The Waco Times-Herald from Waco, Texas • 1

THE WACO TIMES HERALD Twenty sixth Year ATE NEGRO RIOTERS AT HOUSTON ENTIRELY IN HANDS MILITARY Battalion of Twenty fourth Infantry Including Shooters Piled on Train and Started West to Columbus Harris County Authorities Indignant Because of Re moval of Thirty four Men Confined in Jail Not Known Where Court Martial Will Be Held Associated Press Houston: Aug 25 The fate of the more than one hundred negro soldiers who Thursday night shot up San elipe street and the West End of Houston with a total of seventeen deaths today is entirely in the hands of the military notwithstand ing the action of District Attorney John Crooker in filing murder charges against thirty four of the men The battalion of the 24th Infantry which Included the shboters to day was piled on a train and started west towards its old station at Co lumbus Major General GetJrge Bell Jr who arrived this morning from San Antonio and took com mand indicated that there was slight possibility of eny of the men being returned here for civil rials In Hands of Military assume" he said the lo cal authorities will seek to tty the men against whom charges nave been filed However their disposition is in the hands of the military They will be court martialod The justice meted out by army authorities will be much quicker obtained than it could be by civil District Attorney Crooker said this morning when ho heard that during the night the thirty four ne groes confined In the Harris county jail had been removed and sent to Columbus with their comrades: "I think they would have taken them awav so easily if I had been the court to issue the warrants against General Bell said this morning that he was little acquainted with the situation "1 chine here to take command and while I will look into the situa tion I consider that practically all the investigation that can be made has been attended Mutiny Punishable by Death He added that it would be impossi ble for him to discuss plans for the court martial or to sav where it would take place He continued though: in time of war is punish able by death Murder at all times Involves the death penalty Punish ment will be dealt out to those par ticipating in the disturbance prompt ly and The general refused to comment on the statement of Snow the commander of the negro battallan last night that conditions in Camp Logan Thursday night were "practically He went to Camp Logan at 11 to talk with Major Snow who had been or dered detached from the negro bat talion prior to the shooting to join the national army camp at Little Rock Ark Major Snow in the regular army was senior captain of the battalion ine Army Record am not prepared to speak of the causes of Thursday General Bell said in answer to a question "It is to be assumed though that the negroes thought that some one had slighted them in some way The 24th has had a fine army record None of these men were implicated in the Brownsville trou ble At Columbus they behaved them No Eviilcnce of Tragedies Houston today gave no external evidence of the tragedy through which it has passed save for the pres ence of armed guards on street cars and in the thoroughfares of the city Business went on as usual and with quiet thoroughly restored it was expected soon that saloons and grills would be reopened Removal Negroes Investigated Immediately news was obtained that the 34 negroes held in the coun ty jail had been turned back to the military authorities the Harris coun ty authorities began an investiga tion The matter was called to the grand attention Laurence Wil liamson assistant district attorney acting under instructions from Mr Crooker The jury investigated not only the murder charges brought against the negroes but the action of Sheriff Hammond in giving up custody of the prisoners Justice Leon Lusk who issued a blanket murder warrant against the 34 men said that persons charged with the crime of murder or any oth er crime can not be legally released without a release being issued by a court of competent jurisdiction No Releases Issued want it distinctly he explained I issued no re lease for these men and have given no one authority to release them The crimes they committe'd took place before martial law was Justice Lusk this morning issued releases for Corporals McKnight and Williams who were absent on leave the night of the shooting but were not in the party that raided the town He found however they al ready had been returned to the mil itary authorities Demand That Negroes were sent to the Texas delegation at Washington today by citizens stating that the negro com pany of the Eighth Illinois infantry stationed here The tele grams point out that not since the rioting had a single negro been trou bled by the civilian population They called to the attention of the dele gation also the fact that bn the very night the disturbances took place the Chamber of Commerce had arranged for a watermelon feast for the negro soldiers here The Illinois negroes took no part in the troubles uneral Corteges requent uneral corteges were frequent in the streets of Houston today Thous ands lined the sidewalks as the bod ies of Meinke police officer Jones automobile driver and Captain Mattes Battery A Sec ond Illinois field artillery were tak en separately to trains to be sent to their homes This was done this morning During the day funeral ser vices for Ira Raney Horace Clif ton and Earl endley mounted police officers were held and also for Corporal Melvin Dewey Everton Company ifth Texas infantry and A Carstens a citizen Other funerals will follow tomorrow Military Honors cad Captain ull military honors were accorded the body of Captain Mattes of the Second Illinois field ariillery as