Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-08-12
THE CANNIBALISN STORY.
DenfaIs From GOvernment
Officials.

Inc osIaue0 story OF canni0alSm among the
Greedy party created quite sensation at the Navy
and War departments to-day. Prominent officials
were emphatic in their denials OF any grounds for
any such story. Admiral Nichols. acting secretary
OF the navy, as stated elsewhere, denounced the
story as untrue from beginning TO end He said
there were no records In the department nor any,
~neIe else That he knew Of that would lend Q
heard from the Secretary OF the Navy for several
DAYS and there had been no Communication on the
subject referred to sent to the departmenl AT any
time
COMMANDER scHLEYs DISPATCH EXPLAINED
Commodore Walker, chief OF the bureau OF navi-
CATION, was of the decided opinion that the story
was made out OF whole cloth. The dispatch OF Com
mander Schley, that it was imperative to place the
commander Schley was anxious TO bring the
bodies back in as good state Of preservation as
possible Ihey were kept In alcohol until they
reached St Johns Such method OF Transports
ton was only proper as long as necessary. In
THESE tanks OF alcohol the bodies would be Knocked
ABOUT uy the motion Of the vessels at aud would
ot uilnased Hence 1t was necessary TO place them
IN metallic caskets at the earliest opportunity.
Besides that he said, 1.-The bodies, which were
rapidly as soon as they reached a warmer climate,
and Ii was advisable to care for them before the
decomposition should take place."
THE STORY NOT AN IMPROBABLE ONE.
While it was generally conceded that there were
no records in Washington that would substantiate
themselves, did not view 1t as an impossibility by
any means. said naval officer to STAR reporter
IN the corridor OF the Navy department, Nv lille
there Is no reason that know OF for believing the
story the fact that there records subsJan-
tiate 1t does not disprove 1t at all Look at it as
true. is there anything improbable about 1T You
and standing here with all the comforts arOuLd
US, LOOK upon such matter with dread and horror.
But you must remember that those men were re-
duced to such q condition by gradual starvation
that their moral faculties were blunted. They
should not be considered in fact responsible agents
Seli-preservatlOn was their only thought, and they
could not be expected TO mOralze upon 1t.
misrepresentation is undoubtedly the first law OF
nature You remember the man who Jumped out
Of a second-story window when The earthquake oc-
Cured Sunday, leaving his wife and little ones be-
hlnd. III is well enough for us TO stand here and
mora.ize upon such inhuman actions. but let us
Imagine ourselves in their places anu such course
would not be so hOrrifying."
"If there were any acts OF cannibalish 1 don't
suppose" he continued, t'anythlg would have been
known about them here but for the fact that 1t is
Impossible TO send body Of men to the arctic re-
gionS without feelings OF hostility being enGen-
dered and some Internal troubles arising. II has
Deen SO with every arctic expedition that has gone
out. Commander Schley was well aware OF ii, and
In preparing his expedition would allow none but
laval officers TO co. and even those he kept Sepa-
rated as much Us pos ibie."
FORMER CASE
Army officers looked upon the matter philo-
sophicaly. Said one to a STAR reporter "such
things have occurred before and are apt to occur
again, even II they did not during the Greedy expe-
clifton. l remember the circumstances attending
General Fuckers rescue OF party OF about forty
near Lake Tahoe, about forty years ago. He was sent
froinSacramentO to rescue them. The snow about
twenty-five feet deep, and they lived on top OF the
snow. l have been to their camping ground
The trees were all cut on about twenty-five feet
above the ground. where they cut them above the
surface OF the snow. Cen Rucker when he found
them saw no cannaballstic actions but those living
acknowledged TO have eaten the bodies OF some Of
their comrades There is no doubt about it."
NO RECORDS AT THE SIGNAL OFFICE.
An officer at the signal Office, in answer to in
quires on the subject, stated that there were nc
records In the Office to establish refute the story
1t was not believed there, however. He urged as
an argument against its probability. that Il
they had eaten OF one another the deaths
would probably not have continued. When
reminded Of the fact that there had been nc
deaths for time previous to the arrival OF the
| rescuing party, he attributed that to the appear
ance or the sun about that time, which would tend
to renew their hopes and give them new lease Of
life.