The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 93, July 1989 - April, 1990 Page: 53
598 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Court-Martzal of Corporal Knowles
Captain Macklin's health and career problems delayed the convening
of the Knowles court-martial for more than four months after the ar-
rest of the accused. Macklin's own court-martial, in early May, followed
his recuperative leave of absence. The tribunal, which learned that
Macklin still suffered headaches and hearing loss, judged him innocent
of negligence at Fort Brown. For a time civil authorities planned to
prosecute Knowles, only to find that Oklahoma territorial law pre-
cluded trial for attempted murder. The delay allowed the area press
further contemplation of the case. Impressed with the army's evidence,
the Daily Oklahoman recited the allegations in detail and trumpeted
rumors of a garrison conspiracy at Fort Reno to kill white officers. "It is
known," insisted the Oklahoma City newspaper, "that the officers of
the post go heavily armed and protected at night." The suspected plot
rested on supposed resentment by black soldiers against the punish-
ment accorded the First Battalion at Fort Brown."
If black resentment seethed below the surface, white impatience vis-
ibly boiled over. On the heels of the cashiering of the 167 soldiers, the
War Department announced the imminent transfer of all Negro troops
to the strife-torn Philippines. While the government disavowed any link
between the two decisions, the reassignments appeared intended to ap-
pease an angry public. Although residents of southwestern garrison
towns demonstrated approval, Senator Benjamin Tillman of South
Carolina reacted to the contrary. "If these brutes will catch white women
by the throats and commit outrages upon them at Brownsville and Fort
Reno where there are plenty of white men to catch them and shoot
them," exclaimed the fiery segregationist Democrat, "... what inde-
scribable outrages they will commit against ignorant and unprotected
Filipino women...." Tillman favored either discharging all blacks
from the military or leaving them "where if they commit outrages upon
women we can shoot them . 2. ."":
Under Special Orders No. 97, the Department of Texas finally fixed
the date of Knowles's court-martial for May 6, 1907, at Fort Sill, Okla-
homa. Because of the postponements and duration of Macklin's court-
martial, the military trial convened only four days after the conclusion
of the Macklin proceeding. The captain had stated at both his and
22 United States Army and Navy Journal, XLIV (Dec. 29, 1906), 479; ibid., Jan. 5, 1907, pp. 505,
509; Dazly Oklahoman (Oklahoma City), Jan. 9, 1907 (quotation); Dallas Mornng News, Jan. 11,
1907
23El Paso Herald, Sept. , 1 9o6, Dallas Morning News, Jan. 7, 1907 (quotations).
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 93, July 1989 - April, 1990, periodical, 1990; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101213/m1/79/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.