The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-15
The Remains Of Lieutenant Kislingbury
Disinterred and the Bones Found
Almost Entirely Denuded of Flesh
Physicians Decide that the Skin and
Muscles We're Removed with a Knife.
Lieutenant Greely's Report of the Killing Of
Private Henry Reception to Greely
at Newburyport, Mass
THEY LIVED ON HUMAN FLESH.

The Charges Proven by Examination of
Lieutenant Kislingbury's Body.
ROCHESTER, N. " Aug. 14-The most heart
rendng disclosures were made in this city this
morning regarding the remains Of Lieutenant
amid arctic snow last June. It is es-
tablshed beyond all question that can
nibalism was resorted to by the
starving men of the Greedy expedition, and
that the lives saved were preserved only by eat
ing the dead bodies of their companions. Lieu
tenant Kislingburys relatives here were filed
with horrible doubts as soon as they learned of
the disclosures made in New York regarding the
cannibalism among the members Of the expedi-
tion, and they determined to learn
the truth by exhuming the remains and
having them examined by competent physicians.
The services of L. A. Jeffrey undertaken were
secured, and this morning, with the assistance
of five men, he accomplished the work Of taking
up the casket from its resting place. The casket
was opened in the presence Of Frank w. Kis
lingbury and John P. Kislingbury, brothers of
the deceased DR.. Charles Buckley and two. re-
porters of the Post Express. The
work of opening the heavy iron re-
receptacle was found comparatively easy. All
that was to be done was to unscrew fifty-two
iron bolts which held down the lid. The noise
less ease with which the latter was pried from
its bed showed that there was an absence of gas
in the casket, and it was feared there might be
no body in the casket at all Feeling his way
into the mass of snowy cotton waste which
filled filed the ,9s coffin to .t the top Mr. IT Jsffreys
strong odor of alcohol but no very pronounced
suggestions of decay emanated from the caskeu.
Dr. Buckley, who had put on pair of black
leather gloves, uncovered the lower portion Of
the body, and then it appeared as if one of
the legs, the right one, was missing,
but when the waste was all removed it became
apparent that the limb was tied under the left
one. The casket was next placed upon the floor.
and the enShrouded form taken from it and
placed upon table. The undertaken and physi-
clans now began to cut the stitches and unwind
the white sheeting which formed the first cover
ing. The sheeting was taken away, tue tarred
rope which entwined the blanketcutand the work
taking of this last covering began Slowly the
blanket was removed The blackened feshless
face showing marks of arctic soil, but bears no
semDlance to that of the dead man. The skin
was dried to the skull. The sightless sockets of
the eyes and the half opened mouth gave the
dead man look of mute, appealing agony. The
remains were completely identified as those of
Lieutenant Kislingburg. The physicians made
a thorough examination and the remains were
then placed back into the casket and again
lowered into the grave.
Returning to the city the physicians made an
affidavit in which they. said:
The body, in weight, appropriated, in our
opinion. about fifty pounds. On examination of
the head, no signs of wounds or injuries were
visible; the skin was not broken, the ears and
nose were intact, the skin and muscles of the
interior portion of the face and neck were intact
From the upper portion of the sternum and CLAW
cle to the lower portion Of the fifth rib on the left
side, the skin and muscles had all been removed
down to the ribs: on the right side the skin and
muscles, down to the lower border Of the last rib
hafxr
the fourth and fifth intercestal spaces into the
thoracic cavity. The skin and muscles on the
anterior portion Of the abdomain were intact to
the crest of the illium or pelvic bones; the mus
cles and skin Of the anterior and posterior of
the thighs were etirely removed except the skin
on the anterior portion of the knee joints; the
muscles and skin of the left leg were removed to
within three inches of the ankle joint on the
right leg the skin and muscles were removed to
within FIVE inches of the ankle Joint: both feet
were intact and the toes all present. There was
no vestige OF integumcnt or muscles on the arms
to the wrist JOINTS, except on the right
forearm the interossis membrane remaining; the
flesh and muscles of both hands were intact.
The examination of posteror portion of the
body showed that the skin and muscles of the
back, from the seventh cervical yertebra, had
been dissected or cut completely away, down to
the bones, with the exception of pieces of skin
from two to three inches square on each side of
the upper portion of the scrotum. The pelvic
bones were completely denuded. All the extremi-
ties were attached to the body by ligaments only.
No fractures of the body were discov-
cred We found all the organs of the
thorax and abdomen present There
stomach and bowels. The large intestines were
distended with hardened lumps in which there
was hair, moss or woody fiber In our opinion
the flesh removed was cut away with some sharp
instrument That remaining on the feet hands
and face showed no signs of decomposition.