Middletown transcript., 1911-05-20
HENRY THE THIEF
The Black Heart of the GreeIy
Arctic ExpeditiOn

arctic expedition was the execution OF
Private Henry, who had been caught time
after time stealing food from the seant
store of the starving party. Henry alone
was strong and active, thanks TO the
stolen food and to the fact that be did no
labor be could, possibly shirk.
Lieutenant Greedy had warned and
warned Henry and had punished him,
but to no avail, and finally, after a par
ticularly despicable act of theft the com.
mander in fear that Henry's course
would cause a general raid on the store
OF food and bring about the destruction
OF the whole party, condemned Henry to
death,
The story of the execution, which
makes new page in history, is told in
the AMERICAN Magazine bJyt By Frank Frank CeP-
ley, who got his data direct from the
survivors of the expedition. He writes:
"All his lethargy gone, Greedy dismissed
the man, seized pencil and paper and,
with trembling, emaciated fingers, wrote:
''Near Cape Sabine, June s, 1884.
''Sergeants Brainard, Long and Fred
erick:
Notwithstanding promises given by
Private G. B. Henry yesterday he has
since, as acknowledged to me, tampered
with seal thongs if not other food at the
old camp. This pertinacity and audacity
is the destruction of the party if not at
once ended. Private Henry will be shot
today, all care being taken to prevent his
iDjuring any one, as bis physical strength
is greater than that of any two men. De-
eide the manner of his death by two ball
and one blank cartridge. This order is
imperative and absolutely necessary for
any chance of life.
ga. W. Greely."
SIN the official report of the Lady
franklin bay expedition it is simply
announced that shots were heard about
2 o'clock, and later the order was read to
the general party. The manner in which
the order was executed here appears for
the first time.
''Sergeants Brainard, Long and Freder.
ick 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 serViceable
rife.
The three sergeants drew lots to see
who would do the shooting. When they
had done o-they bound themselves 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 three sergeants and the comman.
der. Two of the sergesnts remained in
the vicinity 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 accompanied the
sergeant to the place chosen for putting
him to death.
Now, GteeIy had repeatedly cautioned
the three sergeants to take no chances on
Henry's getting away, for, although none
at Cape Sabine knew the mans past his
tory, enough Of the mans black soul bad
been revealed to make his comrades feel
that no crime could be put past him.
$50 Brainard, Long Frederick, caution
ed 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
ND something and that then be should be
shot from behind. At least one OF the
sergeants had no more compunction about
killing him than he would about killing
mad dog. -,
But one o1 the ofnsr iEzo men weaken
ed at the LASS moment. To shoot a man
in cold blood from behind, to send him
into eternity with no opportunity to COM
pose his soul, was too terrible thing for
him to stand. Ii was mistake that
nearly proved disEstrohs.
Henry was told face to face that he
was to be put to death in accordance with
the order Of the commander, and he was
advised to kneel and make bis peace
with his God. At the same time the
executioner appeared with his rifle at
convenient distance before the doomed
"Henry stood agape. He muttered
something about something not being
right. Near where the third sergeant
stood an ak lay on the ground. Henry's
gaze, searching the ground, encountered
the ak. He sprang for it. A warning
cry was raised. The sergent who stood
near the ak jumped and got bis foot on it
almost as Henry was upon him. There
was a cry of "QuickP' Even then there
was danger of the executioner shooting
his fellow sergeant if his aim. was the
least unsteady.
But despite all he had been through
the aim of the executioner was true. The
rifle cracked, and the bullet sped,
the breast of the man Tor
whom it was intended when it was
nodded. Henry whirled, crying: "You
have tricked mel You have trickea
mel! Again the rifle cracked. The
second bullet went through Henry's
I'll i.