Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-12-06
THE GREEDY EXPEDITION.
The Facts In Regard to the Charges OF Cal
nibalfsm Made In 1884.

49, - = -
rhe Facts In Regard to the Charges of Cam
nibaIism Made In 1884.
OF the twenty-five persons composing
the party of Lieutenant A. w. Greedy,
known as the Lady Franklin Bay Ex-
petition, there were rescued June ~.
1884, by the relief party under Com
mander w. S. Schley. the following
named persons: Lieutenant Greedy,
Sergeant Brainard. Sergeant Freder-
icks, Sergeant Long, Sergeant Ellison.
Hospital Steward Beiderbach and Pri-
vate Cornell. Sergeant Ellison had
lost both hands and feet by frost-bite,
aud died July 6. three days after am
putation, which had become impera-
tive. Lieutenant Kislingbury died in
June, Lieutenant Lockwood in April,
and the rest OF the party who succumbed
to the rigor5 of the climate and starva-
ton died betw cen January /, 1884, and
the time OF the rescue of the remnant
Five OF the bodies of the deceased men,
bers OF the expedition had been buried
In the ice, but the winds and currents
had swept them out to sea and they
were never recovered. One of the
two Esquimaux was drowned while
sealing to get food for the explorers,
and the other died of starvation.
One Of the party was shot by order
of Lieutenant Greedy. There were
eleven bodies brought back to the
United States. The remains of Lieu
tenant Lockwood were sent to friends
at Annapolis; of Lieutenant Kisling-
bury to Rochester. N Y; of Sergeant
Jewell to Kalamazoo, Mich; OF Ser
geant Linn to Philadelphia; of Ser
Sergeant Ellison to Pottsvlle. Pa; of
Private Whistler to Delphi, Ind; of
Private Ellis, to Clyde. N. Y. and the
bodies Of Privates Schn elder and
Henry were not claimed by any rela-
tives or friends and we're sent to Cy-
press Hills Cemetery for interment.
These burials took place in the early
part Of the month of August, 1884. 1t
was not long after their arrival and in
terment before profound and painful
sensation was created thro ughout the
United States by the publication of a
story to the effect that some of the sur
vivors had practiced cannibalism. 1t
was reported that when the remains
OF the dead members of the Greedy ex-
petition were found by the rescuers
several Of the bodies showed that the
the heshy portions had been cut
away. The painful impression which
these rumors made was not re-
moved, but rather str enlightened by
the reticence of the survivors of the ex-
pedition, excepting Lieutenant Greedy,
Who publicly declared that if the sur
vivors had consumed any of the re-
mains of the dead. he was not aware
of it. So intense was the feeling thus
created that the remains of Lieutenant
Kislingbury we're disinterred and ex
amineu by medical experts, who stated
that the reports as to the removal Of
parts OF the fleshy portions of the bod
les were true. Commander Schley, il
his official report, said:
''In preparing the bodies of the deaG
John, it was found that six of them
Lieutenant Kislingbury, Sergeantl
Jewell and Ralston, and Privatei
Whistler. Henry and Ellis had beef
cut, and the fleshy parts removed to {
greater or less extent. All other bod
les were found intact" Lieutenan
Greedy made report in regard to tn,
death of Private Henry, in which h,
stated that Henry had been shot by hi
(Greely's) orders, and after repeated
demands of the men, for persistent,
stealing from the meager supply of pro
visions on which the lives of the sur
vivors all depended. Lieutenant Greel,
ask ed that there be court martial o
court of inquiry in regard to the mat
ter, but the Secretary of War did no
deem it necessary and the matter ha
rested there. -Chicago Inter Ocean.