Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-11-02
.0ffiCer of Twenty-fourth In
fantry, Which Shot Up HouS-
ton, Says Men Turned Guns
on Him,
ADM0NITl0N TO MEN
UNAVAILING, HE SAYS
Report That Corporal Had Been
Killed by Police Started
Troops on Rampage; Bay
OnetS in Court,


San Antonio, Tex, Nov. 1.---SiXty-
three negro soldiers Of the Twenty
Fourth infantry on guard at Camp
Logan, Houston. who were placed on
court martial trial here today on
charges of mutiny murder and riot
Ing In Houston on the night Of August
lives were lost, armed themselves and
left the camp in disobedience to
orders from Maj. X s. Snow after he
had warned them Of the consequences
and advised them that Corporal
Charles w. Baltimore, negro soldier,
had not been killed by Houston police
officers, Major Snow testified this
afternoon. Earlier reports, Major
Snow said. were that Baltimore had
been killed and the negro soldiers
were incensed.
Major Snow was in command OF the
Third battalion of the infantry num-
bers of which participated in the
shooting up of Houston. He was the
only material witness at the first day
of the military trial.
Guards Are Armed.
The trial is being held in Gift
chapel at Camp Travis, which has
been converted into temporary court
room. Armed guards with fixed bay
onets are stationed at points OF van
tage in the auditorium and spacious
yard surrounding the building during
the course of the trial. Spectators are
permitted in the gallery. All of the
defendants were seated in the court
room.
There were originally sixty-four
defendants but one, Grant Anderson,
i'll of pneumonia, was unable to at
tend. The defendants entered pleas
Of not guilty when court opened.
Corporal Reported Killed
Major Snow testified that report
reached camp about 2 O'Clock on the
afternoon preceding the shooting that
Corporal Baltimore had been shot ane
killed by Houston policeman. Later,
the witness said, he went TO Houston
police headquarters where the chief
of police told him that Baltimore had
not been shot but had been arrested
and roughly handled by a policeman
named Sparks, that Sparks had been
suspended and would be further pun
ished. Baltimore's arrest Is said to
have followed his asking Sparks why
he had arrested a negro woman.
Returning to camp, Major Snow
testified, he found the negroes already
angry and making threats. 1t was
then he told them Baltimore had not
been killed as they believed.
Pointed Guns at Major.
81 talked with them, telling them
they were sticking their necks In
ropes, committing suicide, and to put
their guns down" Major Snow testi-
fled. "But all said was unavaiing
Twenty or thirty Of the negroes hal
guns pointed at him, Major Snow said,
and seeing he could do nothing he
lodged between some tents and went
into X company street.
When he reached I company supply
tent, the major said, he saw many
negroes helping themselves to rifles
and ammunition and shortly the fir
ing broke loose"
Major Snow estimated that 1000
or 1900 shots were fired within ten
minutes. The negroes seemed to be
firing toward the city of Houston, he
said. 1t was too dark to recognize
any of them, but he kept trying to
persuade them to stop firing.
Did Not Know Names.
About this time, according to the
testimony, upwards Of 100 negroes
left camp, starting toward Houston,
Snow then had all the negroes in
camp rounded up so he could check
up on those absent The firing mean
time could be heard In the direction
Of the city, he testified.
Snow did not witness any of the
shooting in the city, he said, and did
not know the names of any Of the
negroes who mutinied.