National Republican., 1884-04-10
THE JEANvErrE INQUIRY.
Testimony of DIR. Collins and Mr.. New
comb In Regard to the Alleged Abuses.

Testimony Of DIR. Collins and Mr.. New
comb In Regard to the Alleged Abuses
The examination of DR.. Collins was re-
sumed yesterday. He said tho present
inquiry was the result of his personal efforts.
He knew nothing OF the circumstances
attending the loss of the Jeanette when he
asked Representative Washburn to start an
investigation. Hc said he had had conversa
tions with Mr.. Newcomb, in which the latter
told him his brother had been
arrested. deprived OF his instruments, and not
allowed to do any work for eighteen months.
Newcomb also complained Of his own treat
ment by De Long and Melville, saying that
Melville had once placed u gun TO his head
and remarked that he had killed better men
than him.
Letters and kilograms were read, among
them telegram from James Gordon Bennett
to Dc Long, advising as to the route to be
followed aud promising to care for the fam
lilies Of those who perishcd.
A letter from Mr.. Bennett to Mr.. Collins
making Inquiries in regard to the scientific
work to be performed OH the expedition and
q card showing Mr.. Collins to be q member
of the French Society for tho Advancement
of Science were put in evidence.
lie said in reply to Mr.. McAdoo that the
distinct impression made on his mind by his
conversation with Lieut.. Dancnhowor was
that his brothers life individually had been
"a he'll of n life."
Raymond l.. Newcomb naturalist of tho
Jeanette expedition, then took the stand
and gave an account OF the troubles between
himself and Mr.. Melville. He thought Mr.
Melville had spite against him. lie
said DIR. Collins was mistaken about his
having said Melville had put q gun to his
head. lie stated that in one of their quarrels
Melville had said, '1 have seen better men
than you shot for less than that"
The witness thought all hands on the expe-
dition were at strife most of the time, and
after the Jeanette got in the ice and IL was
believed that the expedition would bo fail.
ure, Capt. De Dong, in his opinion, tried to
foment strife, in order to lay the blame on the
men.
On cross-examination he failed to specify
any particular act on De Longs part done TO
foment strife. He said tho social relations
between the naval and civil officers were
fairly good until after no communication with
home was possible Then the atmosphere
seemed to change. Mr.. Collins had told wit
ness that he had been deprived of his instru-
ments; witness did not think the observations
were taken SO frequently after that.
Upon cross-examination Mr.. Newcomb said
ho thought that Collins was not treated ex-
actly right by the officers Of the expedition
other than Messrs. Chipp and Danenhower,
aId that ho himself had been treated with
indignity by Mr.. Melville and Mr. Dc Long.
If he had been free and untrammeled when
he went before the court of inquiry he might
have answered its questions more fully.
The witness was cross-examined closely as
to the quarrols between the officers of the
expedition, but did not remember much of
the details. A number of questions were
also asked him for the purpose apparently of
showing that the civil members of the expe-
dition were we'll treated by the officers of the
ship, but he expressed again his opinion that
they were not we'll treated, although he did
not say definitely what constituted the ill
treatment. Adjourned till Monday.