Brownsville Daily Herald (Brownsville, Tex.), Vol. 17, No. 379, Ed. 1, Monday, November 29, 1909 Page: 1 of 4
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Daily
WNSVILL
BROWNSVILLE TEXAS MONDAY NOVEMBER 29 1909
SINGLE C.aiES 5 CENTS
VOL. XVII. NO. 379
MILITARY COURT
PERSONALLY VI
Hold Court and Take Evidence in the Homes of Citi-
zens in the Streets and Alleys. The Court Is Pro
foundly Interested in All the Details Pertaining to
the Case.
INVESTIGATES
BARRACKS FIRE
HELIEYKI) TO HAVE A KKAK1XG
OX CASK.
Number of Citizens Testified Gen.
Daggett Counsel for Negro Sold-
iers Attended Sessions of Court
Today.
This afternoon the court visited
the various houses which were fired
into and took evidence on the very
spots where the shooting occurred!
both in the houses and on the streets
. traversed by the soldiers during the
raid.
Promptly at ten o'clock this morn-
ing the military court of inquiry
resumed its sessions in the Federal
court room with Lt. Gen. Young
presiding and all the members in
their places.
Gen. A. S. Daggett of San Anto-
ni who has been retained as counsel
by two of the discharged negro sol-
diers was also present.
The members of the court were
seated at one of the long tables
placed longitudinally to the right
of the judge's bench.
Gen. Young sat at one end of the
table facing the room with Generals
Wilson and Price on his left and
Generals Sanger and Schwan on his
right. The recorder sat at another
similar table ?n front of and facing
the court. To the right md between
the two tables was placed the wit-
nesses chair.
When the court was called to. or-
der the recorder read the minutes of
the last meeting wliieh alter some
questioning wre adapted.
He then addressed' the court as
follows.
"For the information of the court
I will now state that I will have
witnesses placed on the stand and
will introduce oral evidence relative
to the affair at Fort "Jruwn
The first question ro be .ousid-
ered will be the burning of the three
barracks 'at the reservation at Fort
Brown as I understand on the fif-
teenth day of October 1909. Whetn-
er or not they desire it it is for
the court to determine whther or not
they will consider the evidence.
I will state that the destruction of
the three barracks at the reservation
at Fort Brown Texas included the
destruction in my opinion of mat-
rial evidence in this hearing and I
expect by the introduction of the ev-
idence of these witnesses to show
that material evidence was destroy-
ed and also that certain material
evidence was produced during the
destruction of these barracks.
I will mention one ofthe points
which I expect to bring out in these
procedings and that is the evidence
of the explosion of cartridges during
the fire as these three barracks have
not been occupied by troops since
the departure of the three compa-
nies in question. This evidence is
material."
At 10:20 the court went into ex-
ecutive session retiring to the small
room at the right of the court room.
After it had been out about fifteen
minutes. Captain Howland was call-
ed out. At 10:40 the court returned
and the recorder announced that the
court would not permit the taking of
stenographic notes by anyone other
than the court reporter from whom
copies of theevidence could be ob.
tained.
Ex-Sergeant Cuas. Bender was
then called and sworn. He testified
concerning his connection with the
fire at the fort and of hearing the
explosions of "carbine or rifle cart-
ridges" fully one hundred of them
he thought in B barracks and a few
in D barracks. He heard no ex-
liWIRE FENCING PROBLEMS
4
4
can be solved by using the best fence materials and implements.
We carry a complete stock of American Steel & Wire Co.'s pro-
ducts. BARBED AND SMOOTH WIRE.
Hog Fencing to be used alone or with two or three strands of
barbed wire above.
The New American Poultry Fence; the best fence on the mar-
ket for poultry gardens orchards and yards.
Poultry Xctting 2 inch mesh galvan ized before weaving in all
sizes from 12 inches to 72 inches.
Barbed "Wire aw1 Poultry Netting Staples
We have purchased espe illy for the use of our customers a
large automatic stretcher for stretching woven wire fences. By
using this implement your fence will be stretched tight and
even. No charge for its use.
HICKS HARDWARE CO.
4
4
4
4
4
4
SIT
F SHOOTIN
WORK DONE BY
MILITARY COURT
DEVOTED MONTHS TO CLOSE
STUDY OF EVIDENCE.
