The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-08
GREELY'S MEN WHEN FOUND
Commander Schley Tells Of the Sensa-
tional Incidents Of the Voyage,
The Appearance of the Emaciated Surviy-
Ors- What Will Be Stated in the official
Report of the Expedition
washingtOn special to Boston Herald.

Washington Special to Boston Herald.
Commander Schley, who will take charge Of
the Bureau Of Equipment Of the Navy Depart
ment tomorrow, said to-day in an interview;
Il am very glad indeed to be here. Our voy-
ageATas quite sailing away from the joyous.
sunny, pleasant world that we are accustomed
to. 4 did not suffer from the effects of the ex-
posure to any great extent. | had no uncer-
talnty or anxiety to prey upon my mind was
absolutely certain of what had to do, ready for
any emergency, prepared for the worst the
best and had the utmost confidence in my men.
My only regret was that it was not year earlier
The voyage was, of course, one of peril and dis
comfort, but did not lose or gain pounds
weight and am in very good health. The whole
voyage. was one of sensational scenes and Incl
dents perlious moments, furious storms, narrow
escapes, etc, but there was nothing to compare
with the terrible imDresSiveness of the hour Of
rescue. The only tears / have shed for many a
year were shed on that memorable OCCASION and
there was not a man who could retain his com
posures The scene was inexpressibly horrible
and thrilling. A little camp Of survivors look,
ing actually like skeletons and nearly all of
whom were in the last stageS of starvation, while
one, at least Connell was actually in the very
agony of death, doomed to die within an hour if
nourlshment had not been ct hand; and uncon-
sclous for two days afterward that he had been
saved. The little camp, desolate, filthy, barren,
on an ice-bound coast, with the long row of
| graves that told their story with awful pathos--
the first grave made with all the care and skill
that village sexton could have bestowed upon
| it; the second less carefully constructed; the
| third more narrow and shallow, and the others
! showing waning strength and failing en-
ergy, until the last body had Just been
dragged out of sight of the camp, and left to the
mercy of wind and storm uncovered, because no
one could lift the earth or ice with which to
cover him. The picture was terrible one in
deed and the days Immediately following were
scarcely less terrible. Greedy and those Of his
party who were rescued were bathed in the
cabin. They were perfect skeletons, wrapped in
skin. Every bone was clearly visible. Hips and
ribs were frightfully prominent, Those men
were hungry every five minutes; ravenous is an
| inadequate word.
When will your report be nader
| ut will go to Secretary Chandler within ten
days, describing every detail Of the expedition
from its inception to its abandonment, illustrated
By 800 instantaneous photographs anu covering
$50 pages ~.
What will it tell about cannibalismr
Nothing whatever. The discovery Of the
living and the dead will be accurately described
| the mutilation of the bodies &C., but no con-
illusions will be drawn. / really know nothing
about it, as have repeatedly said and it is not
| my business The trouble has been that too
much has been said. Lieutenant Greedy, how
ever, has very discreetly kept quiet and will,
| doubtless, explain everything in due time. At
the time of his rescue, Greedy was the weakest
physically and the strongest mentally of the en-
tire party l have seen the statements about
in the party and thai
parties at the time of the rescue. q saw
nothing to indicate this. and know nothing about
| it. Without defending Lieut. Greedy ut all, /
should not make up my mind against him in any
| particular before his official report has been
| made Leans see no sense in the desire to ex-
hume Private Henry's remains. j have officially
stated that his body was one of those mutilated,
and nothing more could be accomplished by its
| disintermentn
e igs Greedy and Brainard Defended.
Interview in Washi ngton Star.
Il saw the interviews with an army officer
and think great injustice Is being done t.
1 Sergeant Brainard. One look at that mar
wo,lld be sufficient to satisfy that the statement
made regarding him are untrue, and Brainart
is right IN denying them. In the first place, III
did not board the Bear until several weeks after
| the party was rescued neither was he th,
strongest man in the party. Long wa!
decidedly the strongest He met the res
cuing party, and was able TO- wall
when taken aboard the Bear, while Brainard had
to be carried Brainar1 was practically The
head of the expedition after Greedy became In
capacitated, and he showed himself possessed Of
ability far above his station Long was the
hunter for the party and he was dead shot y
did YOU see any signs of a division in the par
tyr asked the reporter. ~, .fsie
No, sir, and that is another mistake. When
the survivors We're found they were al under
one tent that is all were camped in the tent,
but three. who were just outside under q flap Of
| the tent. Even Lieutenants Greedy aud Lockwood
had no serious misunderstanding up to the time
the boats were abandoned The criticisms upon
Greedy slack Of discipline are unwarranted. He
said that he would take no. initiative steps
against anybody, and would wait until attacked,
and although he is no particular friend of mine,
know that he will come out ahead. Heihas
never said word against 'Hazen, but he has
criticised, darlington severely for not examining
the cache of provisions at Payer harbor, as di-
rected. If he had done that and left a fresh
supply instead of the spoiled rations that were
there, probably many more of the party
would have been able to pull through. Greely's
work was remarkable. He brought every man
to the place he said he would two days before
the time fxed, where he had every reason to ex-
pect assistance. He must have exercised ,disei
/ pline or he never could have done it AT Cape
Sabine. DR. Pavy and one of the men came into
his tent and insisted upon an immediate division
of the supplies on hand. Greedy emphatically
refused. and when they further insisted he or
dered them out of his tent, weak as he was,
threatening to shoot them on the spot If they
didn't go, and theF1wen Every oficerof the
rellef expedition has expressed admiration for
Greely's pluck and management aud IL there is
any fight about the matter you may rest assured
that Greedy win hold his own. He is no fool
He will undoubtedly be- promoted, unless there
is strong opposition in high quarters Il,
The War Department authorities are taking
steps to ascertain the character Of the exhibition
made by Sergeants Long and Brainard and
Private Donneli at the museum at Cleveland.
If it is found that they are lecturing or are app
pearing In proper manner no notice will DO
taken of,their action.
General buffers Course.
New Yofkis pecial. -i \.