The Outlook Bright for the Colored Soldiers
March 2, 1907
Summary
Temple Thornton, an ex-corporal of Company D in the 25th Infantry, verbally attacks Senator Foraker’s claim that a general can clean a gun in 20 minutes or less.
Transcription
The Outlook Bright for the Colored Soldiers
Did Mexican-Texans Fire on Ft. Brown?
More Startling Testimony Given=No Evidence of a Conspiracy to Murder Citizens.
[Washington Post, Feb. 21, 1907.]
Elmer Brown formerly a member of Company B Twenty-fifth Infantry was the first witness yesterday at the Brownsville investigation before the Senate Committee on Military Affairs. He said he slept in Maj. Penrose’s stable, near the quartermaster’s corral, and was not awakened on the night of August 13 until after the firing had ceased. On the afternoon of the last day, he said, he saw Maj. Penrose, Dr. Combs, the mayor of Brownsville, and a stranger talking near the post exchange. He said the men appeared to be angry, and all of them were gesticulating
Brown said he watched the men because he thought there was going to be a fight. After the group separated, Maj. Penrose went to the quarters of Lieut. Laurison, commanding Company B, and later the order was issued that all of the soldiers should be in their quarters that night at 8 o’clock.
On cross examination Brown said he had been attracted to the conference between Maj. Penrose and the men from the town by the fact that it was unusual for Maj. Penrose to receive any one away from his office. The witness said the major did not associate with the men of the town, and did not go into their club nor drink with any of them. Brown thought the people did not like the major. The witness said that he heard that B quarters were all shot up on the night of August 13, and that he did not learn differently until he came off guard, about noon the next day.
Boyd Conyers, of Company B, testified that he was stationed at the guard house on the night of the shooting, and after the guard fell in he was posted in the rear of the guard house, and while there he heard bullets whizzing overhead. He said he got permission to lie down but was told to keep a sharp lookout.
The witness was certain the shooting came from the town and that none of the shots were from the direction of the quartermaster’s stable, as had been asserted by white soldiers who have been on the stand. He heard no bullets, after being posted in the rear of the guard house, but said he wanted to lie down because he did not want to take any chances.
The hearing was adjourned until to-day.
Saw Guns Flash
Charles E. Rudy, colored artificer, was asleep on the front porch of barracks “C.” He heard the shooting and went through the quarters to the rear porch, overlooking the town, when he saw the flashes of the guns. He said he also heard voices in the crowd shout, “Come oue there, you black- and we’ll kill every one of you.” He saw the sentry on post No. 2 discharge his gun in the air to give the alarm. Then the call to arms was sounded. Witness was the man who took the ax and broke open the gun rack in Company C quarters, after orders to do so had been given by Maj. Penrose and Lieut. Greer.
At the afternoon session Senator Foraker called George W. Gray, formerly a private in Company C. He testified to hearing and seeing the sentinel outside the barracks shoot his gun and then call the guard. He had been awakened by the shooting in the town, he said. He went out on the front porch, on the side of the barracks farthest from town and lay down to keep from being hit by bullets. During that time he said he heard men pounding on the gun racks, but he did not join the company until he learned that the men had their guns.
Twenty Minutes to Clean a Gun.
Temple Thornton formerly a corporal of Company D, was called to corroborate testimony given by a number of his former comrades. He estimated that twenty minutes was the shortest time in which a gun could be cleaned if shot only once. He was asked by Senator Foraker if he had ever seen a commissioned officer clean a rifle. The witness had not, and Senator Foraker said:
“We are told that one of our generals can clean a gun in two minutes.”
“I’ll work for him the rest of my life if he can do it in two minutes or five minutes, or ten minutes,” replied the witness. “If he cleans a gun in ten minutes he breaks the record.”
Senator Foraker smiled, and said to Senator Scott:
“I’ll give $1,000 to charity if the general I mean can clean a gun in ten minutes. I doubt whether he could clean a gun in an hour.”