it was sent to Chicago shortly before noon Officers of the Second field artillery attended a funeral service at the Battery A 180 men stood at attention outside and acted as a guard of honor on the way to the station? The city' pro vided a police escort and the mayor pro tern was present No information is obtainable as to when or where the trials will take place The order probably will be is sued by General John Ruckman when he arrives Wednesday to take command of the department and af ter he has a report from Colonel Cress Departure rom Houston Associated Press Houston Aug 25 The negro soldiers of the 24th infantry who Thursday night took part in shooting in the streets that killed seventeen persons early today were taken from here and started toward Columbus Among them were the 34 men charged by District Attorney John Crooker with murder The entire 633 members of the battalion which came here four weeks ago to guard Camp Logan during construction were enframed by daybreak and shortly after the train section bearing them steamed westward without incident With the arrival today of Major General George Bell Jr investiga tion of the shooting was scheduled to begin Major Snow did not accom pany the battalion as he has been de tailed as major to the national army camp at Little Rock Major General George Bell on his arrival this morning from San Antonio to take command at Camp Logan said: assume that the 34 members of the 24th infantry against whom mur der charges have been filed by the civil authorities will be tried for that offense in Harris Col Cress to Investigate Associated Press San Antonio Aug 25 Colonel George Cress inspector general of the southern department has gone to Houston to make an investigation of the riot participated in by soldiers of the 24th infantry Thursday night After gathering evidence at Hous ton Colonel Cress will proceed to Co lumbus to secure statements from the officers and men of the regiment The evidence will be used in the trials of the men implicated in the trouble The battalion of the 24th which has been on guard at Camp Logan Houston is now on its way to its new station at Columbus and is accompanied bv two companies of the Nineteenth ipfantry from ort Sam Houston as a guard CHARGES AGAINST NEGROES TVirfy onr of Negro Trooncrs Are Charged by Complaint With Murder Houston Tex Aug 25 A blan ket complaint charging thirty four of the negro troopers with murder growing out of the killing of Police Officer Ira Rainey Thursday night have been filed before Justice of the Peace Leon Lusk by District At tornew John Crooker Having been informed that it was (Continued on Page WACO TEXAS SATURDAY AUGUST 25 1917 Government Takes Over Station Where Seaplane Made rst light Number 230 ORMAL AND OICIAL These photographs show a seaplane in use at North Island San Diego Cal and sailors eating their dinner at the great outdoor mess at the na val training station at San Diego 1 North Island the great flying field at San Diego is a center of war ac tivity It is situated in Southern California at the south western corner of continental United States and has just been comman deered by the government by act of congress Since lhe birth of the sci ence of flight North Island has been one of the most famous aeronautical laboratories in the world It was there that the first seaplane flew By reason of topography uniform cli mate meteorological conditions iso lation and at the same time prox imity to a large city where supplies may be obtained North Island is one of the finest aviation fields on eartn Its 1200 acres are now to be occupied jointly by the army and navy Large numbers of young men from all parts of the country are now being trained there 7 IfDIT I AV 'a 'A 'SEAPLANE end SAILORS' out door mess at SAM DIEGO CAL President Wilson Urges That Heads of amilies Be fixempt Whenever Possible MARTIAL LAW IN HOUSTON TO BE REMOVED TOMMORROW Associated Press Houston Aug 25 Houston will be removed from martial law tomor row This was the announcement of Ma jor General George Bell Jr today' after he had toured the city and corx ferred with city and national guard officials regarding the situation fol lowing the shooting up of the West End and San elipe street Thursday night by negro soldiers of the Twen ty fourth infantry with seventeen deaths resulting General Bell decided the situation was well in band that this afternoon he sent back to San Antonio the bat talion of the Nineteenth infantry brought from there yesterday and also ordered to Galveston the 350 men of the coast guard rushed from there Thursday night In the meantime saloons and grills are closed Tomorrow being Sunday they will remain closed even with martial law declared off inal arrangements for removal of martial laiv were to be made this aft ernoon at a conference between Gen eral Bell and Brigadier John A Hulen of the Texas National Guard General Bell paid high tribute to the manner in which General Hulen has handled the situation from the start General Bell said that he had no information as to when and where the soldiers of the Twenty fourth in fantry who participated in tbs dis turbances will be given covt mar tial Only one or two of the men had escaped apprehension he added and a diligent search was on for them Work was resumed on Camp Lo gan today it being said that between 12 0'0 and 1500 men were on hand TEXAS CONGRESSMEN DEMAND THAT NEGRO TROOPS LEAVE TEXAS Associated Press Washington Aug 25 The Texas delegation in congress today joined in a request to Secretary Baker to remove and keep out of the state all negro troops including those drafted The congressmen also demanded pun ishment of those guilty in the Hous tonjnurders THE WEATHER Associated Press" New Orleans