Weekly Phoenix herald., 1882-11-24
TELEca APHIC-
Jeanette Scandals.

Inns, of this city, brother of the late
Jerome J. Collins, meteorologist of
the Jeanette expedition, DR.. Collins
says; 1--WE have evidence thai that
Capt. De Long used his official posi-
ton as commander OF the expedition
to persecute in every conceivable way
some of the members of the COM
mand. My orot' er WAS placed under
arr est for no reason whatever. This
Lieut. Dancnhow or admitted TO me
when I saw him in New York. Cap.
De Long refused to allow my brother
nj certain times TO do any kind Of
work, and purposely allowed all
note, photographs and records Of
The expedition prepared by my
brother 10 silk. We have evidence
that the Captain forced him to re
main behind when he volunteered to
go ahead with Ninderman and Noros
to search for relief, my brother being
in the best condition of any mem Der
Of the party to do so. We have evil
Gence that Bartlett, now in Siberia,
one Of the seamen, is in possession of
valuable facts, but we believe he has
been kept in Siberia purposely by
the officers of the expedition so tina
his testimony may not get before the
board. We are also in possession of
full Information that on Melville
finding the bodies of the De Long
party he u ed most blasphemous and
scaudalous language concerning my
brothers body. We also have reason
for believing that the reports made
by Melville as to the cond ton of
the weather, which, he alleged. pre-
vented him from going to the relief
of De Longs party, were false, for OF
the dates on which he declared the
weather was bad it has been shown
to have been good.
DR.. Collins further asserts that
jealousy existed between certain
officers of the expedition, the trouble
beginning, as he learns, over an order
to the effect that all of the men
should undergo a physical examina-
ton. Neither Markly, Collins nor
Danenhower were permitted 10 as
sst in the retreat. DR.. Collins adds:
We happen to know that Kusmah re-
quested Melville to go to De Longs
relief himself or serd some one, and
Melville would do neither. He first
gave the order TO Danenhower to go
and then counterm andcd it. Kusmah
and Shagra were fifteen lays in max
ing thesround trip to Bulun from the
spot at which Mclville's party was.
Two days each way WAS ample time
for the journey. During the trip
these men got drunk and Melville
knew it. While they were gone in
search of De Long, Melville and
those wi h him made chessmen and
checker-boards and amused them
selves, leaving the work of searching
for their companions to two ignor-
ant and drunken natives. We have
reasonable grounds for bel @ certain
that there was nsiderable amount
of intoxicants drank during the 10
days they waited for the return of
the two natives. We know from con-
versations with surviving members
of the e1 pedition that certain letter
and papers which we believe were on
my brothers 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
De Long and his party wo'ild have
been saved. He would have seen the
beacon fires that had been lighted on
bluffs, as stated in De Longs jour
nal, which was found, even if he
had started out when Kusmah and
Shasrl were overdue. We, therefore,
charge that had Melville done his
duty instead of spending his time in
playing chess and checkers, De
Long and party would not have died.
Melville left them to die, and he is
responsible for their deaths.
DR.. Collins will print his state
ment in pamphlet form, with docu-
meniary evidence, aud lay it before
Congress-.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 1S.-The Jean
nette Board of Inquiry adjourned for
the day at P. NJ, having concluded
the reading of Lieut.. Danenhower's
evidence Tomorrow will be taken
up with the introduction of docu-
meniary evidence, and at 80 A. NJ.
on Monday Engineer Melville will
be cal!ed. The publication this
morning of specific charges, said to
have been made by DIR. Collins, Is
generally commented upon, though
the subject was not mentioned at the
meeting of the board. Jud ge-Advo-
cate Lemly said in reply to inqui-
RES that he had been in correspond
cnce with DR.. Collins, and had for
some time been aware of his views
in the matter; that the court propos-
ed to sift the matter to the lott I'M
and would receive everything that
DR.. Collins might offer in the nature |
Of compe ent evidence; that Lieut..
although his examina-
ton in chief has been concluded,
will dou btless be recalled in conDec-
ton with the charges made by DR..
Collins. Mr.. Lemly further said
that it was the intention of the court
10 examine every survivor OF the
Jea nnelte expedition, and that Mr..
Barllett-who, as alleged by DIR.
Collins, was purposely kept in Sibe-
ria-has not returned to this country