The committee adjourned at 4 : 15 o’clock until to day.
...
Did Mexican-Texans Fire on Ft. Brown?
More Startling Testimony Given=No Evidence of a Conspiracy to Murder Citizens.
[Washington Post, Feb. 21, 1907.]
Elmer Brown formerly a member of Company B Twenty-fifth Infantry was the first witness yesterday at the Brownsville investigation before the Senate Committee on Military Affairs. He said he slept in Maj. Penrose’s stable, near the quartermaster’s corral, and was not awakened on the night of August 13 until after the firing had ceased. On the afternoon of the last day, he said, he saw Maj. Penrose, Dr. Combs, the mayor of Brownsville, and a stranger talking near the post exchange. He said the men appeared to be angry, and all of them were gesticulating
Brown said he watched the men because he thought there was going to be a fight. After the group separated, Maj. Penrose went to the quarters of Lieut. Laurison, commanding Company B, and later the order was issued that all of the soldiers should be in their quarters that night at 8 o’clock.
On cross examination Brown said he had been attracted to the conference between Maj. Penrose and the men from the town by the fact that it was unusual for Maj. Penrose to receive any one away from his office. The witness said the major did not associate with the men of the town, and did not go into their club nor drink with any of them. Brown thought the people did not like the major. The witness said that he heard that B quarters were all shot up on the night of August 13, and that he did not learn differently until he came off guard, about noon the next day.
Boyd Conyers, of Company B, testified that he was stationed at the guard house on the night of the shooting, and after the guard fell in he was posted in the rear of the guard house, and while there he heard bullets whizzing overhead. He said he got permission to lie down but was told to keep a sharp lookout.
The witness was certain the shooting came from the town and that none of the shots were from the direction of the quartermaster’s stable, as had been asserted by white soldiers who have been on the stand. He heard no bullets, after being posted in the rear of the guard house, but said he wanted to lie down because he did not want to take any chances.
The hearing was adjourned until to-day.
Saw Guns Flash
Charles E. Rudy, colored artificer, was asleep on the front porch of barracks “C.” He heard the shooting and went through the quarters to the rear porch, overlooking the town, when he saw the flashes of the guns. He said he also heard voices in the crowd shout, “Come oue there, you black- and we’ll kill every one of you.” He saw the sentry on post No. 2 discharge his gun in the air to give the alarm. Then the call to arms was sounded. Witness was the man who took the ax and broke open the gun rack in Company C quarters, after orders to do so had been given by Maj. Penrose and Lieut. Greer.
At the afternoon session Senator Foraker called George W. Gray, formerly a private in Company C. He testified to hearing and seeing the sentinel outside the barracks shoot his gun and then call the guard. He had been awakened by the shooting in the town, he said. He went out on the front porch, on the side of the barracks farthest from town and lay down to keep from being hit by bullets. During that time he said he heard men pounding on the gun racks, but he did not join the company until he learned that the men had their guns.
Twenty Minutes to Clean a Gun.
Temple Thornton formerly a corporal of Company D, was called to corroborate testimony given by a number of his former comrades. He estimated that twenty minutes was the shortest time in which a gun could be cleaned if shot only once. He was asked by Senator Foraker if he had ever seen a commissioned officer clean a rifle. The witness had not, and Senator Foraker said:
“We are told that one of our generals can clean a gun in two minutes.”
“I’ll work for him the rest of my life if he can do it in two minutes or five minutes, or ten minutes,” replied the witness. “If he cleans a gun in ten minutes he breaks the record.”
Senator Foraker smiled, and said to Senator Scott:
“I’ll give $1,000 to charity if the general I mean can clean a gun in ten minutes. I doubt whether he could clean a gun in an hour.”
The committee adjourned at 4 : 15 o’clock until to day.
...
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Upper Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Benton Camper
Citation
“The Outlook Bright for the Colored Soldiers,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed December 7, 2025, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/459.