Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1884-08-16
ARCTIC GRAVES.
A STORY OF OANNIBALIsM |!
THE AWFUL TALE TOLD BY A NEW
YORK NEWSPAPER.

THE AWFUL TALE TOLD BY NEW
YORK NEWSPAPER.
NEW YORK, August 18th. The
Tines says that written documents
are in possession of the Navy De-
partment adding shocking evidence
Of inhumanity and cannibalism to
the record of suffering in the Greedy
expedition. Out OF regard for the
feelings of the people, the facts are
being concealed, but must eventual
iy come out. The Times goes on to
state that Commander Schley's tele-
graphic request to Secretary Chand-
Ter for permission to enclose the bod
les of the dead in the metallic cases
at st. Johns, for transportation to
New York, was made in order to
conceal the appearances of the bodies
from the friends Of the victims. In
fact the coffins contained only bones
the flesh having been eaten by the
survivors before the bodies were bur-
led. 1t is furthur stated that the
facts came to Schley's knowledge by
the delirious appeal of the first man
not to be shot and eaten as Henry
was. These rawlings led to investi-
cation, and Henry's body was found
to contain a bullet, which had shat
tered one of his ribs. The Times AYERS
that the flesh of all the victims was
eaten, except those who died with
the scrofula or scurvy, to keep the
survivors alive, and that when limbs
were amputated they were eaten be-
fore their owners were dead. Greedy
was adverse to having the bodies ex-
h1med, thinking it wise, as they had
been buried so long, to let them re
main in their Arctic graves. But
Schley did not agree with him and
the bodies were disinterred. They
could be identified only by the marks
on the blankets, their flesh having
been stripped to keep life in the sur
vivors until help came. Otherwise
all must have persisted. The Times
claims that the supposed report says
that Charles b. Henry was shot be-
cause in the desperation OF hunger
he attempted to steal food in excess
of the rations allowed him.
SECRECY ENJOINED.
Silence had been imposed upon the
men, and all were reluctant to speak
of this horrible phase of their exper-
fence. The relief ships steamed up
to the navy yard last night. Though
unexpected they were received by a
good sized crowd with brass band
and some of the officers denied that
the bodies were mutilated: others
said the mutilatiOn was caused by
storms and ice; some had not seen
the remains at all. Commander
Schley was asked what Henry died
of and replied: "Starvation or sour
w, | believe, the same as others. !"
do you know whether he was shot p
81 am not prepared to answer that
question:" said the commander, hur-
riedly," and furthermore / decline to
be interviewed. When an official in
Quiry is made into the details of the
trip / shall say what have to say, if
ANYTHING, and not BEFORE" The
crew were somewhat more commun-
icative, but their statements are con-
flicting. Enough was said however,
the Times says, to confirm some of
the ugly stories afoat. Chief Mel
vile is aboard the Thetis, with Com
mander Schley. The Times makes
the statement referred to above, the
subject of an editorial, denouncing
Gen. Hazen for neglecting to cause
sufficient supplies to be landed at
Cape Sabine for Lieutenant Greedy.
LHE STORY DENIED.
WASHINGTON, August ia re-
porter called the attention of Admit
raj Nicholson, acting Secretary of
the Navy, to the article printed to
day in the New York Times that
documents are in the Navy Depart
ment relating shocking stories of in
humanity and cannibalism by the
Greedy survivors. He said, "the
Times article, SO far as l am able to
Judge, is lie. There are no d0cu-
ments, records or papers of any kind
to be true There is no truth in the
SENSATIONAL StuIy 81 ldI do 10 IeidIeo
to records Of this department. If
anything of the kind happened it has
not been communicated to the Navy
Departments"
SOME MYSTERY.
The correspondent also interview
ed General Hazen in regard to the
Greedy story. II know nothing
about it," was his reply. "But you
saw Greedy and Schley at Ports
mouth and had a long conversation
with them. Didn't they mention
the matter ?" "There are some sub
iects upon which / am not at liberty