Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-11-10
THREE HOUSTON RIOTERS ARE
POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED.
Captains Testimony Fixes Guilt of
Three Soldicrs-Polico Blam-
able, Iio Says.
Officer Sparks Said to Have Abused
and Beaten Negro Guard Who
Asked for Information Relative to
Arrest Of Soldier.

Positive Identification OF three Negroes
OF the Twenty Fourth Infantry, who
participated In the Houston riot, Au
gust %, which resulted in the death
Of twenty two persons, was made to
DAY by Captain Haig Shekerjian, Of
the Twenty fourth Infantry, testify.
ing ut the court martial of sixty three
Negroes charged with mutiny, muc
ucr and rioting. The Identification
was made in connection with de
tailed narration OF events leading up
to the rioting.
The three Negroes who were posi-
lively identified were Corporal J. r.
Hawkins, Corporal G. Brown, and
Private Ira Davis. They were among
the defendants IN the courtroom.
The shooting up" of Houston. &C
cording to Captain Shekerjian's testi
Inony was precipitated by the action
OF Policeman Sparks, in abusing Cor
poral Charles BALTIMORE, OF the TWEEN
W fourth Infantry, when he arrested
him In the street Of Hous OH on the
afternoon preceding the night of the
outbreak at the time of Baltimoore's
arrest, the witness testified, Baltimore
was on military duty, and wore n Do
lice badge that was plainly visible to
Policeman Sparks.
The trouble started. Captain Sheker
Jan testified, when Baltimore asked
Policeman Sparks why he had arrest
Ell Negro member Of the Twenty
fourth infantry. BALTIMORE, according
to Shekerjian, said Sparks "cursed
him. and told him 1t was none of
his business" BALTIMORE then told
Sparks that he was on guard duty
and would have to report to his com
handing officer why the soldier hal
beef arrested. To this. ac;,rdinE to
the witness, Sparks replied he did
not have to tell "a Niger" and hit
him twice on the head with his pistol.
SPARKS FIRED THREE SHOTS
AT THE FLEEING NEGRO.
Baltimore then fan down the street
and into a house while Sparks fired
three shots after him Baltimore took
refuge under bed. Sparks following
pulling him out and striking him
twice more with his pistol, BALTIMORE
then was taken to Jail. Meantime, tho
report reached Camp Logan that Bal.
nmocre had been shot and killed
This incensed the Negro troops.
Shekerjian testified, and, notwith
standing the fact that they later were
told that BALTIMORE was not killed.
they mutinied, went to Houston, ana
snot up tho town.
Major Snow, he said, sent him into
the city to investigate. He conferred
with Chief OF Police Brock, in whose
Office Baltimore and Sparks told their
stories. Saprks saying that Baltimore
used insulting language to- him. An
cfncer. with Sparks at the time, de
pied this the witness said. Chief
Erock then suspended Sparks.
Cantain Shekerjian took BALTIMORE
u camp, he said instruoting him ZEN
route to belittle the whole affair At,
camp Sheridan said he called all of tho
first sergeants into his tent and ex
planned that Sparks would be punish
ed, and instructed the noncommission
ed officers to explain the situation
1uliy to the men at retreat" Major
SNOW had previously cancelled all
passes FOR the night, he said.
Shekerjian said that later in the
evening he learned the Negro soldiers
were obtaining ammunition and seem
cd possessed with the idea that a mob
OF Houston civilians was coming to
the camp.
4 pushed into the crowd" the wit
Eess testified, Saying There is no one
coming we will take the law into
our own hands one Negro shouted,
CAPTAIN KNOCKED DOWN