Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-08-21

men reduced to desperation by hunger, and
under no other circumstances could we be-
lieve that men would commit such an act.
The body of Lieut.. Kislingbury was ex-
humed after interment at Rochester, and a
post mortem examination revealed that his
death was caused by starvation, and that
the flesh had been cut from his bones.
| In the light of the stories of cannibalism,
reaching the public as they did, it may be
difficult for Lieutenant Greedy or any of the
other survivors to impress the country with
the idea that Private Henry was shot by
his order for continued thieving. The fol-
lowing is the official report in full of the eX-
ecution of the extreme martial penalty on
Private Henry, bearing date, Portsmouth,
n. H., August l4th, and addressed to the Ad-
jutant General of the United States Army:
I have the honor to report that on June
9th, 1883, at Camp Clay, near Cape Sabine,
Grinnell Land, it became necessary for me
to order the military execution of Private
Chares B. Henry, Fifth Cavalry, for contin-
ued thieving. The order was given in writ
ing on my undivided responsibility, being
deemed absolutely essential for the safety
of the surviving members of the expedi-
ton. Ten had already died of starvation
and two more lay at the point of death.
The facts inducing my action were as fol-
lows: Provisions had been stolen in No.
vember, 1883, and Henry's completely there
in was more than suspected. March "a,
1884, the party nearly perished from as
phyxia. While several of the 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 Esqui-
maux, JenseWards, but, his stomach being
overloaded 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, put was re-
pressed by me. put him under surveil-
lance until our waning strength rendered
his physical services indispensable. Later
he was found one day intoxicated, having
stolen the liquor on hand for general issue.
A second time his life was demanded, but l
again spared it. On June 5th, thefts of pro-
visions on his part having been reported
to me, I had conversation with him, in
which L appealed to his practical sense,
pointing out that union was necessary to
our preservation. He promised entire re-
written order that he should be shot if de-
tected in stealing. On June 9Th he not only
stole part of the shrimps for our breakfast,
but visiting at an unauthorized hour the
winter camp stole certain sealskins reserved
for food. then ordered him shot. On his
person was found silver chronograph aban-
doned by me at Fort Conger and stolen by
him. In his bag was found large quantity
Of sealskin and a pair OF sealskln boots
stolen a few days before from the hunter.
Suspecting completely on the part OF several,
I ordered his execution by three of the
most eligible men. After his death the
order was read to the entire party and was
concurred in by every member as being not
only Just, but as essential to our safety. TO
avoid public scandal, I ordered that no man
should speak Of this matter until an official
report was made of all 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 state
ments of the surviving members of the
party for appendices to this report, lest |
might seem to be tampering with them. L
have not asked, since our rescue, June 22d,
whether their opinions concurring in my
action have changed or not, leaving such
questions to your action ifdeemed requisite.
| necessarily regret that circumstances i'm
posed such terrible responsibility upon me,
| but am conscious that l should have fail
ed in my duty to the rest of my party had |
not acted promptly and summarily. am,
respectfully yours, A. w. GREELY,
First Lieutenant Fifth Cavalry, A. S. o."
and Assist. Com. of l.. F. B. Expedition.
In an interview last Saturday, Lieut.
Greely said as to the reports of divisions in
the expedition "In regard to the story OF
two factions, with Lieut.. Kislingbury in
charge of the opposition, I will say that the
rumOr is totally false, having no foundation
whatever. The trouble between Kisling-
bury and myself occurred in 1881, the year
of the expedition. He desired to be reliev-
ed from duty, and / not wishing to retain
man against his will, although had the
power so to do, gave him his liberty. 1t is
my impression that he desired to return to
the United States. He went southWard, but
the P'otelts was sunk and he returned to
duty. treated him as though nothing had
happened, and recently when Lockwood
died l gave Kislingbury the second place in
the expedition.
Kislingbury's body 2" asked the reporter.
''I say that it is news and horrible news to
me. All these later disclosures and terrible
charges come upon me with awful sudden
ness. can truthfully say that I have suf-
fered more mental anguish these last few
days than 1 did in all my sojourn at the
north, when the chances were one hundred
to one against me. l can but repeat that if
there was any cannibalism, and there now
seems to be no doubt about it, the man-eat-
ing was done in secrecy and entirely with
out my knowledge and contrary to my dis
cipline / can give no stronger denial: |
have demanded an Investigation, and it
will come in time, but can say nothing
more than have already stated. All my
papers and Kislingbury' diary, LockWood's 8
diary and in fact every scrap of paper relat-
ing to the expedition, are in charge of the
war department at Washington. The crew
of the IHetis can testify that the body of the
last man dead, Schneider, was not mutilated
in any way, and the fact that we kept Eli
son alive in the hopeless state we were in
ought to convince anybody that we are not
cannibals. Since my return from NeWbury-
port every one of my men have called upon
me. They came in a body and assured me
emphatically that they knew nothing about
the condition of the bodies of their fallen
comrades, and each solemnly swore that he
was innocent. Perhaps those who died last
fed upon the bodies of those who died be-
fore, but all this is supposition. I can but
answer for myself and for my orders to the
party. For days and weeks l lay on my
back unable to move. If in my enfeebled
condition one or more of my men fed upon
human flesh it was beyond my control, and