The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-08-23
THE ARCTIC HORROR.

Sehhb
WASHINGTON, d. c., August 1e.
The Star gives the following Interview:
Lieutenant Powell, an officer of the Sig
ma Service, who was pre- ent at the
Greedy reception at Portsmouth and also
at the funeral of the dead at New York,
and who ia ked with all the survlv ors,
said in c 1nversation with a Star reporter
to-day: "The journals which were kept
by the individual members of the party
Were DISCONTINUED upon leaving Fort
Cooger at Lady Franklin Bay. After
reaching Camp Clay one or two diaries
were kept-one by Sergeant Brainerd."
''Do they make any al usion to canni-
balism among the party?" asked the re-
porter.
mo, think not. You see the men were
to far gone to keep a note of events
when they were reduced to such straits
as 10 eat human le,h. But then there is
no doubt of the cannibaism. There was
no chance either of keeping the fact
secret, too many men knew it,
"Who let the cat out of the bag2"
swell, / suppose 1t was N rmau. He
is apt to get on spree and talk too much;
but the matter would have become known
anyhow, because, as 1 said, too many
people knew IT., The survivors talked
about 1t when they were rescued In a
half-craZed condition. Now, l have
talked with Greedy aud the rest of the
survivors, and with the officers of the
rescuing party, and I'll tell you my opin-
ion regarding that story. There Is no
doubt about it, truth, and there Is no
doubt about Greey's honesty when he
says II there was cannibalism he did not
know it. When these pen were rescued
they were not responsible beings. They
had undoubtedly subsisted on human
flesh for some time. 1 have no doubt
that, driven to despair by hunger, they
would go out and cut some flesh off the
bodies of their dead comrades and par
take of it.
"Greely was in mighty bad condition.
He was confined to the tent by extreme
weakness. He was mighty popular with
the majority OF the party and when the
men obtained something to eat it was
their natural impulse to share it W tn their
commander. He partook of human flesh
without knowing what he was eating
His mental and bodily strength was too
far gone to know or care. There Is no
doubt in my mind but some of those who
died also partook OF human flesh
"The story of the Joy of the survivors
when they were found is ridiculous.
Lieutenant Colwell, who was the first
man to reach the tent, told me that
when they met Long who, you know
came part way to meet them, he was com.
pleteiy played out. When asked how many
were living he gaspingy replied: "Seven."
"Where are they2 asked Cowell. over
there he said family, pointing to the
hill. OF course they hurried over the
hill and found the tent. 1t was
closed, and either Chief Engineer
Nnrman n Iotu
his head in and Greedy, who was but the
semblance OF man, raised him self on his
hands and knees aud gazed in
perfectly dazed manner Colwell didn't
know him, and asked him three times
who he was. but he couldn't reply.
Brainerd then said: Its Captain Greedy
Colwell the gave them all n small
amount of ptarmgan. He was afraid of
giving them too much, and sent for the
Surgeon to come ashore. The men then
began to curse him for not giving them
food. Gree said pteousy: Il think at.
ter all that I've been through you might
give me something to eat
"You see those men were in terrible
condition. As | said, they ate human
flesh and Greedy ate it too, but l don't
believe that he knew it. Little Cornell
told me the close call he had" said Lieu
tenant Powell, musingly. "You know
he was just about at the point of death
when they found him. Said he: 'MY
mind was perfectly clear when the res
cuers arrived, but | was so near 'ad
that hey thought was dead. They felt
me and move me and finally decided it
was no use. All this time | hadn't been
able to tell them that | was alive. L ey
were Just about to carry out my remains
when, realizing the situation, | ma
superhuman effort, bound to sp1ak II 1t
Killed me, and succeeded in mu ,terng,
NO, damn you, I'm not dead yet OF
course they then gave me attention, and
| was fortunately brought around all
right"
at was Brainerd you say who kept the
most compete diary?" asked the re-
pOrer.
eyes, l think so," was the reply. she
Is a noble man, that Brainerd. Greedy
gave me an instance OF his uuselfish dis
position, which was in fact heroism.
'When we weighed our provisions at
Camp Clay in the fall Greedy said, we
allotted 50 much per man to asst through
tn winter, and put Brainerd in charge
of the supplies to distribute them pro
rata. Well, in the spring wheel We
weighed the stores again, | found that
there was a small percentage over what
should have been left. That man Brain
.erd had actually stlnted hlmSe and had
not eaten full allowance in order that
we might be little better off than we
exp, cted, and that h. would not be ope n
to the imputatioa OF taking more than
his share"
"Was that affecting story about the
meeting of Gree,y and his wife correct2"
asked the reporter.
"No, il was made out of whole cloth.
The meeting, no doubt, was an affecting