Accomplishment of Ilecorder After
Thoroughly Digesting 000 Pag-
es of Reports Condensed It In
Clear Consecutive Story.
plosions in C barracks.
Gen. Daggett then asked if the
reservation had been open to the
public all the time since the troops
were tn.en away his only question
of the morning. The answer was
yes.
In sucession then. Win. L. Peters
Capt. Wm. Kelly R. B. Creager and
Dr. F. J. Combe were sworn and
gave testimony regarding the fire
and the explosion of the cartridges.
No direct evidence of the origin of
the fire was produced but the fact
was established that grass was be-
ing burned in front of B barracks
abount an hour and ahalf before the
fire wasdis covered. The witnesses
agreed that almost all the explos-
ions of cartridges presumably pro-
ceeded from B barracks and it also
testified that there were a few ex-
plosions in D and C. The witnesses
likewise agreed upon the fact that
the safety of the city of Brownsville
was greatly endangered by the fire.
Celedonio Garza Jr. was then
sworn and questioned regarding his
qualifications as an engineer after
which a map including part of the
city and a part of the reservation
was put in evidence and a blue print
copy of it given to each of the mem-
bers of the court. The recorder
then said that he would introduce no
more witnesses this morning and re-
quested the court to accompany him
upon a visit to the various locali-
ties that have figured in the evidence
heretofore given. j
The court then left the Federal .
building and proceeded to that oc-
cupied by B. F. Rowson and com-
pany on the roof of the rear ex.
tension of which building A. Y. Ba-
ker testified to have been stationed
during the shooting on the night of
Aug. 13 1906. On top and at the
rear of the roof is a water tank ful
ly 10 feet- in height which as Gen.
Sanger recalled Baker. climbed upon
in order to get a better view of the
trouble. The court then proceeded
down Levee street to 1 5th which
separates the citv from the post
kiioiv: ps the Garrir in road whose
ta-y iewed the r vation wall
and compared it with the height of
a man V. Fernandez. They then
proceeded along the Garrison road to
its turning at the end of the reserva-
tion stopping at the intersection of
each alley and street to note the
comparative height of man and wall
or barbed wire fence beyond the end
of the brick wall. At each intersec-
tion the photographer was instruct-
ed to take a picture showing the
comparative height of the two at
that point.
At the junction of Washington
; street and the Garrison road the re.
corder pointed out a place ot ingress
and egress for soldiers shown by the
marks on the wall.
The military court of inquiry now
setting in this city was appointed
wording to :n provisions of the
following act of Congress
An Act To correct the records
and authorize the reen'.istinoni
of certain noncommissioned ol-
ficers and enlisted men Delong-
ing to Companies B O and
D of the Twenty-fifth United
States Infantry who were a;s-
j charged without honor under
i Special Orders Numbered Two
j hundred and sixty-six Aar De-
J-
I-
I
t-
i
ZELAYA'S
SITUATION
PRECARIOU
MAY h.MGX PRESIDENCY AND
ATTEMPT TO ESC-YPE.
HAS THREATENED U. S CONSUL
Delayed Telegrams Show Report of
Execution of Cannon and Groce
uas Xot Received by Department
i ill Five Days alter It Happened.
By Associated Press.
j.
-:- Washington Nov. 29. The
United States consul at Mana--I-
gua has been threatened by -!--r
President Zelaya and he was
-a granted permission to occupy rr
-r the American legation premises -v--K
as being more secure. -!--'r
The Nicaraguan congress will
rr. assemble next Wednesday Deri-;
cember l and it is rumored that S--r
President Zelaya will retire
rr and possibly attempt to escape ..
-I- from the country at night by -.--.-
the Pacific coast. Anarchy it -I-rr.
is said may ensue.
-I- Persistent rumors from vari- -:-
ous quarters indicate that Irias
h may succeed Zelaya as presi. S--!-
dent of Nicaragua.
This information is embodied in
telegrams more or less delayed in
transmission which have been re-
ceived at the state department from
consular representatives of the Unit-
ed States in Nicaragua and which
came in the order in which they
were given.
