston
Texas, on the night Of August %, 1917
The riot resulted in the death of sew
enteen persons and the wounding OF
twenty one. Among those dead were
four policemen, three negro soldiers
lone Mexican and nine whites, the lat
Uen M, inelueins e, 49,. So o,,tisaol, 90 obo,,
"a q mo es'li'e IT,; ~ -" 20 4I'o Tr,ayt1
I, loo nesI1 ;sos sole Sto4o " ,san+r, ~
r1uleh l,u1i oiiseu 49, H. ~ 3ov +be
.cloch d. nlsn'' eu,nns 'no nooinst u ~ ~
n1glo0s pee'.,,le ~ unatn ~ ia, hooaI'sa of AZ
WIZ PHI rLoat;n e. .ouefe as nol,ro sergaant
a,2 son o,;oa os oFf;eor - "
l"J q poiioo ,, oll- o,,,,,,r,;+ion +bo
oIeaiihg a eoiiipeny sh; '','lF r;fIas and 1ott
lnegroes seiNea ILL., .neli a5 ln tnu tLn ~
lnelr camp, s.aiting ooIaiu mau;,d w siss
shooolng ineisol .1;a4aIs, ii;,i.,sIsy a aonnta5
was silen lillilieul%toty hnIt b az n,oh
ponco pliieeis p sGus s1i',os ~ uoin effor,
sufl9Iueiins Sl;u ~ 'nSi1 noIdiars m booi, m
TO GilVe the soislels paeA, .a -
liiihoIs suaIueliien ~ nS'ii'peU a.,
lamp Logan, sgo.l aiilseJ - oH 49,
scehe pue oniy ~ ~ 'ilise . ~ '"ao oJ 100,
ion poote1n os fJas+nn sn aiti1ens Who a1mel
lcTo"us ol ilouSVoli 9ttl~aai w W. ,'lias' a.
Onoiiis9i' :. % anu quieNi5 w "
pose the rloters' -. a. soo,
me negroes tnen touN ~ .nS oPtl !,
couh1iy hn iilfn., .i ne so,ae nIaead Lac = ,,nde, ~
camp, Wnere .ney NJ i"s s;oi5s ~ 49,
i.1.tosS 'siteI "nL ~ - ~ aaI,7 saods Arme5
oieches aiohs tne ne"oy ;,;4o .o 14bn.; rai,.
citlzehs assisted the IiisisaiT aSi"1t a1i ~,
ties IN the sealeh anu iinaiiy az '"'
stragglers were rouhasu nue. up, onlr :,
11I..A4l.' i..AslseiAS III 4hno,,1bn,,+ al Toxas
MARTIAL law was declared N Ilousto, =,
ana flgorons measures eaeen ~ Do'i
civil and military auInOflIleS