Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-01-06
MAI. RENO'S TRIAL.
tn Il COZ RTS M4RTIAL IN ST. PdUL
md CHICAGO.
Did Reno Cowardly Sacrifice Custer 7---Col
Neirs Dying Statement---Reno's Trial
for Insulting Il Lady---The Tribunal to
Assemble in st. Paul Day---Death of
Lieut.. WalIace---Frozen While Scouting

An Inspection of the hotel REGISTERS shows
number of names with the appendage O.
"U. 5. A." The indications are that a fai,
proportion of the United States army IS be-
ing concentrated here. The officers, who
have been fortunate to get ''the march" arr
from tie far West frontier, from such local.
ties as Fort Ellis, Fort Totten, Standing
Rock agency and such OUTLYING
posts. The turn of fortunes
wheel, which has favored them with cal
from the Wilderness to the effulgent centre
of civilization in st. Paul, is two fold in it's
nature. Some of the officers are here in at
tendance as members of Lieut. Lowell Fl,
Jerome's court martial and witnesses in the
case; others are en- route to take part
as witnesses in the Court OF
Inquiry to be instituted in
Chicago on the 18Th inst, to investigate the
charge of cowar1ice, etc, so generally pre-
ferred against Major Marcus A. Reno, of the
Seventh United States cavalry, for alleged
misconduct at the time of ''the Custer
massacre"
That the pen is nightier than the sword
has ample verifcation when an army officer
is confronted by a newspaper man. If wars
alarums have no terror for theM, and bris-
thing ranks of bayonets get up no culver, the
sharpened end of lead pencil produces a
collapse III the average American
disciple OF Mars. With this we'll
known symptom to guard against, q
GLOBE reporter undertook g mission
among the new arrivals yesterday. Every
individual was found non-conmittal on all
essential points, either in the Jerome court
martial or the Reno affair.
Vi,
court martial is ordered to convene to day at
10 O'Clock. In a military sense, 10 o'clock
is expanded to the hour Of noon, hence the
probability is that the court will not bs for
mally opened until about II o'clock, when
good civilians are at dinner. The likelihood
Is further stated that nothing will be done in
the way of business to-day. Several of the
witnesses, among whom are Assistant Sur
geon E. T. Gardner and Lieut.. G.. G. Doan,
Second United States cavalry, have arrived.
They are from Fort Ellis, Montana, and
left subsequent to Lieut.. Jerome's departure,
who has rot yet arrived. Inquiry fails to
ascertain his whereabouts. A court martial
without the accused is duplication of the
story Of Hamlet, with a conspicuous absence
Of the mournful Dane.
Maj. Crofton, Seventeenth United States
infantry, Fort Lincoln, a member Of the
court, Is also among the arrivals.
THE RENO COURT.
Destined for Chicago as witnesses before
the Reno inquiry, are Capt Ed. S. Godfre J,
Seventh United States cavalry Standing Rock
Agency, and Capt. E. G. MatheY, of the same
regiment, stationed at Fort Totten. These
will be followed in few days by Capts.
Benteen, McDougall and others Of the regi-
ment.
These officers, as stated above, are decid-
eddy non-committal upon the matter. They
reserve their testimony for the court,
but as they were witnesses before Reno's
court martial, in an inciden tai way the in
ference can be drawn as to their views. The
GLOBE doesn't PREJUDICE anyone But enough
is known to assert that Major Reno's con
duct at the time Clusters whole command
was sacrificed is considered in the army as
decidedly reprehensibie. The charitaDly
inclined attribute his conduct to
mistake and an ill-judged
appreciation Of the situation. AS remarked
by an officer who came to the relief Of Reno s
besieged commands
''Why, Reno should never have abandoned
his position in the brush, the first taken. It
was an egregious mistake to leave this natu-
raj stronghold, and seek safety in precip-
tous retreat. AS an evidence Of the mistake,
all those who were left in the brush escaped.
The loss only occurred after he had taken to
the hill. There many dead were found by
the side of mangled horses at every step.
GLOW many did he lose," was asked.
Il think the relief party buried nineteen
or twenty"
COL. wEIR's DYING ARRAIGNMENT.
In a casual way it was learned that the
IT,, e+oto of no 1a+o
Colonel T. B. Weir, Seventh cavalry, has
produced profound sensation in military
circles. While some are positive that he
made no such confession the sense i'm
pl ed by confession, the greater number of
his former comrades are July aware that the
alleged statement is in accord with his ex-
pressed OF Implied views of t he great tragedy
Clusters massacre. Col. Weir died while OF
leave of absence, and not long after
the massacre of which his dying statement
speaks. While passing through Chicago, he
(Col. Welr) was met by the writer. In a
long personal conversation Col. Weir stated
in substance VIII athe is alleged to have re-
iterated in his 'dying statement" The
horrors and magnitude of the great tragedy
we're wildly fresh in his mind. He spoke
graphically and feelingly of the sacrifice
of loved comrades. He termed it sacrifice
and was unhesitating in his conservation
and attributing it to the failure of Reno il
affording Il adequate and gallant support
He allgded to the plan of battle as idtnti
calIy the same rs one in which the regimen
took part against Black Kettles band O
southern Cheyennes in November of 1868
ave succeeded then, because everybody was
enthusiastically in earnest" was the sub
stance, even almost the Identical words uset
by him.
Col. Reno's name has been conspicuousl
public property for several years past. Hi
unfortunate-place it at that-connectiol
with the Custer massacre first brought hin
into notoriety. Unfortunately, he was subse
quently brought into scandalous prominence
in connection with an alleged unoficer-likt
and ungentlemanly assault upon the charac
ter and even PRISON of an army-lady
For this offense, the full nature of which i
known in this community, he was tried il
st. Paul and dismissed the service. A cour
Of his peers tried and convicted hinl-but
pleased the President of the United States t.
mitigate this sentence to a suspension of tw
years.
AN ANALOGY.
AS commentary upon the above actio
of the President of q republic, the story G
Col. Valentine Baker of her majesty's, til
queen of Great Britain, army. He assaulte
an unprotected and humble woman in raj
way carriage. Unintiuenced by bis socis
position and close personal relation
with the Prince of Wales, Bake
was dismissed the service. Moreove
the sentence of the court stood against O.
appeals.
Col. Reno, of the United States army, as