The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-08-22
THE ARCTIC HORROR.
lieutenant Greedy Asks for an Inquiry In
Regard to the shooting of Private Henry
--Further Disclosures ~

WASHINGTON, August l5.-Ine 1oii0w-
ing letter has been sent by Lieutenant
Greedy tothe Adjutant General respecting
the execution of Private Henry: l have
the honor to report that on June 6, 1884, at
Camp Clay. near Cape Sabine, Grinnell
Land, it became necessary for me to order
the military execution of Private Charles
B. Henry, of the Fifth Cavalry, for con-
tinued thieving. The order was. given in
writing. on my individual response
bility. being deemed absolutely essen
tial for the safety of the surviving MEM
bers of the expedition. Ten had already
died of starvation and two more lay at the
point of death. The facts inducing my &C
ton were as follows: Provisions had been
stolen i'm November, 1885, and Henry's
completely therein was more than suspected.
March "a, 1884, the party nearly persisted
from asphyxia. While several men were
unconscious and efforts were being made for
their restoration Private Henry stole about
two pounds of bacon from the mess stores.
He was not only seen by the Esquimau, JAMS
Edwards, but his stomach being over
loaded he threw up the undigested bacon.
An open investigation was held and every
member of the party declared him guilty of
this and other thefts. A clamOr for his life
was raised, but was repressed by me. l
put him under surveillance until our wan
ing strength rendered his physical services
indispensable. Later he was found one day
intoxicated, having stolen the liquor on
hand for general use. A second
time his life was demanded, but
l again spared him. On June 9Th,
the theft of provisions on his part
having been reported to me, | had es3-
versation with him, in which | appealed to
his practical sense, pointing out what was
necessary to our preservation. He PROM
ised entire reformation, but, distrusting
him. j issued written order that he should
be shot il detected stealing. On June 6
he not only stole part of the shrinps
for our breakfast, but visited, nnauthor-
lied. our winter camp and stole certain
seal skin reserved for food. l then ordered
him shot. On his person was found the sill
yer chronograph abandoned by ME at Fort
COngef and stolen by him. In his bag was
found large quantity of seal skin and
pair of seal skin boots stolen few days be-
fore from the hunter. Suspecting COM
plicity on the part of several l ordered his
execution by the three most reliable men.
After his death an order was read to the
entire party and concurred in by every mem-
Der as being not only just but essential to
our safety. To avoid public scandal or
dered that no man should speak of this
matter until the official report was made Of
tine facts. have the honor to request that
q court of inquiry be ordered or
court martial convened. should the hon
Orable Secretary of War deem either adyisa-
BILE i'm this case. / have thought 1t
best not to ask written statements
of the surviving members of the
party for appendices to this report,
lest might seem to be tampering with'then.
l lave not asked since our rescue, June -,
whether their opinions concerning my ac-
ton have changed or not leaving such queS-
lions to your action if deemed requisite. |
naturally regret that circumstances imposed
such a terrible responsibility upon me, but
/ am conscious l should have failed in my
duty to the rest of the party had not acted
promptly and slinmarily.
SHOCKING MUTILATIoN.
ROCHESTER,, n. Y. August 15.-Most
heaI,rendering disclosures were made in
this city yesterday morning regarding the
rsRlrns of Lieutenant Kislingbury, of the
Arctic expedition, who died amid Arctic snow
last June. 1t established beyond all question
that cannibaliSm was resorted to by
the starving men of the Greedy expedition
and shows that the lives of those saved
were preserved by eating the dead bodies of
their companions. Lieutenant Kislingbury's
relatives here were filled with horrible
doubts as soon as they learned that dis
closures had been made i'm New York regard
ing cannibalism among the members of the
expedition and they determined to learn the
truth by exhuming the remains and having
them examined by competent physicians.
The services of an undertaken were Sc
cured. and 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.
Kislingbury and John z. Kislingbury,
brothers of the deceased. DIR. Charles Buck
ley, DIR. +. A. Vaudeville, Superintendent
StettsOn, Assistant Superintendent Mande-
vile and two reporters of the Post.
The physicians made a thorough examina
ton and furnished an affidavit, in which they
say: THE body in weight Appropriated, in
our opinion, about fifty pounds. On
of wounds or injuries were visible
The skin was not broken, and the
ears and nose were intact. The skin and
muscles of the anterior portion of the face
and neck were intact from the upper por.
ton of the sternum and clavicie 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 t Ie lowers border of the last
rib were gone. There were two openings be-
tween the fourth and fifth intercOstal spaces.
into the thOracIc cavity. The skin and
muscles on the anterior portion of the alb
dOmen were intact to the crest of the ilium
or pelvic bones. The muscles and skin OF
the anterior and pOsteriOr of the thighs
were entirely 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 tins
skin and muscles were removed to witiir
five inches of the ankle joint. Both feet
were intact and the toes of all present
There was no veStige of integument or mus
Giles on either arm, including the muscles Of
the shoulder blades, to the waist joints,
except on the right forearm the in
terosseus membrane remaining. The
flesh and muscles of both hands
We're intact The examination of the pos
terror portion Of the body showed that the
skin and muscles of the back from the |
seventh cervical vertebra 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 sacrum.
The pelvic bones were completely denuded |
All the extremities Were attached to the |
body by the ligiments only. No fractures
of the body were. discovered"
Yellow Fever.
New ORLEANS, La, August 14.-Prest |
dent Holt Of the State Board of Health.
was notified by the Marine Hospital Service
that vessel-the British ship Deerfeld-