The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1884-08-15
A Horrible Story.

A fresh horror has been added to the story
of the sufferings of Lieut.. Greedy and his men
in the Arctic regions. The bodies of the dead
were dug up from their graves by the relief
party and placed in iron collins, which were
securely bolted and riveted. 1t now appears
that this was done to prevent any possibility
of examination of the remains by their
friends, which would have exposed the fact
that nothing of them was left but their
clearly picked bones, the flesh having been
consumed by their surviving comrades.
The facts have been in possession of Secre-
tary Chandler for nearly three weeks but
they have been so carefully guarded that un-
til now not an inkling has reached the public
ear. The delrious rawlings of one of the men
led Commander Schey to an investigation,
when the terrible fact was revealed The
New York Times, the journal which first
published the story, says:
"The bodies were dug up from their graves in
the little hill just back of the permanent camp.
established in October, 1888. Most of the blank
cts contained nothing but heaps of white bones,
many Of them picked clean. The remains could
BY inquiries Commander Schley discovered that
many of the seventeen men who are said to have
persisted from starvation had been eaten by their
tamishing comrades. 1t was the one last resort
Provided supplies had not arrived death stared
the hungry and crazed men in the face, but there
was hope if life would hold out for even few
weeks. 1t is reported that the only men who es-
capped the knife were three or four who died of
scurvy. The amputated limbs of men who af-
terward persisted were eagerly devoured as
food.
"Charles b. Henry's death was particularly
tragic He was young German, without any
relatives in this country, and Joined company E.
Fifth Cavalry, in Cincinnati. His friends tiled
to dlssuade him from going with the expedition,
but his spirit of adventure was aroused by tales
of Arctic exploits, and he determined to 60
Driven to despair by his frightful hunger, Henry
saw an opportunity to steal little more than
his share of rations, and he made the attempt
He was found out and shot for his crime. In the
published official report the death of this man is
set down as having occurred ON June G. When
the body was found his hands and face, though
shrunken, were intact and recognizable; but
nearly everywhere else the skin had been
stripped from him, and the flesh picked from
the bones. Even his heart and lungs were eaten
by his comrades. One rib was found shattered
by bullet ball, and toaDother small fragments
OF lead were attached. A bullet hole was found
in the skin. The body was in this condition
when 1t was inferred in Cypress Hills Cemetery
last Saturday"
Commander Schley denies the report that
the bodies were concealed, on account of
having been mutilated, and the War Depart
ment officials declare that there is no record
of the horrible affair at Washington. The
air of mystery surrounding the matter and
the silence of those who could tell, if they
would, lead to the painful belief that the
story of cannibalism is too true Lieut..
Greedy, it is understood denies any knowl.
edge of his men hsving eaten their dead
comrades