The Portland daily press., 1884-08-15
STARVING MEN.
The Horrible Method They Adopted
to Appease Their Hunger
THE NEW YORK TIMES STORY
CONFIRMED.


ing renews the story of cannibalism among the
Greedy party, and says that the remains of
Private Charles b Henry, who was shot at
Greedy camp at Smiths Sound on June 9th at
the time when the survivors were reduced to
the direst extremity for food, were found by
the rescuing party from an eighth TO quarter
OF mile beyond the tent of the starving men.
There was scarcely anything left but pile of
glistenipg bones stripped of nearly every trace
OF flesh except on some of the lower parts OF
the trunk. The head was missing and could
not be found SO that 1t was at first supposed
the remains were those of DIR. Pavy. The
bones were placed in bag for removal to the
Bear with the remains Of six others of the III
fated expedition. On board the Bear they
were deposited in little box about 2 feet
long which was placed aft and covered with
the stars and stripes.
A day or two after the squadron began the
homeward trip the box was removed from the
deck, and the officers determined to remove
all suspicion of the terrible scene of cannibal-
ism enacted at the camp on Cape Sabine.
Boxes were prepared for the burial. Sticks of
wood were procured and these fitted to proper
length The bones were tied on until all
were as nearly in place as it was possible to
get them. The head was missing
and block of wood was made to
do duty in its place. Then this Frame
work in the shape of man was tied to
plank and wound with cotton cloth as the
other bodies had been. 1t was then surrepti-
tiously placed in one of the sleohoi-flled
tanks with some of the others. 1t was this
skilfuliy made package resembling a human
body that was lifted into the coffin at St.
Johns and marked Private Charles B. Hem
ry." 1t was this bundle of wood that was
brought TO New York, claimed by the friends
OF Private Henry, and buried at Cypress Hill
Cemetery. So we'll had the work been done
that it is doubtful if those handling the
mummy-like remains at 81. Johns had any
suspicion that it was one of the bundles
which was largely made up of wood.
That the bones were so cleanly stripped OF
flesh leads to but one conclusion. There was
No game about Smiths Sound excepting a few
foxes, hares and ptarmgaus. There were no
carniverous animals, as the record of the re-
liet expedition shows, to disturb the remains of
the dead, neither did they decay. The flesh
that remained on the frames of those even
longest dead had not rotted or fallen away.
Sergeant Cross, the first OF the party who
died, passed away Jan. 10TH He was large
man, and hen taken from the shallow grave,
the body WAS found heavier than any of the
others. The flesh was quite firm, and Shove d
no signs OF decay excepting portion of one
hand, which was slightly discolorsd. Yet of
Private Henry, who died only 16 DAYS before
the relief party arrived, there was nothing left
but few feshless bonee. The head had prob
ably been thrown away iuto the sea to prevent
Identification when the trath should be known
as it was sue to be some time, whether rescue
came or not
In this work 'of the officers of the Bearit
was not possible to remove all traces of the
bullet by which Henry met his death, for more
was left of the trunk than of any other por-
tion.
The flesh was cut from the bodies OF the
other dead as tue pangs Of hunger grew too
strong fer the survivors. But with Henry,
freshly killed for attempting to steal an extra
share of rations, it was different. The men
cooked and ate human flesh, and by this means
life was sustained until rescue came.
WASHINGTON Aug. 14.-Lieut. Greelys
official statement of Private Henry's execution
embodies the facts as alseady stated. In addl-
tion he says:
On his person was found a silver chronograph
abandoned by me at Fort CoDger and stolen by
him. In his bag was found large quantity of seal
skin and pair of seal skin boots stolen few days
before from hunJer. Suspecting completely on
the part of several ordered his execution by three
of the most reliable men. After his death order
was read to the entire party and was concurred in
sential to our safety TO avoid public scandal
ordered that no man should speak Of this matter
until my official report was made of the facts. l
have the honor to request that court of inquiry be
ordered and court martial convened should the
honorable Secretary of War deem it advisable in
this case. ! have thought it best not
to ask for written statements from the surviving
members of the party tor appendices to this report
lest might seem to be tampering with them. have
not sked since our rescue, July 22d, whether their
opinions concurring in my action have changed or
not, leaving such questions to your action if deemed
requisite. L necessarily regret that the circum-
stances imposed such terrible responsibility upon
me- but am conscious that / should have failed in
my duty to the rest of my party had not acted
promptly and summariy.
