Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-17


do, starve themselves to death sooner than
eat their dead, but it is not always so
with civilized people. | have met in my
life two persons who have subsisted upon
human flesh at some time of great desti-
tuition and threatened starvation. The
cases are by no means unusual. The
majority appear to be of sailors who have
been sent adrift from a wreck in boats
and exhausted their provisions, those
dying from starvation being eaten by the
Others"
A SAILORS STORY.
LONG ISLAND CITY, n. Y, Aug. 16.-A
Russian sailor, wearing a United States
navy uniform and having the name
Bear upon his cap, was captured by
reporter this morning. In conversation
the sailor said that he was one of the crew
of the Bear; that he assisted in preparing
the bodies of the dead men Of the Greedy
party at Smiths Sound for burial, and IN
placing them in collins; that all the bodies
except one had pieces Of flesh cut from
them, and that the survivors told him that
where flesh was missing it had been frost
bitten. On being asked for his name the
sailor inquired whether it was for the
newspapers, and finally refused to give it,
saying that they had told him at the navy
yard that he must not tell his name or
give any information to reporters.
GREELY TELLS OK KIsLINGBURY's TRoU-
BLES.
BOSTON, Aug. 16.-In an interview at
Portsmouth to-day Lieut.. Greely said as
ton: "In regard to the story of two fac
tiOns, with Lieut.. Kislingbury in charge
of the opposition, | will say that the
rumor is totally false, having no founda-
tlOn whatever. The trouble between Lieut..
Kislingbury and myself occurred in 1881,
the first year of the expedition. He de-
sired to be relieved from duty, and |, not
wishing to retain a man against his will,
although l had the power so to do, gave
him his liberty. 1t is my impression
that he desired to return to
the United States. He went southwark,
but the Proteus was sunk and he returned
to. duty. l treated him as though nothing
had happened, and recently when Lieut..
Lockwood died l gave Lieut.. Kislingbury
| the second place in the expedition"
"What do you say about the condition
of Lieut.. Kislingbury's bOdy?" asked the
81 say that it is news, and horrible news
to me. All the later disclosures and ter
rible charges come upon me with awful
/ suddenness. / can truthfully say that
| have suffered more mental anguish these
last few days than 1 did in all my sojourn
/ to the North, when the chances were
/ hundred to one against me.
REPEATING HIS DENIAL.
| 81 can but repeat that if there was any
! cannibalism, and there now seems to be
| no doubt about it, the man-eating was
! done in secret and entirely without my
/ knowledge and contrary to my discipline.
/ l can give no stronger denial. / have de-
manded an investigation and it will come
in time, but | can say nothing more than
! | have already said. All my papers
/ and Lieut.. Kislingbury's diary, Lieut..
! LOckwood's diary, and in fact
every scrap of paper relating to the eXpe-
ditiOn are in charge of the War Depart
ment at Washington. The crew of the
Thetis can testify that the body of the
last man who died, Schneider, was not
mutilated in any way, and the fact that
| we kept Ellison alive in the hopeless state
we were in ought to convince any
body that we are not cannibals.
Since my return from Newburyport
/ every one of my men has called upon me.
SWEARING TO THEIR INNOCENCE.
"They came in body and assured me
| emphatically that they knew nothing
about the condition Of the bodies of their
fallen comrades, and each sOlemnly sWore
that he was innocent. Perhaps those
who died last fed upon the bodies of those
who died before, but all this is suppO-
sitiOn. | can but answer for myself and
for my orders to the party. For days and
weeks l lay on my back unable to
move. If in my enfeebled condition
one or more of my men fed on human
flesh, it was beyond my control and GER
tainly beyond nay knowledge. l. know
that have been criticised for not tele-
graphing the fact of the shooting of Henry
as soon as 1 arrived at st. John, but you
must remember that was in wretched
condition of body and mind. l was in a
quandary whether or not l should be tried
for murder, as Henry was shot on my owl
. responsibility, and not by order of regU
lar court martial"
HFERY's SISTER DEMANDS THE FACTS
LINCOLN, NEB., Aug. 16.-The follow
ing despatch sent from here to-day eX
plains itself:
LINCOLN, NEB., Aug. l6, 1884.
Coroner Robinson, Long Island CITY, ". Y:
| DEAR SIR see by the public prints tina
YOU have addressed me regarding the eXhum
ing and examination of my brothers. remains
IT is my desire that the full facts be known
You will please have the body eXhumed anC
examined as soon as possible. DORA BUCK.
Miss Buck was almost heart-brOken al
the report that her brother had been shot
for stealing ratiOns, and has refused tC
see reporters. The possibility that sucl
reports are untrue since the Lieut.. Kisling
bury developments have revived her spir
its, and she is now very anxious that the
matter be sifted to the bottom, believing
it will vindicate her brothers reputation