Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1884-08-21
A SENSATIONAL STORY.


the New York Times this morning that
the survivors of the Grccly party,
crazcd by starvation and cold, fed on
the dead bodies of their comrades and
that written documents in the posses.
sion Of the navy department Substan-
tiatcd the terrible narrative, created II
great sensation here and Admiral
Nichols, acting secretary of the navy,
was shortly bcSicgcd by newspaper
men anxious TO ascertain something
official concerning the publication. The
admiral said positively that there was
nothing in the navy department con
| iirnng the story and he doubted its
truth II is possible, however, that Il
report of this nature may have gone
direct TO Secretary Chandler in New
Hampshire, rs numerous documents
were forwarded to him without exam
nation. Some persons express the
opinion quietly that there is something
in the story, and say it is beginning to
be known that the Greedy party was
not as harmonious us has been gcncr-
ally supposed, and that there is Il story
connected with the expedition which
it was intended to conceal, but must
now come out in the same way rs the
history Of the Jcanncttc'S unfortunate
cruise came to the knowledge Of the
public. The acting secretary of the
navJ has instructed the commander Of
the navy yard at New York to receive
from Commander Schlcy the relies of
the Greedy expedition, recovered when
the party was rescued, and turn them
over to Lieutenant Buckingham, by
whom they will be transferred to the
Louisville exposition.
The Times story was shown to Gen.
| lla2cn. who was ut first very non-com-
militant, but finally, with decided en-
phasis, he said; There are certain
facts connected with the matter | am
not 1T liberty to mention. II is very
probable, though do not say so ullci-
ally, that they will he made the sub.
icct of congressional investigation next
winter. The story contains some in
accuracics, notably that in which ref
cmnce is made to dcy0uring thcampu-
tatcd limbs of those who suffered loss
of legs. and arms in order TO preserve
their lives
Gen. llaHcn was asked what truth
there was in the statement that young
Henry had been shot and his body
eaten. THAT is Il subject" he replied,
"upon which must decline to be in
tcryicwcd.' y
"ls the report that Capt. Schlcy
called you and Secretary Chandler
into the vessels cabin and informed
you how the survivors had eaten their
associates falsc?' was asked.
THAT story is untrue -
There is no truth, then, in the re-
maindcr of the published stories that
the bodies were catcn?'
II will not say that they are not
true. have but casually glanced at
the published story other than at those
portions which dcny.'
Ibid you hear any rumors while at
Portsmouth that the dead men had
been ratcn?'
"rhcrc were rumors OF that kind
aloat. My official position would not
permit me to give the facts in the
case.
There are facts, thcn?'
Il cant answer that. had long
interview with Lieutenant Greedy, but
the subject Of eating the bodies was
not referred 10. can imagine n case
when caunibaliSm would be-
,usrIFIABLE,
and il would be ease where men are
starving
"Do you excuse caunibaism in the
Grccly casc?'
Under the circumstances it would
be cXcusablc."
"llas Secretary Chandler received
any report relative TO this subicct?n
Not that | know of. have received
nonc.n
"ls the report that Private Henry
was shot and afterwards eaten falsc?"
There were rumorS in Portsmouth,
that he had been killed and the sur.
viyors had eaten his body. but | dc.
cline to give any facts in his ease that
| might know
"Will the shooting be subject of in.
ycstigation by the war Department.
mot necessarily. Men are shot every
day in mutincs and no investigation j,
made. Under some circumstances il
might be proper
"Wlll there be any investigation ot
the reported eating Of the bodics?'
| ..An invest i,ruti,n ,,,t,l1 L..
made either by the war or navy dc
partmcnt That is matter congrc
will have to look into. Then all fact,
will be presented, and until then moth
ing will be given OUT
Gen. Hazen says Lieutenant Grccly's
report ON the entire expedition vii
probably be forwarded to him within
Il MONTH
OTHER OPINIONS.
While it was generally conceded tha
there were no records in Washington
) that would substantiatc the story, bOtl
army and navy officers among them
selves did not view it as an impOs
sibility by any means. Said nava
officer in the corridor of the navy de
| partment: "Whilc there is no reason
that | know of for believing the story
, the fact that there are no records Il
| substantiate it does not disprovc it n
all. Look at it as true; is there any
thing improbable about it? You and |
standing here with all comforts abou
us, look upon such matter with d:ea,
and horror. But you must remcmbc
that these men were reduced to such
| condition that their moral facultie
D we blunted. They should not be con
sid red in fact responsible agents. Self
Q preservation was their only thought
and they could not be expected I,
4 moraliae upon it"
Y
t Haunts of the Beaver.
The skin of beaver, caught las
0 winter ON Terrible Creek, about fou
miles from Halifax Court House, wa
a recently sold in Baltimore for IS
4 They are said to be numerous on tina
: creek, the ground along it having beer
. long left uncultivated. Four wcr
0 caught there, which weighed eacl
f from 80 to 100 pounds. Sometime
4 the beavers foot is found in the tral
s and no beaver. They are also numer
4 Gus on Difficult Creek and on Stauntol
o River near its union with the Dan
n Mr. p. l.. johnson, on Difficult Greek
J, has broken down several of their dams