The first telegram dated at Jlata-
gua states that Leroy Cannon was
captured Oct. 21 and Leonard Groce
on Nov. 2. They were executed
Nov. 12 and no news reached the
department of the execution until
Nov. 17th. Members of the Red
Cross arriving from Castillo state
that Cannon and Groce were cap-
tured after a battle while they were
lost on the bank of the San Juan
river and that the captain of the
Nicaraguan ship who captured them
called them promising no harm.
These allegations in part are con-
firmed by reports in the Nicaraguan
press.
The city of Leon is said to favor
Irias for president. Important de-
velopments the consul states are
expected in a short time. Zelaya is
said to be growing precarious.
partment November ninth nine-
teen hundred and six and tiie
restoration to them of all
. . rights of which they have been
deprived on account thereof.
l!e it enacted by the Senate
and House of Representathes
of the United States of America
in Congress assembled That the
Secretary of War is hereby au.
thorized to appoint a court of
inquiry to consist of five offi-
cers of the United States Ar-
my not below the rank of col-
onel which court shall be au-
thorized to hear and report up-
on all charges and testimony
relating to the shooting affray
which took place at Brownsville
Texas on the night of August
thirteenth-fourteenth nineteen
hundred and six. Said court
shall within one year from the
date of its appointment make
a final report and from time
to time shall make partial re-
ports to the Secretary of War
of the results of such inquiry
and such soldiers and non-commissioned
officers of Companies
B C and D of the Twenty
fifth Regiment United States
Infantry who were discnarged
from the military service ac
members of said regiment un-
der the provisions oi Special Or-
ders Numbered Two hundred
and six as said court shall find
and report as qualified for re-
enlistment in the Army of the
United States shall thereby be-
come eligible for reenlistment.
Sec. 2. That any noncom-
missioned officer or private who
shall be made eligible for re-
enlistment under the provisions
of the preceding section shall
if reenlisted be considered to
have reenlisted immediately af-
ter his discharge under the pro.
visions of the special order
hereinbefore cited and to be
entitled from the date of his
discharge under said special or
der to the pay allowance a:id
other rights and benefits that
he would have been entitled io
receive according to his rank
from said date of discharge as
if he had been honorably dis-
charged under the provisions of
said sperial nr-ier and had re-
enlisted immediately.
Aproved March 3 1909.
A little more than a month after
the approval of this act the live re-
tired officers composing the court
were detailed to serve upon it as
shown in the following extract from
Special Orders Number 79:
Special Orders No. 79.
W R DEPARTMENT.
Washington April 7 1909.
Extract.
7. Under the provisions of
an act of Congress approved
(Continued on Page 4.)
STRIKE
RS ABE
TURNED INTO
THE STREETS
;lO0 PERSONS EVICTED BY LVD-
LOW MANUFACTURING CO.
ELEMENTS ADD TO THE MISERY
Work of Eviction Suspended Today
but It was announced That on
Wednesday Occupants of 1(5 Hous-
es Will Be Ordered to Leave.
Ludlow Mass. Nov. 29. The elec-
ment during last night and early
today added to the misery of the 300
persons evicted on Saturday from
Ludlow Manufacturing Co. because
of the strike in the mills the company
took all the household effects of the
evicted persons andpiled them togeth-
er in a heap in the street in front
of the houses from which they had
been removed.
The work of eviction was suspend-
ed today but it was announced that
on Wednesday the occupants of six-
teen other houses owned by the com
pany would be ordered to leave.
A band of 50 Italian strike break-
ers were taken to the mills under a
stirong police guard today.
YOUTHFUL
URGLARS
LAFAYETTE BANK SURROUNDED
AND BURGLAR CAPTURED.
The 15oy That Was the "Lookout"
Ran Away But When He Was
Captured said the Other Roy Put
Him Up to lt.
St. Louis Nov. 29. Tom Galla-
gher 13 years of age was captured
after a wagon load of policemen had
surrounded the Lafayette bank on
Broadway and Park Ave. early to-
day and confessed that he with
another boy planned to rob the bank
The other boy who was acting as
lookout lied when the patrolmen appeared.-
Gallagher who ascended to
third floor of the building in an ef-
fort to get into the banks quarters
was captured as lie descended the
fire escape. The boy had no burgalrs'
tools and no weapons.
