Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-04-19
RICE AND CUsTER.
True statement About the CoW.
aFaly Canning Cnnard.
Rice Prom0uDced Gu ster . LIAR esd
Custer Rtbl1 Wo0rs lt -9An Only
Threatens Can1ng-Rlas own Hecoea
IN Differ cDe Th1Mes.
WASu1rnroN Anr;

EDITOR STATE REGISTER = find the
statement in your paper of the 7th
instant that Gen. Custer had caned
Gen. Rice. The story originated in
the New York World, having beeh
telegraphed from here to that place
by . hair-braided young attaohe Of
that office in this city, and for whose
action The responsible Representatives
of the World in this city disclaim amy
The Wo,la the next
day denied the story in niggardly
brief paragraph, but it seems the
original lieis still doing duty in the
Western papers.
General Custer came here to testify
before Clymer's Committee, at his
own request, to bolster up the many
camp rumors and vile slanders affect
ing(eneral Belknap, President Grant,
and others, which had found in him
fitting sluiceway to the New York
Herald and other satanic papers. He
knew nothing Oh his arrival except
hearsay, which would not receive the
slightest credence in any respectable
court. Among other things he swore
that ne had heard or nnderstOod that
General Rice had received 5000 out
of the profits at Ft, A. Lincoln. Gen.
Rice characterized that Statement in
the next mornings Republicdn here
as an infamous lie. General Custer
was then and still is in the city, and
has not paid the slightest attention to
General Rice card, although he took
occasion, with his characteristic bonn
bast and bravado, to have it announced
through the bummers that he asso-
ciates with here, that he would cane
General Rice On sight. That Gaming
has not occurred yet, and il is pretty
safe to predict that it will not be
brought about on General Clusters
own motion, and ii it should there
will probably be work for the under
takers Immediately thereafter. There
is but little doubt that Custer himself
inspired this whole Gaming story to
add to his stock of fictitious renown.
General George A. Custer, "the
hero of the lash, as he isqpte fitting
ingly described by Ingersoll in his his
tory of Iowa aud the Rebellion, OH ac-
count Of his brutal whipping of Iowa
soldiers on the Rio Grande long after
the close of the war, is quite likely to
get more of this investigating busi-
ness than he contracted for. 1t turns
out that the Post Trader at Fort Lin
coin had been for sometime cashing
Clusters drafts on the New York
Herald, and the evidence is becoming
conclusive that he was himself the
correspondents from the Upper Mis-
souri, River, who has been SO soundly
abusing Grant, Belknap and his other
superior officers in direct violation of
the articles of war. 1t appears 10 be
conclusive that he bankrupted one of
his quartermasters at the gaming
table, which compelled that officer 10
desert and flee the country, and that
he is in the habit of fleecing the other
financial and bonded officers of his
command, which is a penitentiary
offense under the law. He has be-
come the chief prOmpter of old ely
mer, and sits at his side to suggest
questions to the witnesses which he
thinks may aid his party and injure
the Administration, and that Commit
tee, which is nothing less than q DEM
ocratic Scandal Campaign Commit
tee, takes due care to see that nothing
goes out but what will reflect upon
Republicans without the slightest re-
gard to the matter or real evidence
delivered.
Custer IS universally denounced
here by his army comrades as bully
who roars like lion and fights like a
sheep; as a contemplate retailer OF
camp stories through the newspapers
i'm violation of his honor and oath as
an officer, and for which he receives
pay asa braggart who tamely SUBJ
mits to have the word liar burned
into his brazen forehead by rcspon-
sible gentleman, and finally as an Off
GER of rank in the army who system
atically debauches the young officers
of his command at the gaming table.
Iowa.