Aug 25 indi cations are: Oklahoma and East Texas To night and Sunday fair West Texas Tonight and Sunday fair except probably showers in ex treme west portion Associated Press Washington Aug 25 President Wilson has written Secretary Baker expressing a view that the drafting of married men who are heads of families should be carefully exam ined to avoid it if possible and ex pressing the view that single men should be taken where it is possible As the president is empowered by the draft law to make the regulations under which it will be carried out the effect of his letter to Secretary Baker is to throw his influence to ward a more liberal policy for exernp Assocloted Press The Austrian line on the Isonzo front has been broken at several points by the Italians it is announced officially at Rome Italians contin uing their furious assaults between Tolmino and the Adriatic are now pursuing the retreating Austrians who are defending the difficult ground yard by yard One of the most brilliant feats of the Italians was the capture of Monte Santo 2245 feet high This peak seven miles north of Gorizia domi nates the broad plain beyond that city and occupancy of it uas enabled the Austrians to hold up the Italian advance to the east since their cap ture of the city The brief official recital gives little idea of the struggle which attended the storming of the Austrian stronghold on'the mountain top but it doubtless will have an im portant bearing on the Italian devel opment Having gained their principal ob TWO NEGRO RIOTERS ROM HOUSTON ARE HIDING IN DALLAS Associated Press Dallas Tex Aug 25 Two ne groes of the Twenty fourth infantry wanted for rioting at Houston Thurs day night reached Dallas by freight train last night local police were advised today A search is being con ducted for these men According to the police it is not known whether they are armed but reports said they did not carry their rifles when they arrived here Resigns rom Navy Bureau Associated Press St Louis Aug 25 Albert Bond Lambert aeronaut and aviator today notified Secretary of Navy Daniels that he has resigned as vice president of the navy bureau of Missouri He took this step he said because he re garded as unfair the attack by ths navy bureau on Secretary Daniels tion of married men than heretofore has been pursued The president's view is in open conflict with the interpretation placed upon the law by army officers who contend that as congress voted down amendments to exempt mar ried men they have no legal author ity to exempt them except on the grounds of dependency alone Provost Marshal General Crowder is conferring with Secretary Baker on the suggestions made by President Wilson in his letter and a statement onthe subject willbe Issued later jectives on the Verdun front the rench are completing their victory by local attacks to round out and se cure their new lines Profiting by the capture of Hill 304 yesterday they advanced last night to the north of it Three fortified works in the vicinity of Bethincourt were stormed Renewal of fighting in the Cham pagne may be forecast by the state ment in the official rench report that violent artillery engagements are in progress there In Belgium in the vicinity of Bixschoote the big guns also are heavily engaged No further infantry actions on a large scale are reported by the Brit ish although they were successful in minor operators last night A Ger man trench position west of Lens of local importance and a post near Lombaertzyde were captured with prisoners Near Epehy northwest of St Quentin there is increasing ac tivity with heavy artillery fighting under way NEGRO SOLDIERS SENT ROM DEMING TO AVOID TROUBLE Associated Press Deining Aug 25 To avoid disturbances which appeared immi nent preparations were made at noon today to transfer the battalion of the Twenty fourth United States infan try (negro) stationed here back to its former station at Columbus Hixiver nt Chicago Chicago Aug 25 The arrival here today of Herbert Hoover government food administrator as expected to afford occasion for a con ference between packers and federal trade commission inspectors with Mr Hoover presiding Aged Huntsvillitc Dead Huntsville Tek Aug 25 Thos A Alston aged 72 after a lingering illness died at the residence of his nephew Oliphint Interment was in Oakwood cemetery CHEI EIimiWIR NEWS SHIT OICE TO HOBBY HOUSE WILL PROSECUTE (Continued on Page Three) Adopted Ail ide 1 of Impeachment Charges Against Governor Austin Tex Aug 24 The house of representatives late yesterday for mally assumed responsibility for the prosecution of Governor erguson on impeachment charges before the sen ate through the adoption of article 1 of the bill drawn by its special committee This article charges the governor with misapplication of $5600 state money on August 23 Affairs of Executive Department of the State Assumed By Hobby This Governor erguson Shook Hands Cordially With His Successor Who in Turn Invited the Retiring Governor to Make His Headquarters in the Executive Department 1915 It was adopted by a vote of 84 When the house reassembled Bled soe sent up the report of the com mittee of nine cmbodvlne twentv nno 1 poiincc tion with the following alleged acts of the governor: Misapplication of $5600 of state funds placing of Canyon City nor mal insurance money in the Temple State bank with interest owing the Temple State bank more than the law allows and transferring $75000 temporarily to a Houston bank tq cover up this fad telling the legis lature he did not owe the Temple State bank when he did in fact owe the bank more than $8000 Depositing $60000 of the collec tions of the secretary of office in the Temple State bank and pro curing the deposit of $250000 ofthese