The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-29
THE DdY or CUsrER's DEATH
Tho Testimony Thus Far In the Investigation
of Major Rsno's RehnvIor.
CHICAGO, Jan. 25.-Thc second week Of Thu


CHICAGO, Jan. 2j.-Thc second week OF the
proceedings in the case Of Major Reno. Seventh
Cavalry. inqnirlnR IA to the truth OF tho charges
made against him by Cnpt Whitaker the
biographer Of Gen. Custer haa now closed.
Briefly stated the charges wore TINT in the bit
tic Of the Little Big Horn. June rs. 1876 Major
Reno betrayed gross cowardce." that he dis
obeyed m order from Custer, abandoned the
position in which he was placed. and thus lost
the battle. The charges further aver that. had
Reno oheyed his orders ns n soldier should.
Con. Custer Wont, have defeated the Indians.
The proceedings in court have been very tedi-
Gus. hut the public interest h1s been undated
ever since the opening Of the trial.
so far. only Ave Witnesses have been exam
ined. Three ofthese are officers. and two civil
zens. Nothing but tho most mcagre reports Of
tho testimony have been sent to the East. and
many OF tho Associated Press and other tcle-
grams have been ,udicrouslv inaccurate. A
brief rcsumG of the facts developed by the tes-
timony and the character Of the evidence will
hive interest. "a the true inwardncss Of the
trial Ia not by any means apparent on the face
Of the dispatches so far sent
The first witness examined was Lieut. Wal
lace young gentleman who admitted that he
had mover seen fight before the battle Of the
Big Horn. He served with Rcno's battalion
and tried hard 10 screen his commander by
grayeiy Offering hs opinion ns an expert that
Major Reno did everything thata soldier should
do. On the facts to sustain his opinion he was
not 50 happy. He knew Of no men being killed
at the time Reno began his retreat. and was
very hnzY and iniistinct on facts in general.
He ratl mated the force OF Indians at some six
thousand warriors. hut admitted that he had
never seen an Indian village on the move
This gentleman was followed 10y Gerard. nm
interpreter. who had been In the Indian coun-
try thirty years. and who estimated the Ind
inns NJ 1000 men, perhaps less. This witness
WIS lr;t In the timber by Reno. when.t the bat
tglion rttrcated to tho river and he saw tho
force which opposed H. lie estimated that not
over ono or two hundred Indians. nj tho ont,
sid". threatened Reno when he retrcnted. and
i,si He'd that he saw Clusters column going
down on the luther bank az the moment Reno
wont iuto action. HIS testimony was the first
that wns con1ued to facts Of Time and place. aud
ehowcd that Custer must have seen Reno going
INTO acton In the valley lust rs the lAiicra
skirmish line was being thrown out. that he
hn5'"nGd down 10 attack Hcno's enemies In
rear. IN the full ballet TINT Reno would hold his
position. hut that before lie could rcach Il cross
ing Reno had fed in confusion, leaving his
wounded and abandoning several nen IN tho
woods. This testimony WA very damaging TO
knno and his counsel tried hard to confuse AMI
misty Gerard on cross-exarn nation. but failed
Gerard was followed by Lieut.. Varnum.
young officer who had tried hard To stop the
confusion attending Reno's retreat. THIS wit
ness was very reticant MS tn his own deeds. on
account OF "Xcr@sive modrsty. but subsequent
testimony by others showed tina; he had hc-
treat. lie tesifci with tie utmost unwilling
d.rss and tho facts had 10 be- drawn from him
1y the closest and most prr-lStrnt qu.siii 1nins.
Iney were as iq.ows: h"nos command lett IN"
timber ia u wild hcadlong stampede. without
any regu ar order being given. Narnum saw
stricken galopsd 10 The head OF the rout. yell
inx 10 thc muu 10 stop. When he got there he
fJunt tina. the ruut WIS led toy Reno IN person
moi NJ
mony. He corro3oratcd Gerard rs to time OF
fighting. md nGded that no heard Custer Tight
INK after the Reno battalion was sntc across tho
river. lie aleo saw Clusters column Just about
The time that Reno threw out his first line.
The next wiih"ss was Dr. Porter surgeon to lie;
nos ha'taiion X" thoughttne iighing only lasted
twenty minTr-. after which the command ran
WAY leaving min alone and unarmed IN the
woods. He goi on hi- horse. dashed through
tho Indians raicY 10y good luck. saw the lndi-
ans Strengthening the command alninst unrr-
all the enemy had turned away TO meet Custer.
Then en-ued mis- memorable convrrsaiion.
pnct4r-Ihe men seem pretty badly dcmoral-
Reno sarcGs,icallyl-why no. that was II
charge. sir.
Tnis ii,tie Incident closed the iarts developed
by the surgeon. except TINT Ne never saw Reno
after that either on the 18th or 2nt. while ilrlng
was going on. but that tho MAJOR turned out
Tao ast wltnr1s was Can't, Moylan. also In the
STAMPEDE who owned VI tp being carried away
wl,h Inc rr-i hut did all ne could to restore
order Atsrward. like that 81 NHrnum. his eNi-
dencr wi- uil the more crushing brsausc glNon
with suru manifest unwllllngness y hurt Reno.
THIS witness. Ike al the other officers exam
med. tried hard 10 screen Reno by giving opin-
ions, but was forced to admit that the ia L.
would not warrant them. Altogether tho
second week testimony has established tho
tvct that. from som" cuus" rs yet unknown
kenos battalion was ro!4~d WAN = suddsu
pane. Snd ran out Of u safe and sheltered posi-
ton into The upsn pain TO he Killed Ike herd
Of buffalo on. the run. THIS panic seems To
have been led b. Reno How Il originated, ami
wHo j. the man responsible therefor. next week
will probably determine.
m. court composed - Gems. Merritt AMI
Klng ana '1l. Royal. seems 10 be determined
t. IrobG tho mater To the bottom. and H.
c0rdrr Los ~ mrreiicss in his questions.
CHfcAGo. Jan. 2-.-Hrrrnden. tho scout. testi-
fed iu h- f'nJ case tni thui lie urheNri R"nus or
fnf the troops 90 l.th"ut was induced iA number NJ
!. mgrahahs c,en's, q rri NJ winch va thr death o
blood sila.!,.i u.on N.nu Lieut. Hare tesut,i ihat
Reno conduct IA his olini0n, traNe spiIed AID
luIlcluus throughout