"The other boy put me up to it"
said the young prisoner. "We were
going past the bank the other day
and he pointed to a pile of money we
saw through a window and said it
will be easy to get that. Then he
planned how he and I were to get
it."
MORE FIGHTING SHIPS
FOR JOHN HULL.
Two Monster Warships Are Begun
One of Them the Largest Ever
Laid Down.
Associated Press.
London Nov. 29. The keel
plates of two monster warships the
Orion an improved battleship of
the Dreadnaught type and the Li.
on a cruiser battleship were laid
today the former at Portsmouth and
the latter at Davenport.
The construction of the Lion
marks a notable stage of evolution
in the cruiser battleship. She will
have 70000 horse power while her
immediate predecessor had only 15-
000. She will displace 21000 tons
and her length will be 700 feet con-
stituting her the longest man of
war ever laid down.
STEAMER AGROUND OFF
DIAMOND SHOALS LIGHT.
The Brewster Bound From West
Indies to New York In Dangerous
Position.
By Associated Press.
New York Nov. 29. The steam-
ship Brewster with a cargo from
Jamaica and Cuban ports for New
York is hard aground and in a dan
gerous position off the Diamond
Shoals lightship just south of Cape
Hatteras. The steamer is sending
out calls for immediate assistance.
Word was sent to Norfolk and a
wrecking outfit ordered from that
city to aid the stranded steamer.
l'OSEH AS MILLIONAIRES.
Alleged' International Swindler Ar-
rested in Paris.
By Associated Press.
Paris .ov. 29. Two men who
posed here as American millionaires
an- who are alleged to compose a
gang of international swindlers
were arrested today charged with
extensive stealing and defrauding
jeweler. Jewels valued at $15000
were found at their uome. The men
gave their names as John Francks
of New York who is said to have
been one expelled from Prance and
Jacob Hymen of Philadelphia.
SAN BENITO TEXAS
Is in the very heart of the
Lower Rio Grande Valley
Nineteen miles north of Brownsville on the main line of the St. Louis
Brownsville & Mexico Railway.
SAN BENITO
Is the most favored spot in this the most favored valley
on the Continent.
Forty thousand acres of rich alluvial soil varying Srom a black sandy
sill to a rich chocolate loam.
The Only Gravity Canal in the Rio Grande Val
ley the Largest Canal in Texas.
The San Benito gravity canal is 37 miles long averages 250 feet in
width and 20 feet in depth. It is navigable its entire length afford-
ing cheap and convenient tiansportation for the products of our
farms. Each of the six great locks in-this canal will pass boats 20xG0
feet. Many motor boats and small pleasure craft ply our canal's
waters.
This immense channel affords storage for 31000 acre feet of water.
We can store enough water at a single filling to last us four months
Storage and Gravity are the Two Most Neces-
sary Conditions for Successful Irrigation
The town of San Benito although only two years old has a population
of more than 1000 a complete water system cement sidewalks now
being laid two good schools with a corps of six competent teachers
churches stores and many permanent and expensive residences.
THE BUSIEST NEW TOWN IN THE LOWERRIO GRANDE VALLEY
Come to San Benito and see what has been accomplished in two years
seven thousand acres of our tract iD cultivation prosperous farms
in all directions. Many thousand acres more being cleared and pre-
pared for crops.
Write for Illustrated Booklet
SAN BENITO LAND & WATER COMPANY
SAN BENITOTEXAS.
ALBA HEY WOOD Pres. and Gen. Manager
Brownsville office opposite Miller Hotel.
& iX tK rr. rH i'r. rr rr rK H4 -K ;F -K
Leveling Subdividing Lateral Building Concrete Construction
Two vears First Asst. Hue Panama Canal four iar-Loc. J-.ng. Vixican
Central Ry. Mexico: ninr yean irrigation anil genera! enitinn nr.sr
work in Texa. New Mexico nl Arizona.
j. A.
5
Civil Engineer and Contractor
My experience is of value to you. Knsincerins; has bctu m iiu. uork. The in-
formation and knowledge I possess has been attained only b . cloe tudy of condi-
tions. If you want to know the hest way to irrisate onr ianci. 1 tan tell ion.
