Evening star., 1917-11-03

ARMY Officer PICKS
30F HOUSTON RIOTERS
Blsmes White Policeman for Start.
ing Trouble Which Resulted
IN Outbreak.

BAN ANTONIO, Tex. November -
Identification Of three negroes Of the
Gath Infantry who participated In the
riot at Houston. August IS. which re-
suited in the death OF twenty-five per-
sons. was made by Capt. HAig Shsker-
jian Of the 24th Infantry. testifying
at the court-martial Of sixty-three
negroes who are charged with mutiny,
murder and riotinS. The three negroes
identified are Corp. J. r. Hawkins. Corp.
g. Brown and Private Ira Davis. Capt.
Shekerjian pointed them out in the
the riot.
Blames Houston Policeman.
The shooting up OF Houston. Capt.
shekerjian testified. was prectpitated
abusing Corp. Charles Baltimore of
the gath Infantry when he arrested
him on the day preceding the night
arrest, the witness testified. BALTIMORE
was on military police duty and wore
a police badge that was plainly visible
to Policeman Sparks.
arrested q negro member Of tho 24th
Infantry, according to Shekerjian
Sparks cursed him and told him it was
mono Of his business" The witnes.
on guard duty and would have to re-
port back to his commanding officer
why tho soldier had been arrested. To
this. according to the witness, Sparks
replied he did not have to tell "a Mig
ger" and hit him on the head twice
with his pistol BALTIMORE ran down
the street and into a house, Sparks fr-
ing three shots after him.
Excitement in Camp.
Baltimore took refuge under a bed
Sparks pulling him out and striking
him twice more with his pistol before
taking him to jail. Tho witness added
where the negro troops were stationed
that Baltimore had been shot, and al
though they later were told that Balti-
moore was not killed. their anger con-
mutinied. went to Houston and shot
up" the town MAI. X. s. Snow. he said
sent him into the city to Investigate
He conferred with Chief Of Police
Brock, in whose ofi1ce Baltimore and
Sparks told their stories. Sparks saying
guage to him. An officer with Sparks
at the time denied this the witness
said. Chief Brock then suspended
Sparks.
Sueke1J16n look k56lI1mOOf0 TO
camp. he said. instructing him en- route
to belittle the whole affair At camp
Shekerjian said he called all the first
sergeants into his tent and explained
that Sparks would be punished, and
instructed the non-commissioned odl-
cers to explain the situation fully to
the men at retreat" Maj. Snow had
p4eviously cAnceled all passes for the
night, he said.
ShekerJian said that later in the even-
ing he learned that the negro soldiers
were obtaining ammunition and seem
cd possessed with the idea that q mob
Of Houston civilians was coming to the
| camp.
II pushed into the crowd" tho wit
ness testified. Saying There Is no mob
coming We will take the law into our
own hands, one negro shouted.
Somebody knocked mo over. I got
up, pulled my dashlight and threw II
in the face Of q man whose fAoe Inn
pressed me- Drop that light or VIII
put q hole through you he command
ed me. I put out the light
Shooting Up the City.
The captain pointed out Ira Davis as
the man he referred to. Shekerjian then
testified:
'It all happened faster than I can
tell you. Men began firing. There
was too much noise for them to hear
Of men lying promo behind stump.
apparently firing promiscuously. ran
up and grabbed their guns into my
arms and told them there was no dan
ger. to quit firing and help restore or
der. They quit continued running
to men and taking hold Of them, is
suing orders to cease firing into their
ears. I was having some success.
About this time 1 heard some one yell
to h with going to France! Let's
go clean Up that c{tys The
negroes then were running toward the
town."
Capt Shekerjian then told Of check
ing up on the men to see who was
missing. He submitted lists OF the
names he obtained. Asked as to how
much ammunition the negroes took out
Of the camp, he replied that $4,000
rounds were taken from Company
ammunition tent, 800 rounds from L