Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-01-18

s. e. atr~TEH. IL 4. .
The Ieavruwcrth "onyrrr rti-r of last rAurs-
day, state that on "Wednesday General ts.srs~
A. Cueter and Lieutenant ". W. Cook wene
put upon preliminary examination there. fsr
the alleged murder Of Csarlrs Johnsoa, pri-
yate in company X, sth United States cavalry
Captain X. Nj. West. of company n. arst tes-
hned. We sbridee his statement:
Custer was lieutenant colonel % tho r.'ci-
nent, and Cook inst iieutenant in n. Inha-
son died near Fort Wallace. on the Iafh Or sth
Of las. July. Up 10 2 y. m. OF ule -th =. was
ON duty ~ private IN witness' company Al
mat TINE SIX men were ~een leaving camp
Two mounted parties were ordered by ti..Rsral
Custer TO pursne and bring none of them IN
alive A government wagon returned, bring
ing n rec men who had been shot one Of whom
was johnson Ne was very feeble, aud seem-d
10 be suffering very much nom a wound
IN The head. The wound which s,smed -
Affect him most was a pistol bf Net
near the night trmpls. and ranging down ward,
coming out near the l-ft I'D. OF the windpipe
He had another wound an hts body. and oas am
has arm. HE was shot IN the T-rTitory OF Col
orado. July 9, lssS. Witness applied 10 C,~n
Custer for medical attendance for the Vxonn<,..,i
m. n, and Was told that they were te-rrter,
and "a deserter was not entitled TO any conSid-
Grafton. Witness urg'd that the woundeo men
receive surgical att tfndancs. winch was alloN.eo
after some further conversation. Witness did
not see the shooting, bat heard the firing I.,eut
Cook Was in one OF the pursuing parties he
told witness he had done some of the shooting
and hoped none Of the wounded would ase
johnson was hale and hearty before the shoOs-
ing. A detail of his company buried him, and
witness read the Episcopal burial service At
the grave.
On cross-examinanon. witness remembered
70 have conyersed with General Custer ABOUT
Johnson's being 80 desperate that he wouId
not be brought back without a fight. and about
Johnsons being 50 resolute that he might oss.r
Resistance. MAJOR j. HI. Elliott commandec
one OF the pursuing parties, and Lieutenant IA.
Jackson the other. and they were gone an hour
or an hour and hair Nitnes. did lot hear
the order not to bring any in alive. and cannot
say IL Cook heard IL. Heard Custer say some
thing to the effect 10 60 aftsr them and not bring
any in alive. Was not NJ the exact spot whrrv
the parties rode on, hut IN hearin 4 dsetsnc-s
The medical attendance ordered AT The
time n Was applied for, after the conyersation
When examined for the State, witness saia
that his remarks 10 General Custer about John
son were made after the order had h~en givrn
20 the mounted party, and after they had starse-
IN pursuit.
ofhcers, besides the defendants, were present a.
the examination
ON the second day Lieut. Henry jackson tes-
titled that he was ordered by General Custer 10
pursue the deseriers- 10 shoot them, and bring
back none alive. IA. overlook two, who eur
rendered. and sent them back. He then sent
after the others, and found johnson lying
the ground wounded. bnt saw nothing OF the
shooting. Was lett by Major Elliot in charge
OF the three wounded. The Major returned,
and a wagon came for them. Witness thought
Lieut. Sook Nae MOI present when the order
was given 20 bring none IN alive.
Clement W lllls. one OF the deserters. testified
that he saw Lieut.. Cook shoot johnson with a
pistol
Miles Moylan. first lieutenant and adiutant,
also SAID thai an order was given 10 bring none
back alive, and thought Lieut.. Cook was pT.--
ent when II Was gwen. This witness added,
that when the message came that three were
wounded, General Custer ordered a wagon
sent after them. and a medical officer was IA
attendance before Col. Vests request. The
substance OF the Generals reply 10 this request
was that the men could have necessary medical
attendance.