30

 On my return home from Chickamauga I learned he was here to see what
he could pick out of me about the Brownsville affray, and as soon as
I heard it I decided I would investigate the matter; had him arrested,
and he showed me he was here for that purpose.  I haven't been bother
with him since. As soon as he was turned loose he went off on the
first train that left out, and the man he said was coming for me has
never come.
  The day after the negro left some one called up the high sheriff and
asked him what had become of his detective; said he had run him out of
town.  The sheriff, Mr. E. C. Arnold, said he hadn't run him anywhere;
said he must have got scared and left.
  Why I wrote you at the time, my family was worrying; they didn't
know what the negro would go back and tell.  My wife had just gotten
out of the bed from a long spell of sickness.  I was very weak; and
that made me worry; but so far as the Brownsville affair, that didn't
worry me, because I knew I was innocent of that; I felt if I would
write you and hear from you my people would be better satisfied, be-
cause they knew you were our friend and would do all you could for me.
  If anything else happens concerning the matter I will let you know
at once.
  Mr. FORAKER, this is about as plain as I can explain this matter
about the detective.
  I hope this will find you well and enjoying a good life.
  I will close. Hope to hear from you again, because I am always glad
to hear from you.
      Very respectfully, yours,                      BOYD CONYERS.
  I did not answer that letter, it seems. It came September 1.
I did not hear from him again until October 8. This is a little
tedious, but I think it is due to this soldier and due to the
truth and due to common decency that this whole story should
be told.
                                     MONROE, GA., October 8, 1908.
Mr. J. B. FORAKER.
  DEAR SIR: I have been waiting for an answer to the last letter I
wrote you--
  That was September 1--
but haven't received one; that's why I haven't written to you sooner.
I was waiting for a reply from you.
  Mr. FORAKER, I have found out Mr. Wallace L. Gray. He has been
here himself.  He is the captain of the Baldin Detective Company.
His real name is Mr. G. W. Baldin, of Roanoke, Va., and arrived
here on the 5.30 p. m. train, September 9, and asked for me, who was
easy found. I goes up to the sheriff's office that night and talked with
him in the presence of the sheriff.  The first question he asked me was
I in Brownsville, Tex., Monday night, August 13, 1906.  I told him I was,
and he asked me what had taken place there.  I told him shooting
occurred that night, between 11 and 12 o'clock, I suppose.  Then he
said, " Who did the shooting?"  I told him I did not know.  He asked
me where was I at when the shooting taken place.  I told him: "On
guard and don't know who did the shooting, sir; I wasn't on post. I
was asleep when the shooting occurred, but was quickly awakened by
the alarm of Private Howard's gun and also the voices in the guard-
house hollering, 'Outside, guards; get your guns.'" Then Mr. Baldin
said: "That tale is all right."
  Now, this was in the presence of the sheriff, a white man,
who does not appear in the record as brought before the Senate
this morning, who heard what was said, as I understand it--
but I want to ask you a question, Do you know an ex-soldier by the
name of Powell?  No, sir; I do not know him.  He says he knows
you-
  That is Powell; they have it there--
and says he heard you, John Brown, John Hollomon, and ex-soldier
Allison, who ran the saloon, make a plot that day before the shooting
had taken place to shoot up the town that night, and I told Mr. Baldin
that couldn't be true because I was on guard and wasn't allowed to
speak to anybody, let alone being in Allison's saloon that day. That
morning we were on practice march--
  The testimony shows that they did not return from that
practice march until almost noon.  This man was immediately
    65504--7984




			

OHS Archives/Library Pamphlet Collection

Black Battalion: Speech of Hon. Joseph B. Foraker of Ohio in the Senate of the United States, 1908

B.