Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-11-05
DR.. CoIIins,s CHARGES,

MINNEAPOLIS, November 4.-The follow
ing are the full charges made by DR.. Collins,
brief mention of which was made yesterday.
DIR. Collins says:
We have evidence that Capt. DeLoug used
his official position as commander of the ex-
pedition to persecute in every conceivable
way some of the members of the expedition.
My brother was placed under arrest for no
reason whatever. This Lieut.. Danenhower
admitted to me in New York. Capt. De-
Long refused to allow my brother at certain
times to do any kind of work and purpossly
allowed all nstes, photographs and records
of the expedition, prepared by my brother,
to sink. We have evidence that the captain
forced him to remain behind when he volun-
teered to go ahead with Ninderman and
Noros in search of relief, my brother
being in the best condition OF any
member of the party to do so.
There is evidence that Bartlett, who
is now in Siberia, one of the sea-
men, is in possession of valuable facts, but
we believe he has been kept in Siberia
purposely by the officers OF tue expedition,
so tnat.his testimony may not get before the
board. We are also in possession of full
information that Melville on finding the
bodies of the DeLong party used most blas-
phemous and scandalous language concern
ing my brothers body. We also have reason
Tor believing the reports made by Melville
as TO the condition of the weather, which he
alleged prevented him from going to the re-
lief of the DeLong party, were false. The
dates ON which he declared the weather was
bad are shown to have been good by the
records. Collins further asserts that ieal-
ousy existed between certain officers of the
expedition, the trouble first beginning, as he
learns, over an order to the effect that
the men should undergo physi-
cal examination monthly. Collins
and Danenhower were neither permitted TO
assist in the retreat. DIR. Collins adds, we
happen to know, that Kusmah requested Mel
vile to go to Belongs relief himself, or send
one; that Melville would do neither. He first
gave orders 10 Danenhower to go, and then
couutermanded them. Kusmah and Shagra
were fifteen days in making the round trip 10
Belun from the spot at which 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. While
they were gone in search of DeLong, Mel
vile and those with him made checkers and
chessmen and amused themselves, leaving
the work of searching for their comrades to
drunken natives. We have reasonable
ground for being certain that there was a
considerable amount of intoxicants drank
during the fifteen days that they awaited
the return of the two natives. We
know from conversations with the surviv-
ing members of the expedition that there
were certain letters and papers which we be-
lieye were on my brothers person, which
which have never been produced, and we
want to know what has been done with them.
If Melville had gone with the natives, as he
ought to have done, there is no doubt but
that Belongs party would have been saved,
and he would have seen the beacon fires had
they been Lighted on the bluff, as stated in
Belongs journal, which was found, even if
he had started out when Kusmah and Shagra
were overdue. We, therefore, make charge
that had Melville done his duty instead of
playing checkers, DeLong and his party
would not haye died. Melville left them to
die, and he is responsible for their deaths.