Each piece of land needs to be irrigated and treated differently. Lands ary tl.tj
slope in different directions: some portions are high others low. Vor. n-ed the advice
of an experienced and successful engineer to build your laterals. I hese things I can
positively do. You are not experimenting if I do the work. Fourteen ears 01" e
erience to back my claims. I am at your service. Harlingen. Ti .is
0 AND ANTI
WAR IN ALABAMA
FIERCE CONTEST WAGED AT
THE POLLS TODAY. '
WOMAN AND CHILDREN OUT
Sing and Pray for Prohibition While
Liquor Interests Employ Bands of
Music to Drown Their Pleading for
the Cause.
Montgomery
la. Nov. 29. After
... .
a campaign
in wnicn nunareas oi
thousands of dollars have been spent
and thousands of speakers have ad-
dressed vast audiences Alabama is
todav in the throes of an election
" . ..... k-i:.-t.
in which constitutional prohibition is
the issue bcenes oi excuemeni aie
reported all over the State. Women
and children are taking part in dem-
onstrations and parades designed to
influence the voters to ccept the
constitutional amendment which will
make prohibition a part of the or-
ganic law of the state. The anti-
amendment followers are also waging
lenumeni lono a.e
hard fight and have spent large
sums and employed more than a thou-
sand public speakers. majority looked for on the amend-
Under the state-wide prohibition ment Qn the Qther handt al anti.
law passed by the Legislature Ala- arnemlment headquarters the state-
bama is already as dry as the pro- meRt was iven QUt tod hat a
verbal bone. These statutes are the . andsliae be IooKea for lnsi
most stringent ever adopted by any anjen(iment
state and every possible bulwark has Wh the women b sj j
been Jraised against liquor traffic and praying thr0Ugh0ut the day.
By today's election it is hoped that ban(Js Qf mus-c woud g DWe
these laws will be made permanent SQme tjme music around the
by a constitutional amendment. jiolls. AH busines- in Birminghart
The prospects are that the consti- practicaly suspended.
tutional amendment will be adopted r
by a considerable majority but it . pipr me
will have to encounter the influence I 7 erco C
of a large amount of money turned! Austin Texas Nov. 29. The
loose by the liquor interests which '. case of the State of Texas vj Hear?
are making a last desperate stand ' clay Pierce is not likely to La called
in Alabama territory. ' for answer before tomorrow due to
Associated Press. j the fact through an error the jury
i panel in this case was summoned to
Mobile Ala. Nov. 29. In Mobile ' appear next Monday Dec. 6 instead
' county a large majority is confidently
r'fflr rr -r -r -f rr -K rr. - rli Hi
rr
CAi
rt
rr
it
i
rh -K r'-
expected against the constitutional
amendment. Members of the W. C. T.
V. and other women are out in force
at the polls with coffee and sandwich-
es urging men to vote for the amend-
ment. Bands of women wearing whit
badges and carrying banners paiaded
the streets in tallyhos todav sing-
ing "Vote for the amendment and
save your homes" Vote for home anil
mother." 'and other songs to the
tune of popular airs. Numerous votes
were challenged.
Associated Press.
Montgomery Nov. 29. Following
the reorganized fight for the prohib.
tion amendment the women of tin-
W. T. 'i U. were on duty at ever.
polling place here today. Voters with-
out white ribbons find it impossible
I to escape them. Quite often child-
rl rsn committees are nresent to aid ia
. - - - ..'
I Associated Press
Birmingham Nov. 29. Bauds ci
the four voting places in Birmingham
music played arc.:nd each of thi
earv.to'day to (lrown prays out thp
prayers and singing and pleading of
women and children who gathered
early in the morning in their effort
influence the voters to accent the
tional amendment for prohibition.
Deputy sheriffs and extra policemec
are on duty around the polls excite-
ment being intense here.
Reports received early this morn-
ing at state headquarters of the pro-
.;?.. f h
. . . nectert and
of today.
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Wheeler, Mrs. Jesse O. Brownsville Daily Herald (Brownsville, Tex.), Vol. 17, No. 379, Ed. 1, Monday, November 29, 1909, newspaper, November 29, 1909; Brownsville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth148168/m1/1/: accessed May 8, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .