The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-16
Discipline Was Maintained, but There is no
Reason to Believe There Was DissensiOn
Among the Members of the Party.
The Action Of Greely in Executing
Henry Approved by His Superiors. ).
Seaman Manning Tells How the Bodies of
the Dead Were Cared FOr-Leigh
Smiths Views on Cannibalism.
K1sLINGBURY,s DEATH.
The Straight Story of the ear-KiIliDg-The
Lieutenant's Last Moments.

The Straight Story of the Bear KiIliDg-The
Lieutenant's Last Moments.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
DETROIT, Aug 15.-The Detroit journal of
this evening has an interview with G. L. Clark,
of this city, the guardian of the children of the
late Lieutenant Kislingbury, of the Greely ex-
pedition, whose body, it is claimed, was proba-
ably eaten by his associates. The statement has
been made that the Lieutenant was sacrificed to
keep life in some members of the party who
were favorites of Lieutenant Greely. Mr. Clark
says:
Il may have had my suspicious that the fright
full condition of the Greedy party had caused the
survivors to subsist on the flesh of their dead
companions, but thought it best to keep them to
myself If brought to such point of starva-
ton, / think the unfortunate men
would have been thoroughly justified
in doing So It may be that
before he died Kislingbury was forced to do
likewise. It is, to say the least, cruel to criti
else in the manner that has been done the un-
fortunate party on its return from the horrors of
their exile. The friends Of Lieutenant Kisling-
bury made sad mistake, in my judgment, when
they permitted the body to be exhumed"
What were the true relations betw cen Lieu
tenants Greedy and Kislngburyg"
From all can learn they were the most cor
dial. They slept together, and were, in fact, as
brothers The stories suggestive of the contrary
are, am sure, unjust, untrue and entirely un-
called for
"On what do you base your opinionsp
Il have conversed with Lieutenant Greedy,
Sergeant Brainard, and others Of the survivors,
and their stories thoroughly agree on the point,
and are told with such degree of frankness
and truth that there is questioning them.
The rumor that Grcely acted the martinez which
gave rise to personal feeling in the party, the
evidence Of the survivors discountenances. It
is true discipline was maintained, and the orders
were issued by the commander The execution,
however was entered into by officers and men
alike"
What do you think of the suggestion of w.
H. Kislingbury, based on the story of the Lieu
tenant having shot bear three days before he
died?n
"There is something very strange about that
1t was who repeated the bear story to the
Lieutenant's brother justas heard it from Greedy
The bear was not shot three days before, but
nearly three weeks. The animal was reported
to the camp by one of the party, and Kisling-
bury, who was considered the best shot, dis
patched after it He succeeded in killing it, but,
alas for the poor fellows, it fell in an ice foe and
was swept by the waters out of their reach
Their boat had been lost, and this last hope Of
life was dissipated In view Of these facts, 1
can't account for the horrible surmise that the
story had been manufactured as a blind to a
still sadder and more horrible story
What were the last moments of Lieutenant
Kislingbury9"
Lieutenant Greely told me of them. They
were indeed very sad. In his rawlings he talked
wildly about the bear, and said it was sent direct
by the Lord He was surrounded by his hag
gard and dying companions. They did what
little they could for him. smile lit his shrunk-
en- features. He attempted to sing, and the
words Of the old Doxology came from his tremb-
ling lips He finished it and breathed his last
repeating the name of his dead wife, Aggie,.
Aggie.'