Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-08-13
THE ARCTIC SENSATION.
The Reported Shooting OF Private
Henry.

The Reported Shooting OF Private
Henry.
VIEWS OF WELL KNOWN ARMY OFFICER.
"What do you think Of that story about canni-
balfsm and shooting in the Greedy partye" asked
STAR reporter OF well known army officer this
morning. swell, in my opinion, the story of canni-
baism is possible, but think that of shooting de-
cdedly probable In fact shall not be at all sur
prlsed when Greely asks for an investigation he
certainly will, to learn that he did the shooting
himself. And under the circumstances he would
it OF ordered It done. Greeys only hope OF bring
Ing his men through with their lives was In main
tanning discipline, and he could only do that by ex
IRENE measures II he had once lost control OF his
men all would have been lost Imagine that
Greelys powers OF endurance were greatly strength
ened by realization Of his positIon-that ali de-
pended upon him. When their stores were reduced
TO such minimum that but the smallest quantity
was allowed to each man daily the party was in
pretty Oao way. The minds OF the men were
warped, and each one was naturally for himself
alone. II the first discovered thief was not pun
they would have been scrambng for their food
Ike pigs at the trough, the weakest ones getting
left. OF course Why, If | had been in Gleely's
place." he continued "and such were the circum-
stances, would no more have hesltated to shoot
the man than would 10 drink this glass OF water.
would consider 1t my duty. should look upon it
! In the light OF mut1ny on board a vessel and
would maintain control OF the vessel all hazards.
Now, know Greedy. He is fine officer brave and
just, ana DON'T think he would hesitate moment
In shootlng man for stealing iood wnen all were
starving Now mark what say; he Will ask for an
shooting it will be justified. You needn't be too
sure that there was no cannibalism, either"
THE METALLIC CAsKETs-
''Would 1t have been possible to open the caskets
containing the remains OF the Greely dead?" asked
The STAR reporter.
sit would have been big lob to open them !" was
the reply. "They We're composed OF boiler iron,
ana a. IN each one were two hundred and forty bolts
not ScreWS-bOltS.'
UNREcoGN1zABLE BODIES
Said another officer, who was standing by: "Lieut.
Emory said that the bodies, when taken out of
aicohol, were washed. wrapped in linen, after the
manner OF the Egyptian mummies, sewed in cam
vas, and then placed in the caske,s. and 1 remem-
Oer the remark made by another officer OF the eX-
petition, that ii the bOlieS were taken out they
could not be recognized"
Lieut.. kislingbury's remains were identified by
ILLS IaSe teelh, winch were tied about his forehead
What Gen. Hazen Did Say.
BY miSprint In THE STAR yesterday Gen. Hazen
was made to say with relation to the devouring of
the amputated limbs OF their comrades by the
Greely party, that "0nly one such instance occur
red, and that was on shipboard ON the return
occurred" &c.
Gen. Hazen this morning declined to make any
further statement regarding tne reported cannibal
ISM among the Greedy party, adding however that
ne mad received no information regarding it, and
that he had been misquoted IN what he did say
The Remains Of Sergeant Cross.
HIS WIDOW DOES NOT WISH TO HAVE THEN DIsIN-
TERED, But THE BROTHER OF THE DECEASED
SAYS HE WILL HAVE THE CAsKET OPENED
A STAR reporter this morning saw Mrs Cross the
widow OF Sergeant Cross the first Of the Greely
party 10 succumb to the terrors OF starvation. She
spoke OF the story OF canni5alsm very calmly, and
said She Was sorry it had been started.
"1t Is said that the iron caSket containing your
nuSoandS remains Will be opened and an 1nvestga-
tion vI nad y suggested THE STAR.
les, know; out ain opposed to It. The ma
ter should not be further agitated II it is true
tina. the Survivors had to subsst upon the flesh OF
their dead comrades, they are to be pitied. What
must have been their horror! Those who had to
resort to sucn thing are the ones who suffer.
