The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1864-06-24
Cannibalism.

On the l4,h ofSept, 1928, there might
have been seen two travellers making their
way on foot across the hill country to the
cas-, Of Macquaire harbor, Van Disman'.
Land OF all parties consisting OF two
persons moving at the same time upon the
eaTth's surface, or at sea, We may safely
affirm that there WAS none placed in such
strange circumstances as were the men we
write Of. Others. like themselves, might
have been escaped criminals dreaiing lest
they should be pursued and brought back
to chains aud labor Others, like them
selves, might have been wandering in
pathIess wilds, where no fellow creature,
not even savage, was to be met with
others, like themselves, might have been
suffering tie acutest pains of hunger, not
to be appeased by grass and nellls tops
boiled in tin pot, which was all the food
they could procure; but even then their
circumstances would have been commons
place compared to the position Of the Two
men in question. BY reason of fain,ness'
and the difficulties Ct the way, :heir pro-
gyess was very tardy ye. slowly as the
leader advanced. who carried an axe (oy
they would never have made their way az
all } tie ether man kept well in his rear
for he was afraid of being killed and
eaten. -.-.-,
A few weeks back these men, who were
called GreenhiIl and Pierce, had had three
| companions, Traverse, Badman, and Mat
.hews, who had fled with them from the.
penal colony, in hopes to make their way
, across the island to some of the eastern
settlements. They were soon safe enough
from the pursuit of nah, but starvation,
with its slow but certain step gradually
overlook them. They had drawn lots
which Of the five should die, and the fatal
slip had fallen to Badman. They then
drew lets who should kill him, which iell
! to Traverse, who put him to death, while
the others collected wood for the fire
| This dreadful provision lasted them for
some DAYS, and then it became Matthews
turn to die" $50.
By the time he was all eaten" says
Pierce, for we have his own confession.
"Traverse, through fatigue. fell lame in
his knees-so much so that he could not
proceed; Greenhil proposed tina, should
kill him, which agreed to-" Blu. now
even this supply YRS exhausted, ard the
two men were alone in the wilderness,
each pretending. friendship, We. each seek
ing the Others life, in orderthat he might
proIong his own. Neither of them dared
to sleep The struggle resolved itself in
! to which could hold out the longer against
the oYerpowesing desire for repose; and
Greenhil's constitution was the frs, TO
give way. Pierce snatched his axe and
slew him, and with recruited strength
and carrying his CHASTITY vctua with
him, made his way TO human habita>
ton.
Convict to begin with it is probable
that this man had hu, little seusibii:y Of
any sort, but the rap;dlty with which he
! became demora|ized was friohtful. IIav-
| ing been RENTED 10 the penal colony, he
again male his escape from it in company
with one Thomas eek. This man had
very eagerly pressed the attempt although
Pierce from experience knew something
Of lis utter hopeIessness 81 had irons on
at the time, but Cox knocked them of.
for me with his axe. We came to Kings
river. which Cox said be could not swim.
| remarked tina, had | known that. hs
should never have been M companion
! The arrangements for crossing the river
created some words, and | killed Cox
with the axe, and ate part of him" They
had been in straits for provisions, but there
seems really to have been no occasion for
such diet. Had Pierce not already par
taken Of this food four Zines. he certainly
woad rot have touched it; nay, he even
appears to have been actua.ed by the very
feelings that prompts the savage; he de-
sired tie flesh of his enemy.
After a few days of lone wandering
and privation, Pierce's heat failed him.
and he determined 10 go back and give
himself up. I threw most Of the flesh
away ; but ore piece [ carried in nv
pocket to show that Cox was dead" One
Of lie wardens at Macquaire harbor,
therefore, upon perceiring signal fire in
the direction Of Kings river which was 4
common enough sign of some escaped con-
Wet getting tired of his freedom took
a boat thither, and found our Anthropo-
phagite. Having confessed that ne had
killed Cox, Alexander Pierce was executed
June y, 1924