Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-11-06
MELVILLE MALIGNED.

III UA LULU mhAlO 1NxIDs
He Refuses to Answer the Collins Inter-
view, But Friend Tells His Story-His
Heroic Conduct in the Search for His
Lost Comrades-The Jealousy of the
Line Officers of the Navy.
Especial Telegram to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, Nov. TT is simply an
other Infamous attempt to break me
down." Engineer Melville said this with
a great deal of feeling as he read the in
terview with DR.. Collins in Minneapolis,
which was telegraphed East this forenoon.
Further than that the one real hero of the
Jeanette expedition declines to say a
word in response to the charges which
closely affect all that g sailor holds dear,
his marhness and his courage. II shall
go before the board Of inquiry Monday"
said Melville, land doubtless the
whole matter will be considered,
I do not propose, therefore, to say any
thing for the press, at least not until
after have given my testimony before
the Jeanette board of inquiry AS Mr..
Melville turned away one could readily see
from the sad expression Of his face that he
would almost as soon have persisted in the
Arctic regions as have returned hero to
be mahgned by jealousy and assassinated
by calumny. A friend, however, was found
afterward who knew Melville's story,
and I asked him what this all
meant. He said: melville
is all right in not talking. I have told him
to go home and avoid any present discus
sion of these subjects. He feels that he is
the victim of Islander and he becomes Just
iy indignant. When be landed in New
York he did not know he had been posing
before the world as hero. He simply
supposed that, being strong and we'll. he
had gone in search of his lost comrades, as
he would have expected any of them under
like circumstances to have gone for him.
His experience at home has been
a painful one. The sad interview
with his crazy wife and the assaults which
have been made upon him by jealousy on
the part of the line of the navy, have wound
ed him, and this last statement from the
brother of Collins greatly affects him.
The truth about Collins is this: He was a
very uncomfortable man to be with on
board ship. He declined to subject him
self to the discipline which was necessary
to the maintenance of order on the ship,
and which at times was absolutely indis-
pensible for the safety of all.
He was opinionated, arrogant,
domineering. He imagined that he was
the agent of James Gordon Bennett, and
as such, representative of that gentleman,
and that he was not responsible to the
naval officers who had charge of the ex-
petition, and not bound to adopt their
suggestions, or if need be to obey their
orders, and he did not. At time of great
danger, when they were in the foe, he in
sisted upon going hunting, although for
hidden, and he was at once arrested,
but the statement of Collins
that Melville heartlessly played
at whist, or any game, while he might
have been to rescue his comrades, is alb
surd. The truth is Melville dees not know
a single game. It is one of his pecuIiarities.
and all his shipmates will tell you so, that
in all his cruises he has never been able to
learn any game. He does not know whist.
and could not play it. The testimony
from now on before the
board of inquiry will doubtless
drift into the quarrel which seems
imminent between the line and staff of
this expedition. The line can never for
give Melville for having won the glory of
that marvellous voyage, and the associates
in the line of Lieut.. Danenhower can
scarcely forgive him for having permitted
himself to be saved By an engineer. Dan
enhower, after he was rescued and left at
Irkustk by Melville, came back again un-
der the cid traditions of the line in which
he was educated, and his course towards
Melville since has certainly not been
grateful. Melville is rough. but he is a
hero to the corse, and ought not to be rob-
bed of the just fame he has earned