The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-06-20
The Story Of the POIarisY
The Death Of Capt. Han Not One OF
Violence

The Death Of Capt. Han Not One o
Violence.
The Separation Of TyBon'S Party from
the Vessel Accidental. ~
Other Interesting Details OF the Ex
Do 7pedAIlOnS o.
WASHINGTON, June 10. - Secretary
Robson has sent 70 the President his re
port iniull Of the Investigation Of the Pc
laris matter, In which he says that tn
statement OF all the persons rescued, Wht
could speak or understand EpRlish excep
that Of the wife Of Hans ChriSti9n, wer
taken down and are now together with
the diaries kept by some 6fthe party OF
the ice, and Q diary Of the cruise Of tn
POlaris. The latter was kept In German
BY Hermann Searons, one Of the seamen
and picked up on the ice after the separa
ton from the ship. They are being rap
idly printed, the bulk Of them being al
ready In type. SECRETARY Robson say
that II must be clearly understood that II
permitting this publication, the depart
ment neither makes nor declares any
judgement against Buddington, who has
had no opportunity for defence or expla'
nation. The facts show that though hi
was perhaps wanting In enthusiasm iol
the grand objects Of the expedition, and
at times grossly lax in discipline, anC
though he differed in judgement as to tht
possibility, safety and propriety OF taking
the ship further north, yet he is en- ex'
perienced and careful navigator and q
man not addicted to liquor,ot which mont
remained on board at the time OF the sep
aratioa. He was safe and oompeten
commander. -'.,
The Secretary. thengives the details al
ready made public, Of the measures taker
BY him to send the steamers JuniRta and
Tigress to the relief, II possible, of tht
Polaris, and the remainder Of her crew
The Tigress, he proposes TO purchase and
strengthen ior service required In the
Arctic regions. Capt. Tyson, EsquimauA
Joe and all the rescued seamen will &C
company the expedition, being anxious
to rescue their comrades and bring out
their old ship. The following is the re
suit of the investigation and examination
Of Capt. Tyson, Frederick Meyer, Esqui
maux Joe and others OF the rescued
crew:
At midnight on the Sd oil September
1871, Capt. Hall landed with. o boat or
the cast shore Of Polaris Bay, and in the
name of God and the President OF thl
United States raised the American flag or
the land. On one occasion, while bese
In Robesm Straits, the Polaris seemed
in such dangerOt being crushed that pro
visions were placed on the ice and meas
ures taken to be in readiness tor leaving
her. But she happily escaped without In
jury. ~,
Immediately after securing his ship In
winter quarters, Capt. Hall made prepara
tions for sledge journey northward, and
work was commenced by landing and set
ting up an observatory, getting scientific
observations under way, surveying the
harbor, clearing up the ship and making
1t snug Tor winter. On the 10Th Of Octo
Iber, Captain Hall left the Polaris, accom-
panied by Mr.. Chester, the first mate, anC
Esouimaux Joe and Hans with two
sledges and fourteen dogs, setting out or
this expedition. The first step taken by
Captain Hall fell upon land more northern
than a white mans foot ever before
touched. In the progress Of the journey
unhappily the last that Capt. Hall was Il
make towards the pole, he discovered, al
appears from his dispatches, river, 9
lake, and q large inlet, The latter In lat
itude 81 degrees and 81 seconds north
He named this NewmRn's Bay, calling IL
northern point Cape Brevoort, and thI
southern one Sumner Headland. At Cap
Brevoort In lat. 80 deg, 2 sec. north, long
G1 deg. 20 sec. west, he rested, making
there his sixth snow encampment. OI
October Goth, he wrote his last dispatch t
the Secretary Of the Navy, the origina
draft of which was found In his OWL
hand writing In his own desk on its ex
animation in Washington, after 1t wa
delivered to the Secretary Of the Navy by
| EsduImSux Joe, who, had kept the desl
inhis custody from the time It was pack
ed upon the Ice, alter the separation Of tht
\ rescued party from the ship. rrA copI
q This dispatch, so slngularly preserved
accompanies the report. Capt. Hal
himself deposited Q transcript Of It In {
car, inside d thembhntdina Cape Bbe,
WORT. Capt; Hall, 1t appears, had hoped
when he lelt,the Polarls ion this journey
10 advance northward at least q hundred
miles. but after having gone about fifty b.
was compelled by the condition ol th'
shore and ice, and blythe climate Il
return and await the approach Of spring
f0f another attempt he reached tn
ship Snsthe Gath OF October, appafentl,
In bis usual fine health, but was attacks
the same evening with sickness Of tn
stomach and vomiting, and taking TO hil
bed was found to be seriouslyill. Hisnos
marked symptoms seem from the eYi
tlence to have been such as Indicated con
gestiOn.ot the brain, accompanied BY de
ilfiuLn and partial paralysis OF one, side
Tie witnesses all state that his att9cl
as called appopleIy and ysome,of thep
sneak OF their own knowledge OF bis par
slysis and delirium. He recovered, how
ever aome days after, sufficiently TO leav
hib bed, TO move about the cabin Q llttl
and toaLtempt to attend TO business bu
ha soon had relapse and became agail
dSlirI0ns and died on the 9Th Of Novem
bar, 1871. Three dsys afeE he was burie
a shore. From personal examination o
ail witnesses and from their testimony q
given, wereach the unanimous opinio
that the death ol, Captain Hall reauIEei
naturally from disease, without fault o.
the part OF any one. all persons examir
ed testify TO the uniform kindness an
care Of Captain Hall, and 10 the goo
and efficient condition OF the POLAR
while under his command.
On the death Of Captain hall, Budding
ton succeeded to the command Of the Pc