The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1882-11-09
ATALE OF THE JEANETTE.

Minneapolis, Mtnn., Nov. Z.-The
Tribune tomorrow prints an Inter
view with ID. F. Collins. scientist OF
the Jeanette expedition. DIR. Collins
says: 1--WE have evidence that Capt
de Long used his official position "a
commander Of the expedition to per.
secute in every conceivable way some
Of the members of the commission.
Ny brother was placed under arrest
for no reason whatever. This, Lieut..
Danenh0wer admitted to me in New
York. Captain De Long refused to
allow my brother ut certain times to
do any kind of work and purposely
allowed all notes and records Of the
expedition prepared by my brother to
sink. We have evidence that the Cap
tain forced him to remain behind
when he volunteered to 20 ahead
with Ninderman and Norris In search
of relief, my brother being In the best
condition Of any member of the party
to do DO. There Is evidence that Bart
lett who 10 now In Siberia and was
one Of the seamen, 10 in possession of
valuable facts, but We believe that he
has been kept In Siberia purposesly
by the officers Of the expedition %
that his testimony may not get before
the board. We are also In possession
Of full information that on Melville's
finding the bodies Of De Longs party
he used most blasphsmous and scam
dalous language concerning my
brothers body. We also have reason
for believing that the reports made
by Melville q to the condition Of the
weather, which he alleged prevented
him going to the relief of De Long
and party, were false, for the dates
ON which he declared the weather
was bad are shown to have been good
by the records. Collins further as
serts that jealously existed among the
officers Of the expedition. I'm the
retreat" DR.. Collins adds. I'VE hap
pen to know that Kushman requested
Melville to 70 to Do Longs relief or
send some one. and that Melville
would do neither. He fret gave an
order to Danehower to 60 and then
Il. Kushman aud
were Is days In making the |
round trip to Blum from the spot ct |
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 II.
While they were gone in search Of
DeLoug, Melville and those with /
him made chessman and . checker
board and amused themselves, leaving
The work Of searching for their COM
paniops to two ignorant drunken na-
lives. We have reasonable ground
tor being certain that there was .
amount Of lntoxicants
frank during the fifteen days they
waited the return Of the two natives.
We know from conversations with
members Of the expedition
hat there were letters and papen
which We bellevewere on my brothers
,srson, which have never bsen pro-
luced. We want t. know whst has
zen done with these papers. II Mel.
lille had gone with the natives % be
'ught to have done. there 10 no doubt
hat belong and his party would
lave been saved. He would have
cen the bescon nres that had been
lighted on the blum, - stated In De-
Iong's Journal which was found,
ven II be had started out when Kush.
nan and Shagra were overdue. We
herefors make The charge that had
lelville done biz duty instead OF
pending his timei II playing checker,
beLoug and his party would not
ave died. Melville left them 10 die |
nd be u rseponslble for their death"
.ollins viii print bis statement In
pamphlet form with documentary
and lay IL bsfh1s Congress. I