Huntsville gazette., 1884-08-23
IT'S TOO TRUE.


An Examination of the Remains of Lieu
tenant Kislipgbury Establishes the Fac
of tho Terrible Straits to Which the Greel,
Party were Reduced-The Living Owe
Their Lives to the Dead.
ROCHESTER,, N. Y, August 15.
The disinterment of Lieutenant kis ing
oury's body, of Arctic fame, from its
grave in Mount Hope Cemetery was
made here yesterday with the consent
and in the presence of w. and John T.
klsiingbury, brothers of the deceased.
The disclosures resulting from a subse-
autopsy are of the most revolving char
acter. Lieutenant Kislingbury's reia-
tions had become filed with horrible
doubts on reading the sensational stories
recently published regarding cannibal-
ism among the starving members of the
Greedy expedition, and they dete mined
to learn the truth by exhuming the re-
mains and having them examined by CON-
petent physicians. Doctors Charles
Buckley and +. A. Vaudeville yesterday
afternoon made public their sworn state
ment as to the post mortem examination,
which was witnessed by eight persons.
The massive iron casket was first re-
moved as unearthed to the cemetery
chapel, where the fifty-two iron bolts
which secured the cover were un-
screwed An unusual circumstance was
the absence of foul gas in the coliin,
proving that no decomposition had set
in. The mass of snowy cotton waste
was then removed from the lower por-
ton of the dead mans body. The right
limb was missing from its socket, and
10 hn fas "a
eft one. When the enshrouded
form had been lifted from its
receptac e, two large spots of blood were
seen where the body had rested, but they
were pronounced common occurrence
at burials. The body was packed in cot
ton batting and wrapped in cotton cloth
tied with strings Within this covering
was another, consisting of a single wool
Ell blanket No wounds were visible on
the head, although the eyes were sunken
and wasted. The hair was thick and
from live to six inches long, the face be-
ing covered with u heavy reddish beard
and muStache. The skin and musc.es OF
the face and neck were intact,
but from the upper portion of the
Stcrnum and clayicle to the filth rib the
skin and muscles had bet n removed on
DOtn SlueS. Inc Skin ana HeSH were ell
TREY removed from both thighs and legs
excepting the skin upon the knee and
ankle points. Both feet were intact, and
no bones had been broken. There was
no vestige of integumcnt or flesh upon
e ther arm, the interosseus membrane of
the right forearm alone remaining. Flesh
and muscles on both hands were found
we'll preserved. The examination of the
posterior portion Of the body
showed that the skin and muscles of
.i,c ~ 9s-.s-n to III been cut completely
ton OF few pieces 'ffs Of skiii! kihiih the the excep-
bones were entirely denuded, and al the
extremities were attached to the body
by ligaments only. All the organs OF the
abdominal and thoracic cavity were pres
ent, and there were no signs OF recent
inflammation in the stomach or bowels.
Hardened Jumps of fecal matter dis
ten ed the large intestines, composed OF
hair moss and woody fibre.
1t is the opinion of Doctors Buckley
and Vaudeville that the flesh had
been cut away with sharp instru-
ment, and that remaining of the feet,
hands and face showed no signs of de
cay The remains were fully identiie
As those Of Lieutenant Kislingbury.