The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-16
WERE STARVING IN Alaska.
Two Men Near CannIbalism when TN
pacted Help Came,

ings experienced during the winter Of 1900
OF by isolated adventures and gold seekers.
The number of men who lost their lives
In the billiards no one will ever know. but
it is estimated that IL Is at least 200. OF
all stories of suffering the most remarkable
il perhaps that told by Joseph c. Thiery
and his surviving partner. John Huston.
On July 20. 1901, two prospectors, Wool
and Reich while ascending the Agripuk
River heard a cry Of For Gods sake, save
us; we are starving" from a man on the
bank. Landing, the man, ragged and
gaunt. led them to a deserted Eskimos'
igloo. On the ground outside lay the naked
corpse Of a man who had evidently died
Of starvation. The flesh from the right
thigh had been cut away and was even then
cooking in a tin pot, near by. Inside the
igloo was found another man apparently
dying OF starvation. For thirty-six days
the party had been starving and for the
last fifteen days their only food had been
n small snipe killed with their last shell.
The two survivors were brought TO Teller
and a later expedition brought in the body
of the dead man. A jury of six men was
impanelled by United States COMMISSIONS
Judge Galen and the following facts were
elected:
On April is a party Of five men. composed
Of Joseph C.. Thiery, John Huston, George
Dean, Albert Rhodes and Jack Nesbitt,
left Teller on a prospecting trip TO
the Arctic slope. ~Encountering storms,
Rhodes and Nesbitt left the party and re-
turned. The others continued on, finally
locating claims on Clara Greek in the Good
Hope mining district.
On June 5, being short OF provisions they
determined to go to Nome for fresh sup
plies. They had reached Portage Creek
when a violent snowstorm came. on and
they returned 10 camp to wait for more
favorable weather.
On June Is a fresh start was made. but
the delay had reduced their stock OF Pro
visions TO four loaves of bread. They
had a gun and nine loaded shells, with which
they hoped TO kill some game. Three oil
the shells subsequently proved worthless.
The second time they headed in the di'
rection of Burk Creek. When they lefi
camp the snow was eighteen feet deep
a thaw came on and soon the floods rem
dered progress impossible. They then
turned and followed the divide along the
American River, at times wading through
streams to their necks.
on the fifth day Huston was attacked
with malarial fever, and Dean, being a man
Of over 80. rapidly failed In strength
Through the constant urging OF Thlery
they travelled twenty-five hours a day,
and Thiery for three and four days at a
time took no sleep. Huston and Dean In
their misery urged him to leave them 70
their fate. but he replied that as long as life
remained lie would not desert them.
Finally Huston became so weak that
Thirrv was compelled TO take him on his
back and also carry the gun. For fifty
miles Thiery carried his human burden
until they reached a small deserted igloo
on the bank Of tho Agripuk River. Here
they decided to rest, trusting to attract
the attention Of some prospectors WHO
might bc following the river.
During the twcnty-one days OF their
wandering their only food had been the
four loaves of bread and five birds which
Thiery had killed. These they had eater
entire. all but the feathers. For severa
DAYS they tried eating willow buds, bu'
their stomacls refused TO digest them.
Then Thiery managed to kill a snipe
with the remaining shell, and for the sue
Ceeding ten days. until they were rescued
they were entirely without food. Huston
lay on his back entirely helpless, and Dear
was bordering on lmDeClllty. flnallN
Thiery concluded TO build n raft from th'
stunted willows which lined the bank
hut when after much labor the raft wa
launched II proved too heavy TO float,
One day near the igloo he noticed a white
object which the melting snow had un
covered. and which proved 70 be the body
Of an Eskimo, covered with hall -rotter
canvas. He conceived tho idea OF building
a canoe with the canvas. Securing II, h'
carried il "a the igloo. Huston had beer
a boat builder. and under his directions
Thiery set to work at his task.
Huston, lying helpless on his back. ex'
planned 10 him as best he could under the
circumstances how the willows should he
-. -. -, fHaffan In flFnn III u
the canoe was completed, but failure agar
was the result, for the rotten canvas was
so leakv that the boat was unable 10 sus'
tain even its own weight
For thirtv-three DAYS Thiery's will power
had sustained him but now the reaction
came and his powers weakened and he
lost hope. Dean being for a time in a
lucid condition. the three men held a con
srltation, and Dean dictated 10 Thiery his
diving message and will, and suggested
to the other two TO use his body as food.
At 3 A. NJ on July 20 Dean died, n al
s the two survivors concluded, as a last
resort. 10 use his flesh for food Thiery
carried the body outside the igloo and
cutting away the flesh from the right thigh
placed II in a pot on the fire and concluding
10 let il boil for "A couple OF hours. went
inside the igloo 10 attend 70 Huston. While
waiting he heard a voice. He remarked
"Dean has come to life again; what shall
we say to him now that he sees what we
have done to him?"
Then thev listened and heard another
voice. 1hiery thereupon went out of the
igloo and saw two men going toward a
boat nj the waters edge. He called 20
them TO come TO him, hut they refused,
saving there were too many mosquitoes,
He then shouted: For Gods sake save US
We are starving.
The Two mon thcreupon came running
% him and learning the condition of affairs,
lruugit food from their boat and cooked II
Tie meat over, n" two men were placed IN
NJ. hra' md taken down the river 10 Teller,
and q party was then formed 10 bring II
the body - Dean.
The juIy brought in a verdict in accord
ance with the foregoing facts. Thiery
alone was able "a give testimony, Huston
being too weakened to talk.
Tho two survivors were kindly cared FOL
bv the miners of Teller, and were soon
on the road to recovery.
MAKING NEU ORLEANS CLEAN,