The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-14
A Letter from MajOi-GeneraI Custer on
the Indianapolis Disturbances.


CINCINNATI, Ohio, September Ito General
s. Meredith-Dear Sir.--In compliance with
your request, and 10 correct misrepresentation
already published, l give you the following
statement of what saw relating to the disgrace
full riot which occurred in Indianapolis on the
evening of the Presidents reception In that city.
/ bad returned TO my room from the supper
table, where l had left the President and most
OF the party. The streets about the hotel we're
densely packed by the crowd waiting to zee and
hear the President. Loud and continuous calls
we're made for johnson, Seward, Grant, Farra-
gut, anu others.
/ was seated in the window of my ROOM which
was in the second story of the Bales House, and
Immediately overlooking the crowd IN the
street. Several hundred torches and tranGpa'
rencies borne among the crowd rendered the
scene as light,as midday, soithat could see and
distinguish the faces of every person in the
crowd below. / am thus minute IN detail IN
order to prove to you that l could Zee all that
was transpirine. Nothing OF disorderly char
acter occurred until one of the Marshals OF the
day was seen making mis- way on horseback
through the crowd to a point Bwhere torch
bearers we're located. After apparently receiv
ing directions 10 that effect, they began to move
off in column.
This was the signal for an attack by the
crowd, which was begun by knocking down
torches and transpaIencies with clubs and in
some instances wrestling them from the hands of
holders. This continued without resistance for
the sp .ce OF probably two m nutes, although
several in the procession had been struck aud
"A
made by the crowd, and several torches torcibly
taken from the procession and the handles
used as weapons against those in the procession.
The Transparency bearing the motto Irish
American Citizens Welcome the President OF the
United Statesn seemed to be O special object of
attack, aud was seized aid attempted to be
trampled under loot. The attempt failed, and
the bearer resisted by using his transparency as
a club
This was the signal for general attack by the
crowd. At this moment the hrst shot was tired,
and as an effort has been made to attach the
blame and responsibility OF this disgraceful pro-
ceedng OF that occasion upon innocent parties,
and being in possession of facts which enable
me to fix guilt where 1t belongs, hereby state
that plainly saw the man who fired the hrst
shot and saw HIM at the moment he fired. He
was one of the attacking party belonging to the
crowd, and bis aim when firing was directed
into the procession and apparently at the bearer
OF the transparency referred to above. This was
o signal for other shots, and 1t was not Until
after dozen or so shots were fired by che at
tackng party that any was returned by those
belonging to the procession, wnen single man
left thepTOcession, stepped into the open space
which had been cleared by the firing, and de-
lberately aimed and fred twice at one of the
mob, who was some twenty yards distant, and
who was still firing towards the torch-bcarers.
This closed the disturbance Tor the time being.
The facts, as have related them, were w.t.
messed by Mr.. Spo6ord, of Boston, Mr.. McGin-
nis, of Chicago, and two ladies, all OF whom are
members of the Presidents party, who we're in
my room at VDc llme. also VIII
messed them from another window, and informed
the President of what he had seen, few mo-
ments after it transpired. After the PresidenG
returned to his room, facing the balcony, the
crowd again assembled in front, when another
disturbance arose. | was standing with the
President in his room. when heard two or
three shots fired; l looked out of the window
Just in time to see man ire a pistol at another
stand,ng near him. The wounded man tell and
was soon sfter picked up and carried into drug
store on the lower floor No more shots were
fired.
General Grant, after twice appearing on the
balcony and requesting the crowd 10 disperse
and go home, induced respectable persons to do
so. About one hundred and fifty or more of the
roughs and Thugs Of the city, and who probably
| began and upheld the riot, remained in front of
the hotel indulging in vile eDithets, until late
| hour. To use the words of Secretary Seward on
that occasion, the loyal inhabitants had retired
TO their homes, while the disloyal remained in
the street. G. A. CUSTER.
The undersigned eye-witnesses of the riot at
indianapolis, on the evening of September 10,
do hereby bear unqualified testimony to the
accurate and truthful description thereof con-
tanned in the foregoing letter of Major. General
Custer r. SPoFFoRD,
JOHN MCGNNIs, Jr.