The thing should be hushed."
Then your husbands remains will not be dis
turbedf"
81 can't say that. 1t is what want; but my
casket opened ana The matter Investigated Unless
ne changes his mind, this Will likely lie done. But
don't like it,"
More Denials of the Story OF Cannibal.
WHAT SECRETARY CHANDLER SAYS
Secretary Chandler upon being questioned, at
portsmouth, N. H., last night, in relation to the
story OF cannibalsm among the Greely party
seemed much agtated, and said: "You may say
that the Navy department has received no such
report of the shooting OF Henry and cannibalism
as the New York Times gives. OF course you
naturally next ask me is the story true. say that
u decline to say. refuse to say anything further
about the matter"
COMMANDER sCHLEYs INDIGNANT DENIAL
When Commander schley was asked about the
matter he said:
"There ls not word OF truth in that story. You
need not show 1t to Inc, for hive read it. 1t has
been manufactured out O whole cloth, and II We're
Lieut. Greeiy should take legal steps against the
paper that published the outrageous statement.
NOW reg ardny some or the specific charges: 1t Is
true that did e to Chandler that
l did because | thought that they would be better
protected In this way. These caskets not 'all
boted and riveted.' but tn y were simply closed In
the usual way. 1t has been stated that the bodies
were placed in metallic so that the friends OF
the dead could not get at them and that, with the
exception or few men who assisted in removing
the bodies, no one on the relief ships saw them.
This Is false the bodies lay on the deck Of the The
us several days, and there was hardly sailor on
the ship who did not see and touch them, for we
were Obliged to keep ice on them all the time. 1t
said that communicated to Secretary Chandler
and Gen. Hazen, at Portsmouth, on August 2 facts
leading to the conclusion that these men had eaten
up their companions. This l deny. I made no
such communication to either Of these gentlemen
40 not think there was any cannibalism practlced
by Greely or his men. know nothing about this
business, nor did order an investigation"
NOT WORD OF TRUTH IN THE STORY.
Mr. Ames, the surgeon OF the Bear corroborated
all that Commander Schley said, and added: 81 do
not think there Is word Of truth in the story. Dr.
Green and myself laid all the bodies out They
were, OF course, nothing but skin and bone but
with the exception OF one OF the men, whose back
was broken, they were all right; that Is, they did
not look as II they had been muttlated or as II the
flesh had been eaten OF OF them"
Lieut.. COlville first officer OF the Bear said: 81
wrapped the bodies OF the dead up and then the
sailors removed them to the launch. did not no
tice any sign OF mutilation about them"
TALK AMONG THE SAILORS
The sailors OF the Bear and Thetis did not agree
In their statements One or two OF the sailors said
that If they were discharged they would have a
story to tel but they do not care to say anything
now. Sergeant Brainard, one OF the survivors, is
reported to have kept di ry and in it to have
stated that one OF the party had to be sacrificed
keep the rest alive. Seaman Gaylor who became
quite intimate with Brainard on the voyage home,
said Brainard referred to dog and not to man
when he wrote the above.
Geo: Gavel, captain OF the "top" OF the Thetis,
said: 81 dug ten Of the dead bodies up They were
only covered with thin layer of sand l saw
nothing about them that suggested cannibalisrn;
there was some little flesh on them. They were
not frozen hard when we found them, and their
flesh and skin was quite soft The bodies lay on the
deck ten days and we all saw them The German
who Is reported to have said: Must be killed and
eaten as Henry was? did not make any such re-
mark. When he saw us coming to him he said: Il
knew the Yankees would come and find u.s."
PRIVATE HENRY'S FRIENDS WILL PUSH AN INvEsTI-
CATION.
telegram from Lincoln. Nebraska, says that the
reported shooting OF Henry has caused considerable
excitement there. Henry's real name was Back
HIS sister and friends In this city will push in
veStlgatiOn.