Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-08-20
HENRY's REMAINS.

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HENRY's REMAINS.
New YORK, Aug. 13.-The New York
Times says that the remains Of Private
Charles B. Henry, who was shot at the
Greedy camp on Smiths Sound, June
6, at the time the survivors were re-
duced 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 scarce anything left but pile of
glistening bones, stripped of nearly
every trace of flesh except some of the
lower part of the trunk. The head was
missing and could not be fonnd, SO that
it was at first supposed that the remains
were those of DR.. Pavy. The bones
were placed in bag for removal to the
Bear, with the remains of six others of
the il-fated expedition. On board thoy
were deposited in little box about two
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 deter
mined to remove all suspicion
of the terrible scenes of canni-
balism enacted at the camp on Cape
Sabine and prepared the bones
for burial. Sticks of wood were pro-
cured, and to these, fitted to the proper
length, the bones were tied until all
were as nearly in place as it was posi-
BILE to get them. The head was missing,
and q block of wood was made to do
duty in it's place. Then this framework
in the shape of a man was tied to q
plank and wound with cotton cloth as
the other bodies had been. Hwas then
surreptitiously placed in one of the
alcohol-flled tanks with some of the
others. It was this skillfuliy-made
package, resembling a human body,
that was lifted into q coffin at St. Johns
and marked ."Private Charles B.
Henry" It was this bundle of wood
that was brought to New York, claimed
by 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 human-ike re-
mains at st. Johns had any suspicion
that there was one of the bundles which
was largely made of wood. That
the bones were so cleanly stripped of
flesh leads to but one conclusion. There
was no game about the camp on Smiths
Sound, excepting few foxes, hares and
ptarmigan. There were no carnivorous
ANIMALS, as the records of the relief ex-
pedition show, to disturb the remains
of the dead, neither did they decay.
The flesh that remained on the frames
of the men longest dead had not rotted
or fallen away. Sergt. Cross, the first Of
the party who died, passed away January
18. he was large man, and when
taken from the shallow grave his body
was found heavier than any of the
others. The flesh was quite firm, and
showed no signs of decay, excepting a
portion of one hand, which was slightly
discolored. Yet of Private Henry, who
died only sixteen days before the relief
party arrived, there was nothing left
but q few feshless bones. The
head had probably been thrown into
the sea to prevent Identification when
the truth should be known, as it was
sure to be some time, whether rescue
came or not. In this work of the officers
of the Bear it was not possible to re-
move all traces of the bullet by which
Henry met his death, for more was
left of the trunk than any other portion.
Flesh was cut from the bodies of the
other dead as the pangs of hunger grew
too strong for the survivors: But with
Henry, freshly killed for attempting to
steal an extra share of rations, it was
different. The men cooked and ate the
flesh, and by this means life was sus-
tanned until rescue came.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 14.-Following is
Lieut.. Greely's official report of the ex-
ecution of Private Henry:
PORTSMOUTH, N. H., Aug. 11:.AD5g-
G4Sa Ghst G5snaA 5;ena Officer, 1 i T. a s. &sgS: &osga
I have the honor to report that on
June 6, 1884, at Camp Clay, near Cape Sabine,
order the military execution of Private Chas.
B. Henry, Fifth Cavalry, for continued thiev-
ing. The order was gwen in writing, on my
undivided responsibility. being deemed abso-
luteIy essential for the safety Of the surviving
members of the expedition. Ten had already
point Of death. The facts inducing
my action were as follows: Pro
visions had been stolen in November, 1888,
and Henry's completely therein was more than
suspected. March "a, 1884, the party nearly
perished 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
vas not only seen by the Eskimo Jens Edwards,
but his stomach being overloaded he threw
up undigested bacon. An open investigation
was held and every member Of the party de-
clared him guilty of this and other thefts. A
clamor for his life was raised, but was re-
pressed by me. Iput him under surveillance
until our waning strength rendered his
physical services indispensable. Later
he was found one day intoxi-
Gated, having stolen liquor on hand for gen.
eral issue. Asecond time bis life WAS demand
ed but I again spared him. On June thefts
ported to me, I had a conversation with
him in which l appealed to his practical
sense, pointing out that it was necessary
to our preservation. He promised entire re-
formation, but distrusting him I issued writ
ten order that he should be shot if detected IN
stealing. On June he not only stole parto f
the shrimps for onr breakfast, but visiting un-
| authorized our winter camp stole certain seal
skin reserved for food. I then ordered him
shot. On his person was found silver ehono-
graph abandoned by me at Fort -Conger
and stolen by him: Ia his Dag was was
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of seal-skin boot stolen few days before from
the hunter. Suspecting completely on the part
of several ordered his execution by three OF
the most reliable men. After his death the or
der was read to the entire party, and concurred
in by every member as being not only just but
essential to our safety. To avoid public scan
dal, ordered that no man should speak of
this matter until official report was made OF the
facts.
have the honor to request that court Of
inquiry be ordered, or court martial convened,
should the honorable secretary of war deem
either advisable. In this case have thought
it best not to ask the written statements OF
surviving members of the party for append
les to this report, lest I might seem
to be tampering with them. have not asked
since our rescue, June %, whether their opin-
ions concurring in my actions have changed or
not, leaving such questions to your
action if deemed requisite. I naturally regret
that circumstances imposed such terrible re-
sponsibility upon me, but an conscious that
should have failed in my duty to the rest of my
party had not acted promptly and sumrnarily.
A. w. GREELY,
| First Lieut.. Fifth Cavalry.
| A LADY in suburban town was
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