The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-03-02
HENRY The Thief.
The Black Heart of the GreeIy
Arctic Expedition.
STORY OF HIS EXECUTION.
The Order Issued by the Emaeiated
Commander and the Way II Was
Carried Out-The Rifle Shot That
Put an End TO the Traitor.

Nonmanoer ana tne way IL was
Carried Out-The Rifle Shot That
Put an End to the Traitor.
One OF the many tragedies Of the
Greedy arctic expedition was the exc
cution OF Private Henry. who had been
caught time after time stealing food
from the scant store of the starving
party Henry alone was strong and
active, thanks TO the stolen food and
to the fact that he did no labor he
could possibly shirk.
Lieutenant Greedy had warned and
warned Henry and had punished him.
but TO no avail, ana finally. after par
ticularly desplcable act OF theft. the
commander. in fear that Henrys
course would cause n general raid on
the store of food and thus bring about
the destruction Of the whole party.
condemned Henry TO death.
The story Of the execution. which
makes n new page I'm history. Is told
in the American Magazine by Frank
Il. Copley. who got his data direct
from the survivors OF the expedition.
He writes:
"All his lethargy gone, Greedy dis
missed the man, seized pencil and pa
per and. with trembling. emaciated
fingers. wrote:
"Ncar Cape Sabine, June G. 1854
"Sergeants Brainard, Long and Frederick:
Notwithstanding promises given by
Private 9. Il. Horny yesterday. he has
since. as acknowledged 10 me. tempered
with seal thongs II not other food at the
old camp. This pertnacity and audacity
is the destruction Of the party II not at
once ended. Private Henry viii be shot
today all care being taken to prevent his
iniuring any one. as his physical strength
Is greater than that OF any two men.
Decide the manner Of his death by two
ball and one blank cartridge. This order
is imperative and absolutely necessary for
any chance of life. A. w. GREELY."
I'm the official report OF the Lady
Franklin bay expedition 1t is sim
ply announced that shots were heard
about . o'clock. and later the order
was read TO the general party The
manner I'm which the order was ex-
ecuted here appears for the first time.
"Sergeants Brainard, Long and Fred.
erick could not. as ordered, decide the
manner of death by two ball and one
blank cartridge Greedy had failed
TO take into consideration that at this
time the party had left only one serv-
iceabe rifle.
'"The three sergeants drew lots to
see who would do the shooting. When
they had done so they bound them
selves with an oath that the identity
of the man thus chosen never should
be revealed.
"Henry was at the tent on Cemetery
ridge with all the other men when
the time for putting him to death
came. What was to take place. of
course. was known only to the three
sergeants and the commander. Two
of the sergeants remained i'm the vi
entity of the old hut, while the third
went to the tent to bring Henry down.
'The man who went for Henry told
him that he was wanted at the old
camp TO help carry up some more of
the supplies that had been left there
Suspecting nothing. Henry readily ac-
companied the sergeant to the place
chosen for putting him to death.
"Now, Greedy had repeatedly eau
toned the three sergeants to take no
chances on Henry's getting away, for.
although none at Cape Sabine knew
the mans past history. enough Of the
mans black soul had been revealed to
make his comrades feel that no crime
could be put past him.
$50 Brainard. Long and Frederick,
cautioned by their commander and
warned by their own knowledge of the
man with whom they had TO deal. had
decided that Henry should be made to
stoop TO pick up something and that
then he should be shot from behind.
At least one of the sergeants had no
more conjunction about killing him
than he would have had about killing
mad dog.
"But one of the other two men
weakened at the last moment. To
shoot man I'm cold blood from be-
hind. to send him into eternity with
no opportunity to compose his soul.
was too terrible n thing for him to
II was ~ lllNiuht mat nNdl
proved disastrous.
Henry was told face to face that
he was TO be put to death in accord
ance with the order of the commander,
and he was advised to kneel and
make his peace with his God. At the
same time the executioner appeared
with his rifle at n convenient distance
before the doomed mans eyes
"Henry stood agape. He muttered
something about something not being
right. Near where the third sergeant
stood an ax lay on the ground. Hem
RVS gaze. searching the ground, en-
countered the AK. He sprang for It.
A warning cry was raised. The ser.
geant who stood near the AK jumped
and got his foot on It almost as Henry
was upon him. There was cry Of
Quick Even then there was danger
OF the executioner shooting his fellow
sergeant IL his aim was the least un-
steady.
But despite all he had been through
the aim of the executioner was true.
The rifle cracked. and the bullet sped,
penetrating the breast of the man for
whom II was intended when II was
nodded Henry whirled. crying; You
have triclcd me. You have tricked
a.t.. tI,a rfaa nro.l~nH ust.o