The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1884-08-14
ChNNlBAllSM.
The SurtlIors' Awful Feast In the Dl,.
sstrous Gloom.
YOUNG HsNRYs FATAL LOT,
ten, Iis,en's Evident knowledge of tn"
Fscts-IIo Declines to Tsit-Hes-
rye si.t.r-Burisis Of Those
Not Katcn, Etc,
Did They Eat Their Dead

story, published by the Now York
Times this morning, to the effect that
tho survivors OF the Greely party, being
crszod by starvation and cold, fed on
the dead bodies OF their comrades, and
that written documents are In the pos
session of tho Navy department sub
stantatory of the terrible narrative,
created great sensation here, and Ad-
mirsl Nichols, the acting Secretary of
the Navy, WAS shortly besieged by
newspaper men, anxious to ascertain
something official concerning the publi-
cation. Tho Admiral said positively
that there is nothing IN the Navy de-
partment confirming the story, and that
he doubted its truth. IL IL possible,
however, n report OF this nature may
have gone direct to Secretary Chandler,
In New Hampshire, a snumerous docu-
ments were forwarded To him without
examination. Some persons express
the opinion quietly that thore is some
thing in the story, and say that 1t IL be-
ginning 10 be known that the Greedy
party was not ~ harmonious rs has
been generally supposed was the case,
and that there IL story connected with
the expedition which IL was intended 10
conceal, but which must now como out
in the same way that the history of the
the knowledge ofthe public.
The Times story WAS shown TO Gen.
HnZen, who ut first was very non-com-
initial, but finally with emphasis said:
"Ccrtain facts are connected with the
matter that am not ut liberty to men
ton. II is very probable, though do not
say 80 officially, that they will bc made
u subject Of Congressional investigation
next winter. The story contains some
inaccuracies, notably that in which
reference il made 10 the devouring Of
the amputated limbs of those who SUI
fered loss of legs and arms in order to
preserve lives" Gen. IlaZen was asked
what truth there was in the statement
that young Henry had been shot and his
piled, "upon which | must decline to be
interviewed"
sis tho report true that Capt. Schley
called you and Secretary Chandler into
tho vessels cabin and Informed you
that the survivors had eaten their asso-
ciates?"
"That story is untrue"
"There is no truth, then. in the re-
mainder Of published stories that bodies
were eatenT
81 will not say they are not true. I
have but casually glanced at the pub
lished story other than OF those portions
which l deny"
"Did you hear any rumors while at
Portsmouth that the dead men had been
eaten?"
"There were rumors of that kind
afioat. My official position would not
permit me to give facts in tho case"
"Thore are facts, thon?"
az can't answer that. l had a long in
terview with Lieut.. Greedy, but the sub
ject of eating bodies was not referred to.
| can imagine case when cannibalism
would be justiiable, and it would be Il
case where mon arc starving.
Greedy case"
"Undor tho circumstances it would be
excusable."
elias Secretary Chandler received any
report relative to this subject"
Not that know OF. have received
none"
as the report that private Henry was
shot and afterwards eaten talse?" ~
mouth that he had been killed
and the survivors had eaten
his body. but l decline to give any
facts in his case that might know"
"Will this shooting be u subject of in
vestigation by the War Department."
"Not necessarily. Men are shot every |
day in mutinies and no investigation /,
made. Under some circumstances il |
might be proper"
Twill there be any Investigation OF tho
eating of the bodies?"
IAN investigation could not be made |
either by the War or the Navy depart
ment; that is matter Congress will
have TO look into; then all the facts will
be presented, and until then nothing
will be given out"
Gen. Hazen says Lieut.. Greely's re-
port on the entire expedition will prob
ably be forwarded to him within q
month. While it was generally
conceded that there were no
records in Washington that would
the story, both
army and navy officers among them
selves did not view it as an impo sibility
by any means. Said a naval officer in
the corridor of the navy department:
'While there is no r,a3On that l know
of for believing the story, the fact that
there are no records to substantiate it,
does not disprove it ut all. Look at it as
true, is there anything improbable
about it3 You and standing here with
all comforts about us, look upon such a
matter with dread and horror. Eut you
must remember that those men were
reduced to such condition that their
moral faculties were blunted. They
should not be considered in fact respon-
sible agents. Self-preservation was their
only thought. and they could not be ex-
pected to moralize upon it,"
The Documents In the Hands OF Secretary
Chandler.
NEW YORK, Aug. 12.-The Times to-
day says: documents now in the hands