Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-03-03

since as acknowledged to me. tempered
| with seal thongs If not other food at the
old camp. This pertinacity and audacity
! IS the destruction of the party IL not at
| once ended. Private Henry will be shot
| today. all care being taken to prevent his
! tnturing 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 it is sim
ply announced that shots were heard
about o'clock, and later the order
was read to the general party The
manner in 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 considera ton that at this
time the party had left only one serv-
iceable 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
sergeapts and the commander. Two
Of the sergeantS remained in the VI
cinity 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 nc
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, bad
decided that Henry should be made To 4
stoop to pick up something and that IA
then he should be shot from behind.
At least one Of the sergeants had no
more compunction about killing him
than he would have had about killing
a mad dog.
.'But one of the other two men
weakened at the last moment. To
shoot a man in 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
stand. 1t was mistake that nearly
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 rife at Il 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 AK lay on the ground. Hen
rvs gaze. searching the ground. en-
countered the ak. He sprang for u.
A warning cry was raised. The SER
geaut who stood near the AK jumped
and got his foot on It almost as Henry
was upon him. There WAS a cry or
Quick. Even then there was danger
of the executioner shooting his fellow
sergeant if his aim was the least I'M
steady.
.But despite all he had been through
the aim OF the executioner was true.
The rife cracked. and the bullet sped.
penetrating the breast OF the man for
whom it was intended when 1t was
nodded Henry whirled. crying: You
have tricbed me. You have tricked
mer Again the rifle cracked. The
second bullet went through Henry's
head. and he fell dead