Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1882-06-10
The Jeannetts Survivors

VI tlS 1cailctJc, lS eApcCtSu ~ dtTlNc W.
morrow Mr.. and Mrs. Danenhower
Walter Danenhower, James Gordon
Bennett, with Judge DAILY, president o
the Geographical society, and few
other friends will 20 down the bay tc
meet the steamer as soon as she is re,
ported
New York, May 2S.-The steamship
Celtic, bearing Lieut. Danenhower,. DR.
Newcomb, Jack Cole, and Charles Ton
Sing, survivors Of the Arctic steamer
Jeannette, arrived early to-day. When
the vessel was reported off Fire Island Il
party consisting Of the immediate re-
latives and friends of the voyagers,
started in tug from the Battery to meet
them. AS the tug ran alongside the
Celtic, Lieut.. Danenhower leaped on
board, and affectionally embraced his
mother and father, and was warmly
welcomed home by the others. Lieut..
Danenhower then invited his relatives
and friends to his cabin on the steamer,
and presented all to his associate sur
vivors. The party then listened To a
recital Of the dreadful suferings in the
far north, and the tale of the fate of
Commander De Long and his men, until
the steamer reached her dock. Arrived
there, Lieut.. Danenhower was surround
ed by congratulating friends, who had
gathered to give him hearty welcome,
and they did. For an hour he was kept
busy shaking hands and answering in
quiries. While all this was happening
on the upper deck. a far different scene
was presented in the small cabin below.
There with his arms pinioned behind
him, was poor Jacl. Cole, the boatswain
Of the Jeanette, crazy from long suffer
ing. His brother, Thomas Cole, and his
son John were quick to 60 to him, and
the unfortunate man Immediately rec.
ognized them, atfectienately greeting
both. 1t was sad to see the weeping
son, sorrowing brother, and demented
father. Immediately after speaking t.
his son his mind again wandered, and
he was once more away among the ice.
fields, struggling with the fate threaten
ing him. lie will be sent TO an asylum
Lieut.. Danenhower says he has great
confidence that Jack will recover with
proper treatment in a few months 1t
was found necessary to secure him dur
ing the voyage, us the slightest thing
would make him frantic Lieut.. Danen-
hawer said, in answer TO inquiries con-
corning his voyage. that he was not as
yet prepared to talk. ''There will be a
thorough, searching examination" said
he, "and then people can see how this
matter stands. So far AS suffering il
concerned, we did suffer, and suffered
terribly. See my eyes; some say shall
lose the sight Of both. / hope not
One (the left one) is almost entirely
blind, but the other appears to be al
tpresent all right" In answer to Il ques.
ton propounded as to his views on En-.
gineer Melville, Lieut.. Danenhowel
earnestly said "Please say this for me
That never used the language in the
sense ascribed me, derogatory of Mel
vile. Say that consider him brave
man and honorable gentleman, who
suffered with us. The attack on him
was unjust and cowardly, particular in
his absence. Melville did all in his
power, and did that well. / regret ex
ceedingly anything touching his fail
name should have been said, for it was
undeserved. 1t was unjust both to him
and to myself. Wait till the examina
ton comes; wait till Melville comes
himself"
Dr. Newton Newcomb, who accom-
panied the Jeanette expedition al
naturalist, was very indignant over tn,
treatment Of Melville, and termed cow
ardly, mean, and deserving the highes
censure. "Why," said the doctor, :"
was SO incensed when / read these bas'
charges against Melville that was OF
the point of inditing letter to the pres
of America on the subject; but, on re
fiection, concluded to wait. / want Il
say that what is charged against Mel
Vile is untrue as it is cowardly. VIII,
could not his accusers wait until h
reached home and had chance to dc
fend himself? But to stab him in tn
back, to attack him when he has n
chance to defend himself, is a most cow
ardly piece of business"
"If thought" continued the doctor
"that could find one of the poor fellow
who were lost, would turn this minut
and 60 back to all that hardship an
privation cheerfully-yes, giadly-in ol
der to save them. This life has no fai
cination for me / simply 60 as matte
Of business. and if am called upon to z
again morrow, l am ready and willin