The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1890-03-29
THE cREeLY EXPEDITION.

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THE cREELy EXPEDITION.
The Facts In Regard to the Charges OF Csn-
nIbalism Made In 1854.
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 20.
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 Connell- Sergeant Ellison had
lost both hands and feet by FROST bite.
and died July 6. three days after am
putation, which had become impera-
tive. Lieutenant Kislinghury died in
June, Lieutenant Lockwood In April,
and the rest of the party who succumbed
to the rigors Of the climate and starva-
ton died betw cen January 1, 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 tho
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 Kisiing-
bury to Rochester. N. r.; of Sergeant
Jewell to Kalamazoo. Mich. of Ser
geant Linn to Philadelphia; of Ser
geant Ralston to Howard, Ohio; Of
Sergeant Ellison to Pottsville. 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 were sent to Cy-
press Hills Cemetery for interment.
These burials took place in the early
part of the month of August, 1884. II
was not long after their arrival and in.
terment before a 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. II
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 deshy 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.
petition, 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 thut
created that the remains of Lieutenant
Kislingbury we're disinterred and ex.
amined by medical experts. who stated
that the reports as to the removal of
parts OF the fieshy portions OF the bod
les were true. Commander Schley, In
his official report. said:
I'm preparing the bodies OF the dead
for transportation in alcohol to ST.
John, it was found that six Of them,
Lieutenant Kislingbury. Sorgeants
Jewell and Ralston, and Privates
Whistler. Henry and Ellis had been
cut. and the fieshy parts removed 70 q
greater or less extent. All other bod
les were found intact" Lieutenant
Greedy made report in regard to the
death of Private Henry, in which he
stated that Henry had been shot by HIS
(Greely's) orders, and after repeated
demands of the men. for persistently
stealing from the meager supply Of pro-
visions on which the lives of the sur
vivors all depended. Lieutenant Greedy
ask ed that there be court martial or
court of inquiry in regard to the mat
ter, but the Secretary Of War did not
deem it necessary and the matter has
rested Chicago Inter Ocean.