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Show IXTERESTIKti IF Tit IE. A I'oNsible but, not I'robitblo Account of the Custer 31iea ere. By a Sell-Proclaimed Eye Vt'It-ii Vt'It-ii ess. Minneapolis, 7. The Pioneer Press and Tribune will to-morrow publish an interview with an old trapuer named Ridgley, who has been a long time in tho Yellowstone country, and claims to have witnessed the Custer massacre, being a prisoner in Sitting Bull's camp, and seeiug every movement move-ment of the troops. Ho was taken prisoner last March, and kept in the camp nf tho Indians ever since until the Custer massacre. He was treated kindly. He says Sitting Bull organ' ized not to fight the whites, but tc drive the miners from the hills. Previous Pre-vious to Custer's attack mounted couriers from Sitting Bull's camp hat for eight days watched his forces, ib. division into small detachments beinj noted with manifestations of extrenu delight. Ambuscades were irumedi ately prepared, ana wuuo me muians stood ready for an attack many of them clambered on tho sidehills overlooking Custer's hue of march. The Indian camp whs divided by a bluff, the point of which rau towards Rosebud, and in the direction of one of the available lords on the river to camp. By this ford Custer followed their trail down to the water's edgo. There were but tweuty five tepees visible to Custer, but there were seventy-five tepees behind be-hind the bluffk not visible. Custer attacked the small village and was immediately met bv 1.500 or 2.00C Indians in regular order of battle. Every movement was made with . military precision. Ridgely Bays he, stood on the side of a hill where he, had a complete view of the battle, 1 which was not over a mi!o and a half, distant. Custer began the fight iu; tne ravino near the ford, and fully ; half of his command Beamed to be j uuharecd at the first fire. Then tho soldiers retreated towards the hill iui the rear, where they were Bhot down' on the way with astonishing rapidity, I tho commanding oflicer falling from j m iiuraw in uic iiuu iie 01 mw mi- gagement, which commenced at 11, a.m. and did not last more than j forty-five minutes. After the massacre ol Custer's force, tho Indians returned to camp with six soldiers as prisoners, and were delirious with joy over their success. These six were tied lo htakea at a wood pile in the village, and all burned to dtath. While the flames j were torturing them to death, tho j Indian boys shot arrows into their, quivering flesh until they wero dead, j Sitting Bull was met alter tho fiht; ana he exultingly remarked that he had killed many soldiers and one! damned gencr il, but did not know who he was. The uquawa then armed : themselves with knives, visile! the ! battle field and robbed and mutilated tiie bodies of the soldiers. While the soldiers were being burned tiie In-I dm us turned their attention to tho force, evidently Reno's, attacking the lower end of the village. Ridgely a.iysthat Custer's command had been slaughtered before a shot was fired by Reno's force, attacking the lower end ol the camp at alioul 2 p.m. Tiie Indians returned in the evening and said the men had fuiighl like the devil, but Ridgely says they didn't make a statement of their lufces. They s.tid the soldiers hail been driven back twice anu they piled up stones and tho attack was I u usu ccviM ful. The prisoners were kept burning over an hour, but Uidgely was not permitted to speak to them, so lie is unable to nUta who they were. One was nulice.if lw fruin bis siuhII size and gray hair and whikrg. Reno killed more Indians than Oiiiter, who fell iu the midst of ihe figrit, and two captains, believed to le Gates and Keogh, wrie left to die. I'ne night after tho massacre the Indians In-dians were wild with delight. Many were drunk on wlmky stolfn fruin Ihe whiles, and tho squaws performed ttie duty of guards iorhe pnanncrs, and becoming drowsy, Kidgely and two companions escape!, securing ponit.4, and began tho long journey iiumsward. inn parly ato game, and lay is the woods (our days lo avoid tho Indians. Jn tne wuya horse stumbled bre.iking lli'lWy s Him, hut ihe party finally reached Furl Abererombm, and l hence Kidgely came here. 1 le dcnrnU h fSiiting Bull as a half-bp eO, l.irgo sue, very intelligent, with a peculiar git. |