Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-11-04
The Jeanette Inquiry.

AhlNNG4h1N NA4Ao3 4NONCluOCI
The Tribune has report of an in
terview with DR.. d. F. Collins,
brother of the late Jerome J. Coli
Inns, scientist of the Jeanette ex-
pedition. DR.. Collins says: "We
have evidence that DeLong used his
official position as commander of the
expedition to persecute, in a very
conservative way, some of the
members of the commission. My
brother was placed under arrest for
no reason whatever. This, Lieuten
ant Danenhower admitted to ne
DeLong refused to allow my broth
er, at certain times, to do any kind
of work, and purposely allowed
all notes, photographs and records of
the expedition prepared by my broth
er to sink. We have evidence that
the captain forced him to remain be
hind when he volunteered to go
ahead with Winderman and Noros
to search for relief, my brother be
III the best condition of any member
of the party to do so. We have eve
idence that Bartlete, now in Liberia,
one Of the seamen, is in possession
OF valuable facts but we believe he
has been kept in Liberia purposely
by the officers of the expedition, SO
that his testimony may not get be-
tore the b ard. We are also
in possession of full information that
on Melville finding the bodies of the
DeLoDg party, he used the most
blasphemous and scandalous language
concerning my brothers body. We
also have reason for believing that
reports made by Melville as to the
condition of the weather, which he
alleged prevented him from going to
the relief of DeLongs party, were
false, for on the dates on which he
declared the weather bad, it has been
shown to have been good DR.. Col
Inns further asserts that jealousy ex-
listed between certain officers of the
expedition, the troubles first begin.
ing, as he learns, over an order to
the effect that all the men should
undergo physical examination.
Neither Markey, Collins, nor Daven-
howe were permitted to assist
in the retreat Dr. Collins
adds: We happen to know that
Kusmah requested Melville to go to
belongs relief himself, or send
some one, and Melville would do
neither. He first gave the order to
Danenhower to go, and then coun>
fernandez it. Kusmah and Shagra
were fifteen days making the round
trip to Belum from the spot where
Melville's party was. Two days each
way was ample time for the journey.
During the trip these men got drunk,
and Melville Knew it. Whi they
were gone in search of DeLong,
Melville and those with him made
chess men and checker-boards, and
amused themselves, leaving the work
OF searching for their companions to
two ignorant and drunken natives.
We have reasonable grounds for be-
ing certain that there was consid-
erable amount of intoxicants drank
during the fifteen days they waited
for the return of the two natives.
We know from conversation with
surviving members OF the expedi-
ton that certain letters and papers
which we belive were on my broth
er's person have never been produced.
We want to know what has been
done with these papers. If,
Melville had gone with the natives
as he ought to have done, no doubt,
DeLong and his party would have
been saved. He would have seen
the beacon fires tat had been light
ed, as stated in Belongs journal.
which was found, even if he had
started when Kusmah and Shagra
were over due. We therefore make
the charge that had Melville done
his duty instead of spending his
time in playing chess and checkers
DeLong and his party would not
have died. Melville left them to die
and he is responsible for their
deaths. DR.. Collins will lay his
statement, with documentary evi>
dence, befJre Congress.