St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-04-17
TEE JEANETTE INQUIRY.
Witnesses Testify That Most of De
Longs Party Might Have Been
Savnd

WASHINGTON, April 16.-Before the Jean
nette committee to-day, seaman Ninder-
mann, of belongs boats crew, related the
circumstances Of his leaving belongs party
in the Lena delta and going ahead in search
of help. Witness said Collins asked permits
sion Of DeLong to go ahead with witness
and Noros, but was refused, the captain say
ing to Collins: IF you should 90 You
wouldn't get five miles from camp" Collins,
in the judgment of the witness was at that
time in good physical condition. as good as
witness himself. \ number Of other mem
berS Of Belongs party wanted to 90 ahead
with witness and Noro>. Those vino were in
as good a physical condition as witness would
have gotten through to a place of safety if
they had taken the same course and chances
which witness did. Witness thought when
DeLong found himself giving out he should
have given his men chance to save them
selves. Melville told witness that the officers
had poison with them to kill themselves with
when all hope was abandoned. In saving
this, witness smiled little, as if he did not
at any time regard this suggestion of suicide
as serious
Witness was then questioned in regard TO
finding the bodies of Captain belong and
comrades in the Lena delta. He said he was
present when the bodies were discovered 1t
was evident from the appearance of Dr.
Ambler's body, that before he died he had
bitten into his left hand and sucked his own
blood. His hand was at his mouth and bore
wounds from his teeth. The finger and toes
Of some Of the other dead men had apparent
ly been burned off. Witness thought they
must have fallen into the fire while trying to
get warm, or have crawled too close to it and
afterwards have been too weak to get AWAY
Fireman Bartlett was recalled and testi-
fed that Melville told him on one occasion.
that all tine officers had doses of poison pre-
pared by the doctor to be taken in the last
extremity, but his, Mellville's had all dis
solved. Witness knew there had been
trouble between Newcomb and It. Dancn-
hover. On one occasion during the retreat.
he had seen 1t Danenhower assault New
comb, throw him down in the bottom of the
boat and choke him.
Seaman Noros testified that the first
knowledge he had of i'll feeling between Mel
vile and Collins was on one occasion before
the ship entered the ice, when belong, Mel
vile, Collins and other officers. and "a boat
crew, lncludlng witness, went TO visit an
island belong, Collins, and others landed,
and Melville remained in the boat Collins.
Willie climbing hill in sight Of the boat.
stumbled and fell, whcreupon Melville cried
out, ''Look at the id Irish cown At one
ime there was talk Of deposing belong, and
placing 1t. Chipp in charge Of the party.
In reply to further questions the witness
said he thought Melville had failed in his
duty toward De Longs party. He believed
it would have been possible to reach Bulun
and then, possibly, some Of De Longs party
might have been found alive.
Representative McAdoo-':If strict disci-
pine had been relaxed in De Longs party,
and the men were allowed to save them
selves, do you think the result would have
been different"
eyes, sir, 1 do. think some of them
would have got through Adjourned.