Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-13
WAS THERE CANNIBALYM2
A SHOCKING STORY. IF TRUE.
A sssssment That Greely and nj. Men Fed
On 'he Dead Bodies OF Their Comrades--
The Report Discredised.

par,men' NJ washington add IN the record
OF the miserable human suffering already
published In connection with the finding OF
the Greedy expedition the most shocking
stories OF inhnmani,y and cannibalism.
Then follows long account of how the
Greedy party, crnzed by hunger and cold.
ate the flesh OF their dead comrades, and
that one Of their number. Private Henry,
was shot for eating more than his share and
his body eater. The story was shown TO
Admiral Nichols, Acting Secretary Of the
Navy. He SAID that there were no records
at the Navy Department that would give a
shadow Of coloring for such a story, aud he
did not believe it was true.
no CONFIRMATION OF THE STORY.
WASHINGTON, August ia rumor was
ailOat here last week that the records OF the
Navy Department showed that the rescued
members OF Lieutenant Greey's party had
partially sustained life upon the flesb Of
their dead comrades, and was at that time
emphaticaIly denied BY Rear-Admiral
Nichols, Acting Secretary Of the Navy. A
eircumstantial account Of this alleged cam
ntlalism. published in the New York Times
this morning, was shown to Admiral
Nichols to-day, and his comment was that
There are no records al the Navy Depart
mont which would give shadow OF foun-
datlOn for such story. He added that he
did not believe there was any truth in 1t.
Secretary Chandler has been absent from
the city for several weeks. Int has. OF
course, been coRst. nily in communication
with the Department and n great many i'm
pOrtant official COcumcnts have Jcen sent
to him, so that Admiral Nichols's statement
that there are no documents bearing upon
h.. =
sarily conclusive as to their nOn-existence.
The story j., however, wholly discredlted
az the Navy Department. while at the same
time army and navy officers concede tire
possibility that the facts may be rs stated.
4 FABRICATION IN TOTO.
Commodore Walker Chief Of the Bureau
81 Navigation. was Of the decided opinion
that the story was made up out OF the whole
cloth. The dispatch Of Commander schIey
that il was imperative TO place the bodies
in metallic baskets PIE explained As follows:
Commander Schley was anxious 10 bring
the bodies back in as good state OF pre-
scryatIon rs possible. They were sept in
alcohol until they reached II. Johns. Such
q method OF transportation was only proper
as long rs necessary. In these tanks of nj
cohOi the bodies would be Knocked about
Nv INT ulDllbn u Inv Nt-Nti1 ia std anu
would bc damaged: hence IT was necessary
10 place them in metallic caskctS ut the
cariie,t opportunity. besides that" he
said, " bodies. which were frozen when
found. would. YOU know, decOmpo>c rapid
" IS soon a. they reached a warmer climate,
and il was advisable 20 care for them before
dccomT ostion should take place"
COMMANDER sCIILEY's INDIGNANT DENIAL.
NEW YoRC. August IA reporter to-
day showed Commander Schcy. chief
officer OF the Greedy relief expedition.
the published story Cf the cannibali>m
II Greely and biz comrades. Com.
mander Sch'ey said Immediately and with
grcat Indignation: There l. not Il word
Of truth IN that story. You need not show
Il to me, for have read it. Il has been
manufactured ont OF the whole cloth, and
il were Lieutenant Greely should take
legal stel against the paper that published
the outrageous statement. Now, regarding
some Of the specific charges, il IS true that
] did suggest 10 Secretary Chandler that
The bodies should be placed in metallic
eases. This did because ! thought they
would be letter projected IN this way.
These caskcis were not all bOltcd and nv
cted. but they were simply closed in the
usual way. II has been stated that the
bodies were placed in metallic cases so
that the friends of the dead could not get
al them. and that with the exception OF a
few nen who assisted in removing the
bodies no one on the Telief--hips saw
them. This is false. The bodies lay on
the deck OF the Thetis several days. and
there was hardly a sailor on the ship who
did not SEQ and touch them, for we were
obliged 10 keep ice on them AL the time.
II is said that communicated to Secretary
Chandler and General lIaZen, at Ports
mouth, on August I'd, facts leading to the
conclusion that these men had eaten up their
companions. This | deny. | made no
such communication 10 either Of these gen.
tlemen. do not think there was any cil-
nlbalism practiced by Greedy or his men.
know nothing about this business, nor
did order IN investigation"
scIEY's STATEMENT conRoBoRATED.
Mr.. Ames, surgeon OF the Bear, cor
roborated all that Commander Schley said,
and added, regarding the story about the
German who is reported, when the sailors
lifted him up, to have said. g. Must ! be
killed and eaten, rs Henry was 7": 81 say
| questioned these men, and they positive
Nv denied that he made any such remark.
attended tha. mar afterwards. lie was
deIirious and did not know what he said,
but be never while was near HIM said
enything about Henry or any one else being
eaten. ! do not think there is a word OF
truth i'm the story. DR.. Green and myself
laid all the bedics OFT. They We're, OF
course. nothing but skin and bone; but
with the exception 81 one OF the men,
whose back was broken, they were al
right-ihat Is. they did not look as il they
had been mutilatcd, or rs II flesh had been
eaten off Of them"
NO SIGNS Of INVITATION OS THE BODIES.
Lieutenant CalWell, first officer OF the
Bear. said II wrapped the bodies OF the
dead up and ihcn the sailors removed then
| TO the launch. | did no. notice any sigr
| Il initiation about them
Lieutenant ,alwel did. however, sal
| that he had heard rumorS about the Greel,
| survivors having. eaten the bodies OF theu
| comrades. lie would not state where h
| had heard them or what he thought OF them
Among the sailors Of the Bear and Theti
| there is an air OF mystery. and all sorts
! stories orc ailoat. But their statements ar
| conflicting and It is hard to know wha
| they know or what they think.
1
George Gaveli, captain Of the stop" o
| the Thetis. is most intelligent Young sea
man. and lie tells very Straightforward
stoIy. He saws: Al dug ten OF the dea'
bodies up. They were only covered wit
a thin LAYER Of sand. | saw nothing abou
them that suggested canniballsm. Ther
wa. some little flesh on them. They wer
not frozen hard when we found them, ant
their flesh and skin was quite SOFT. IN
bodies lay on deck ten days, and we al
SAW them. The German who Is reporte'
10 have said, Must be killed and cate
rs Henry wasp did not make any sue
remark. When he saw lis coming to hi
ne said L knew the Yankees woul
come and find u.s. One or two OF III
sailors said that il they were discharge
tbPv would have story to tell. but the
did not care 10 say anyt hing now"
Sergeant Braiuard, one OF the survivors
is reported to have kept diary, and IN
10 have stated that one OF the party had
be sacrificed to keep the rest alive.
Seaman Gaylor, who became quite INT
mate with Brauard on the voyage HON
said that Brainard referred to dog and M
to a man Hhen he wrote the above entry
GENERAL HAZES INTERVIEWED.
General Tiazen. Chief Signal officer, w
interviewed by an Associated Press /
Porter to-day on the subject OF the aile-'
Cannibalism Of the Greedy party. lie :"
al lirst inclined 10 deny entirely that the
was any foundation in fact for the sioFlt
but submitted. goOd.naturedly. TO q scare
| f., hp