Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-08-13
TORN FROM ARCTIC GRAVES.
A Horrible Story of cannibal-
ism. ,&as
CAN THESE THINGS BE TRuga
The Awful Tale Told Yesterday Morning
BY a New York Newpaper---In-
vestigation Demanded.

New YORK, August l2.-The Times says
that written documents are in possession Of
the Navy Department adding shocking evil
dence of inhumanity and cannibalism to the
record ofsufering in the Greedy expedition.
Out ofregard for the feelings of the people,
the facts are being concealed, bat must
eventually come ont. The Times goes on
tostate that Commander Schley telegraphic
request to Secretary Chandler for permits
sion to enclose the bodies of the dead in
metallic cases at ST. Johns, for transporta-
ton to New York, was made in
order to conceal the appearances Of
the bodies from friends of the vic
tins. In fact the collins contained only
bones, the flesh having been eaten by the
survivors before the bodies were buried. 1t
is further stated that the facts came to
Schley's knowledge through the delirious
appeal of the first man not to be shot and
eaten as Henry was These rawlings led to
investigation, and Henrys body was found
to contain bullet which had
shattered one of his ribs, The Times
AYERS that the flesh of all the victims
except those who died of scrofula or scurvy
was eaten to keep the survivors alive. and
TINT when limbs were amputated they were
eaten before their owners were dead, Greelv
was adverse to haYin5 the bodies exhumed
thinking it wise, as they had been buried SC
! loEg, to let them remain in their Arctic
graves. But Schleg did not agree with him
and the bodies we're disinterred. They
could be identified only by marks on the
blankets, their flesh having been stripped to
keep life in the survivors until help came.
Otherwise all must have perished The
| Times claims that the report shows
| that Charles B. Henry WAS shot because in
the desperation of hunger he attempted to
steal food in excess of the ratiOns allowed
him.
Secrecy Enjoined.
Silence had been imposed upon the men,
and all were reluctant to speak of this hor.
rible phase of their experience. The relief
ships steamed up to the navy yard last night.
Though unexpected they were received by a
good sized crowd with a brass band,
and some of the officers denied that the bod.
les were mutilated; others said the mutila-
ton was caused by storms and ice; some
had not seen the remains at all. Com
mander Schley was asked what Henry died
of and replied: Starvation or scurvy,
l believe, the same as others" "Do you
know whether he was shotY' 81 am not
prepared to answer that question.
said the commander, hurriedly; "and
furthermore | decline to be interviewed.
When an official inquiry is made into the
details of the trip shall say what l have to
say, if anything and not before" The
crew were somewhat more communicative,
but their statements are conflicting.
Enough was said however, the Times says,
to confirm some Of the ugly stories atioat
Chief Melville is aboard the Thetis, with
Commander Schley. The Times makes
the statement referred to above, the subject
of an editorial, denouncing Gen, Hazen for
neglecting to cause sufficient supplies to
be landed at Cape Sabine for Lieutenant
Greeley.