SOLDIERS' WILD BEHAVIOUR.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XXII, Issue 2785, 3 May 1911, Page 2

SOLDIERS' WILD BEHAVIOUR.

AVENGING MEXICAN

CRUEIyTY.

The finding of Winifred Joel, a soldier from Camp Crockett, lying in the street with a knite wound in his side precipitated an attack by his comrades on Negroes and Mexicans at Gaiveston, U.S.A., recently.

The soldiers demolished the furniture in two houses and then set fire to them, badly damaging three houses. The police attempted to arrest the soldiers and were in turn attacked and driven oft. One policeman, Patrick Reargan, was cut several times with the knife.

The fire department was called out, but the fire hose was cut, and not until a provost guard ot twenty-five soldiers arrived from the camp were the firemen able to extinguish the flames.

Several Mexicans and negroes were assaulted and the police clubbed four or five soldiers. The soldiers were organ* ised and planned to clean out the neighborhood, but were prevented from dqinij further damage by the arrival of Colonel Bailey, commanding the regiment of Coast Artillery mobohsing here, with the provost guard of forty men from Camp Crockett.

Three soldiers were taken to gaol and twelve others placed in the guardhouse in camp. All the men were called in, and from now on not more than ten men will be permitted away from camp at one time. To prevent further trouble a provost guard of twenty-five soldiers will be kept on duty in town to co-op-erate with the police in all affairs involving soldiers.

The men who took part in the riot, especially those connected with the burning of the houses, will be cdurtmartialled, and the brigade officers assured the city authorities that they would get the maximum penalty.