, 1879-02-09
MAI. RENO.
The Defendant Concludes TELLING
His Story.

His Story.
The Testimony on Both Sides All In.
The Reno Investigation was continued yestc1
day forenoon at the Palmer HOUSE, aud IL.
testimony concluded. i small crowd of spce
tators filled all the available space in tile room
aud blocked up the doorway at the opening o
the court
| MAJ. RENO
reoccuoicd the witness-c s-c!sair, and Mr.. Gilbcr
continued the examination. In answer to til
necessary interrogatorics, he gave the following
evidence: He wore chip-stzaw hat on the da7
OF the battle, and lost it in the bottom. He dit
not lose his carblnc in tho bottom, and nevc
told any one he did; did not fire his pistol frou
the top Of the hill; he fired it at the Indian.
while crossing the bottom, aud had no charge:
left.
Mr. Gilbert asked the witness il it was coward
ice that prompted him to leave tic timber aud
60 to the hill, and the witness replied emphatic
ally tilat'it was not. lie knew they conid moi
hold that position in the bottom. He heard nc
firing down the river but few scattering Shots;
he had then no idea that there was serious In.
AA@C44lSAt1 A4iu H. OccAT 10 uln LMaL
| Custer was in serious trouble or dead. Hc did
! not know nor did any one tell him t1mt Custc.
/ was engaged with THE indians. He made up Its
Official renurt from Information Obtained on tnc
hcld soon after the tight, and he believed it Was
nearly accurate. III regard to
MS soDkTETr,
witness said lie had some whisky TINT he got at
the mouth Of the Rosebud; it wns in i flask,
which he carried in inner coat:pocket, and
perhaps there WAS pint or d quart; he lid not
drink any until the night Ut The 25th about mid-
nigdt.
Mr.. Gilbert asked witness II be was sober ut
all times.
Witness replied that the flask was cmpticd on
the morning Of The osth, when they wert bury
ing the dead. Capt. Freuch said 1lut he WAS
sick at the stomach, and desired drink, and
witness gave it to him. Capt. Weir might have
put he did not remember OF his Sd doing; il ho
had it was to enable him to OBTAIN
some sleep, but it was not enough
to iutoxicate him. The night Of the 18th, about
~ O'Clock, he came upon two men skuiliing
about the pack train, and spoke to them. TEcy
did not give him 4 satisfactory answer, and hc
struck one OF them, thinking it not a time for
moral suasion, and he may have thrcateucd to
shoot him if be found him there again. The
whisky WIS in bis pocxct Ut that time lie was
and the latter day was with Sergt- Lacey, be-
hind knoll, tirin. At the Indians as they gal
loped past. He lad not received any communl-
marked UA'' on the man. On the nirht IF ,i:
,5tn No tried II, fon,fnnnirate viii, ,:r1 cnStcr
but the Crow Indian scouts refused tn nn. On
thr n,orn;nr nj rh+ o7th hr scnt nnta 10
Gen. Terry, stating his position and thu crippled
Litter was rad and the xrifncss soii - cnn.
tainrd his sentiments nbout that time, III, hid
discharged Gjrord for straIin0 rom rho Govern.
mint.
f,anr rith feelin~s of 49, ~'''~
s..,,".s..o.> - ass s.sa.
eoSt1DhNe@ VI" p4ornUsf 4o"A@o eeS' Gus
Ih"'
asked lor proner answer, and the witness, after
asking the Court II II insisted Oh an answer, aud
receiving an affirmative reply, said by did not
go into that i@ht with feelings Of distrust in
Custer; he had none out frssndly ieciinss to-
ward hln, out hc hao no confluence IN nun As
soldier, he had known him all through tfie War
witness sala Nc supooseu Inc !n9iais Killed the
,s.t wonnuco men VINO were lelt ~ 1llc t1laocr.
1uele "eIe uttn1ocr VI recruits ~ uie coh-
- manu- VINO eou11 not mount tac1r horses
Urucrlv Tavern olu not makc any report to
Htth t1a1 ne nao tost hts eafo1uc; hhcN nc uit
npt, IL WAS uoL Ilu'G lhal 1le cou!u oe oolherao
WHY s sueu 1eEorts. ne "as poslc:Ve t1at nc d!o
not hle tevo.ser ,TT Mpout !1ie tll1le benteen's
eo'nntauu caiueAp, 4Ae eulooh Was piaeeu On
.ro,,Id at,rat ~ a+,nn+;o -. J..
flask, but did not haye charge Of it on the uirht
Of tile 25th. 1t was customary to refill task |
if they had ANYTHING to refill it With. He would |
have iistcptd to any communication from f;i- |
rard, but would not nave believed him. He un- |
derstood that Girard had been the basis Of most /
OF the information against him. He was quite
as anxious to get Gen. Custer to aid him as The
latter was to get his (Reno's) nil. The results
Of the battle had justified him, he believed, in
acting as he had and he would pursue the su1ne
course under similar circumstances. He found
It impossible to charge the enemy, ind, in reply
to 4 question put by Lieut.. Lee said that
ten MEN could charge thousand, but
their success was another thing. Witness gave
some further testimony III regard to his posi- |
lion during the fight, and said he thought there
we're from GOO to 500 indians in bis front during
ar. Gilbert saio H. ne woulu IKE TO nave tne
.,,Ia ~ 80" 'A"' o'5' AAAe Ae 0"0 'o' '''''s
The witness continncd. Hc certainly cntrro7
he fight with friendly feelings toward Gen.
Custer, and felt then that he had done ali lc