ROCHESTER,. N. Y, Aug. 14.-Representa-
tiveE of the Post Express having obtained the
consent of the late Lieut.. Frederick +. Kis-
lingbury, of Greely Arctic fame, to exhume
the body, this morning they procured the
services of Drs. Charles Buckley and f. A.
Vaudeville of this city to make an autopsy and
the services of l.. NJ. Jeffreys, an undertaken,
and exhumed the remains. The post-mortem
examination was made in the chapel of Mount
Hope cemetery, and the physicians made
thorough examination and the remains were
then placed back into the casket and again
lowered to the grave. Returning to the city
the following affidavit was made:
We this morning, in the chapel of Mount Hope
cemetery, made an autopsy or post-mortem exa-
mination of The body of the late Lieut.. Frederick
F. Kislingbury in the presence of the following
named persons Samuel W. Jeffreys, Samuel r.
Carter, VIM. Mill Butler, Geo. T. Stillson Chas H,
Mandeville, Edward Ongevine John F. Kislingbury
and Frank W. Kislingbury: We found the body in
an iron casket On the lid being removed it was
taken from the casket and placed upon a table. 1t
was packed in cotton batting and incased with
cotton cloth and tied with strings. On removing
this it was found wrapped in a woolen blanket the
whole length. Removing this the body was in view.
Its weight approXimated in our opinion about fifty
pounds. On examination of the head no signs of
wounds or injuries were visible, the skin was not
broken, and the ears and nose intact. The ewes
were suDken and wasted, the hair was thick and
from five to six inches long, and the face was cover
ed with heavy reddish beard and mOustache. The
skin and muscles of the anterior portion of the face
and neck were intact. From the upper portion of
the sternum and clayce to the lower border 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, were gone. There
were two openings between the fourth and fifth in
testinal spaces into the thoraic cavity. The skin
and muscles on the anterior portion of the abde-
tn Of ilium Or rio
bones but the muscles and skin of the anterior and
posterior of the thighs were entirely removed ex-
cept the skin on the anterior portion of the knee
jonts and the usces 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 1ive inches of the ankle joint. Both feet
were intact, and the toes all present. There was
no vestige of integument muscles on either arm,
including the muscles of the shoulder blades to the
wrist joints except the right fore arm the inter
osseous membrane remaining. The flesh and mus
cles on both hands were intact. An examination of
the posterior portion of the body showed that the
skin and muscles of the back from the seventh GER
vical vertebra had been dlssected 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 ex-
tremities were attached to the body by ligaments
only. No fractures of the body were discovered.
We found all the organs of the thorax and abdomen
present. There was evidence of recent inhamma-
ton of the stomach and bowels the large intestines
were distended with hardened Jumps of fecal
matter in which there hair, moss or woody
hbre. In our opinion the flesh removed was cut
away with some sharp instrument. That remaining
on the feet, hands and face showed signs of de-
composition
(Signed) CHARLES BUCKLEY, M. D.,
f. A. VAUDEVILLE, NJ. d. B
PORTSMOUTH, N. H., Aug. 14.-Dr. Cleborne
U. s. N, in charge of the survivors, says that
all the men will soon be in perfect health
Surgeon Head, U. s. A, will be here tomorrow
to assume medical charge of the party. Nc
definite time at which the sur vivors will be
discharged has been decided on. Under strict
orders from the Secretary of the Navy none oi
| the survivors are allowed to be interviewed.