The Portland daily press., 1884-08-13

the Navy department which would give a shadow
OF foundation for such story. He added that he
did not believe there any truth in it, Secretary
Chandler has been absent from the CITY several
weeks, but has of course been CONSTANTLY in com
munication with the department, and great many
important official documents have been sent to him.
so that Admiral Nichols statement that there are
no documents bearing on the matter at the depart
ment is not necessarily conclusive as to non exist
ence.
NEW YORK, Aug. 1.-THE Commercial Adver-
tiser publishes an interview with Commander
Schley in which he says: "A Times reporter called
upon me on board the Thetis yesterday afternoon
and told me they had statement similar to that
concerning it. spoke to him kindly denying the
story, but he would not take simple denial and
presumed to catechise me. 1 refused to say any
more and he persisted until i ordered him off the
vessel and ended the interview. 1 repeat that
there is not a grain of truth in the story. The
article in question saysI telegraphed to Washington
ineased in iron collins when might as well have
brought them in ordinary as they were frozen
and would have been preserved This statement
only shows the Ignorance of the person making it.
During the long Arctic summer the sun shines I'M
lnterruptedly and melts the snow from the hills
and partially thaws out the surface of the ground.
OF course the bodies we're in as good state of pre-
servation as upon the day they died for they were
kept thoroughly firm and cold, but they were not
Frozen and the flesh would soon have purified if
not placed at once in metal caskets. They were
not in the condition that the dead of the Jeanette
we're found. deny that any secrecy was injoined
upon the men, and the story about the secret con.
ference between Secretary Chandler Gen. Hazen
and myself, and my refusal to give any information
az Portsmouth on August I'd is also inaccurate.
The story that Henry was shot is not true L be-
lieye he died all the others died, of starvation
and scuryy. Il there was any Foundation for the
horrible story do not see why there not more
evidences of it, Would poor Ellis, whose hands and
feet were frozen off and who was all but dead,
have been SO tenderly cared the others If they
we're watching his every breath, and gloating over
him in anticipation of death that they might de-
YOUR hm?''
Commander Schley in relating his experiences to
a personal friend, has given linking that the
charges of cannibalism and dsorganization among
the Greedy men were in the least true. While his
mouth might be officially sealed, it is hard to think
that something would not have fallen from his lips
in an unguarded moment. Both he and Lieutenant
Emory have spoken of their adventures and their
first encounter with the Greedy party. "It was
matter of surprise to me- said Commander Schley
that after the severe winter in their miserable
little hut these men were alive at all, but of still
greater wonderment that Greedy had maintained
even to the last complete control over his COM
panions Ienvy him such gift" There is no
doubt but that the were not only overcome
with hunger and physical weakness of every kind
when rescued. but were in deplorable condition of
mind ana state o. great 1ncleaniiness For days
and of collecting the bodies of the dead affected
the members of the relief crews that they could
barely eat anything.
The Brooklyn Union has the following concern
ing the reported cannibalism of the Greedy party:
Lieut.. Coville, first officer of the Bear, said: 'I
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" Lieut..
however, say LlaL he mad heard rumOrS
about the Greedy survivors having the bodies
of comrades, but he would not state where he had
heard them or what he thought Of them. Among
the sailors of the Bear and Thets there is an air of
mystery and all sorts of stories are aoat but their
statements are conflicting.
George Gavel, captain of the stop of the Thetis,
says: IL dug ten of the dead bodies up. They
were only covered with thin layer of sand. 1 saw
nothing about them that suggested cannibalism.
The German who is reported 70 have said Must
be killed and eaten as Henry was,' did not make
any such remark. When he saw us coming he said,
Il knew the Yankees would come and find u.s. One
or two of the sailors said that if they discharg
ed they would have story to tell but they did not
care to say anything now.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 12.-Commodore Walker
chief OF the bureau of navigation of the decided
opinion that the story was made out of whole CLOTH
The despatch of Commander Schlsy that it was i'm
perative to place the bodies in metallic Baskets he
explained as follows Commander Schley was anx-
ious to bring the bodies back in as good state of
preservation as possible. They were kept in a,co-
hol until we reached st. Johns. Such method of
for in these tanks of alcohol the bodies would be
knocked about by the motion of the vessel at sea
and would be damaged, hence it necessary to
place them in metallic caskets at the earliest op-
portunity. Besides that he said the bodies which
were frozen when fou d would decompose rapidly
sooH after being brought to a warmer cline and it
was advisable to care for them before decomposi-
tion should take place.
On the other hand General Hazen in an interview
with Star reporter while apparently endeavoring
to avoid the subject practically admitted that there
was ground for the report as published. After
SUBMITTING TO regular cross examination the In
terview closed as follows
Reporter "You seem to be very non-committal
General; your manner would warrant III believ
ing the story really has foundation in fact''
AT this the General threw himself into chair
his restrained manner Disappearing and with de.
cided emphasis said: "Ihere certain facts con
nected with the matter that an not at liberty to
mention. 1t is very probab g, though 1 do NOT say
SO officially, that they will be made the subject of
Congressional investigation next Winter The story
contains some inaccuracies, notably that in which
reference is made to devouring amputated limbs of
those suffering the loss of legs and order to
preserve their lives. Only instance of amputa-
ton occurred, and that was shipboard while the
party we're on the way home"
Gen. Hazen was asked what truth there was in
the statement that young Henry had been shot and
his body deyoured. "That is subject he replied,
upon which must decline to be interviewed %
While it is generally conceded that there was no
records in Washington that would substantate the
story, both army and navy officers among them
selves did not view it as impossible by any means.
ANNAPOLIS, Nd, Aug. 1.-THE obsequies of
Lieut.. James B. Lockwood, U. S. A, were observed
today with all the ceremonies possible during the
vacation Of the naval academy. Every united
in paying honor to the distinguished dead The re-
mains were entered in the naval cemetery.