t'undj in the American National bank of Austin to the credit of the Temple State bank Seeking to have the chairman of the state highway commission to de posit its colledions in the Temple States bank Telling the house of representa tives he was not indebted to the Temple State bak when in fad he was in debt to it more than the law allows Declining to tell the house the SOUTCp of loans afcereE'afintr I 500 I Misapplying jnore than $3000 be longing to the 'adjutant de partment Refusing to return to the state treasury the so called sal money Encouraging violation of the bank ing laws despite his oath to enforce the laws Vetoing the university appropria tion bill Using undue influence to control the university regents nnd seeking to remove regents who did not agree with him Employing epithets with respect to members of the university faculty which he failed to justify and which if false constitute criminal libel Remitting a bail bond for failure of $5000 to Wilbur Allen uni versity regent with an improper mo tive Improperly conducting himself to ward the courts ailing to send another nominee to Associated Press Austin Tex Aug! 25 The fur to 50 mal and official transfer of the af fairs of the executive department bv 1 ti i BDllCv iUUC CHI IHJtiy 1 IlK (W articles of impeachment In i tiotjoy or Beaumont acting gov ernor of Texas took place this morn ing in the private office at 10:15 The new acting governor accompanied by his broth er Edwin Hobby of Dallas and his brother in law Bronson Cooper of Beaumont reached the executive department at 10:10 Governor erguson shook hands cordially with1 Governor Hobby and the two repaired 1 to the private office 1 where a conference was held and Uiq uiHUiti udiibiei luuue While Governor erguson was au tomatically suspended last night and Governor Hobby then became the acting chief executive it was only to day that tlie latter began the active discharge of his duties The gov ernor held a long conference earlier in the day with his legal advisers Governor erguson was invited by Governor Hobby to make his head quarters in the executive department It is practically settled there will be no changes made in the official fam ily of tlie erguson administration Active preparations for tlie hear ing of tlie impeachment charges in the senate are already in progress or the purpose of this investigation the senate will resolve itself into a court of inquiry and resolutions have been adopted making all the prelim inary arrangements for the trial of Governor erguson which begins on next Wednesday There is every in dication that the trial will consume at least two weeks Neither the house or senate were in session today the house having adjourned until next Monday morn ing and the senate im morning RENCH SCOREBANDITSKILL NEW VICTORY ANDGAGARMED VERDUN OUNT MEN IN SEARCH Associated Press Paris Aug 25 The rench scored a new victory on the Verdun front last night north of Bill 304 Three fortified works near Bethin court were captured The number of prisoners taken has been increased to 8101 Italians Capture Stronghold Associated Press Rome Aug 25 The tri coior of Italy has been flying since yesterday on the summit of Mont Summit which was the Austrian stronghold on the Isonzo front according to the official statement issued today by the Italian war office The Italian second army General Cadorna reports has broken through the Austro Hungarian line of defense at several points and is closely pur suing the Austro Hungarians who are retiring and defending the diffi cult ground yard by yard British Capture German Position Associated Tress London Aug 25 The capture of a German position near Lens was an nounced today by the war office The statement continues: also captured an enemy post during the night in the neighborhood of Lombaertzyde There was consid erable artillery activity early this morning east of rench Aviator Killed Associated Press Paris Aug 25 While Major Ja quin head of an aviation school was giving a lesson in an aeroplane 1000 feet in the air yesterday a machine collided with his ma jor was struck on the head and killed instantly The pupil was unhurt Gorman Line Pushed Back Associated Press Berlin Aug 25 Via London The German line on the northern Associated Press Humble Texas Aug 25 ifteen auto loads of armed men today started a search of surrounding ter ritory for two men who riday night killed Tom Sandlin bound and gag ged Conner and drove in Con automobile The fugitives are believed to be two escaped convicts At Humble the two men engaged Conner to drive them to Westfield Sandlin accompanied Conner they occupying the front scat Three miles from Humble Sandlin was forc ed to surrender his revolver and then was shot in the back and thrown from the car After driving through Westfield the two men bound Conner and left him in a field driving off with the automobile The automobile was later found some distance down the road fringe of Herenthage wood in the region of the Ypres Mennines road has been pushed back somewhat by the British the wrar office announces The Germans are reported to have captured Gillemont farm south of Vendhuille Michaelis Reports To Emperor Associated Press Amsterdam Aug 25 A Berlin official dispatch received here says Chancellor Michaelis visited head quarters and presented Emperor Wil liam with a report Some Berlin newspapers say the visit was connect ed with Alsace Lorraine Barry Goes to Rockford Ill Associated Press Chicago Aug 25 Major General Thomas II Barry who for the past two years has been in command ofthe central department of ths United States army with headquarters in Chicago went to Rockford Ill today to assume command of Camp Grants where men will be trained for national army.