The Gaps
Investigations over nearly a century ago are nearly impossible to complete. Everything- from the memories to the technology- have changed so drastically that it becomes near impossible to sift through the moments to achieve a conclusive answer. It's a challenge that many historians today face- and without absolute certainty, nobody can answer definitively. It is why historians often are called interpreters, as they piece together the world through the evidence, to interpret the history.
In this case- the Historian writings around the case trump the media of it at the time. There appears only to be snippets of news-articles that cover the case of the Polaris during the time, and the aftermath of them, however- Historians sifting through the accounts and recollections of letters and memoirs have stumbled upon a possible motive for Emil Bessels; that being, a love triangle between him, Charles Francis Hall, and Miss Ream- whom seemed to have the affection of both men. Professor Potter- of Radeska's article "Murder Mystery: Captain Charles Francis Hall Died of Arsenic Poisoning on Way to North Pole: The Vintage News." studied Miss Ream's autobiography, deducing that this may be the possible motive. (Radeska)
This is only speculation, however- over the research on her biography. Outside of that motive- and the Arsenic used to kill Charles being something that Naturalists like Emil would bring on the expedition, there is no way of knowing if this is even correct- or if someone else had done the deed simply to presumably save themselves from what the crew thought was a doomed expedition. It could've even been a collaborative effort- a mutiny by the crew. Nobody is certain- but historians today, mimicking the voices of bystanders at the time, put their suspicion on Emil Bessels as the likely culprit. The answer is unfortunately, forever lost to time...
1. Radeska, Tijana. “Murder Mystery: Captain Charles Francis Hall Died of Arsenic Poisoning on Way to North Pole: The Vintage News.” Thevintagenews, 10 Oct. 2017, www.thevintagenews.com/2017/10/11/murder-mystery-captain-charles-francis-hall-died-of-arsenic-poisoning-on-way-to-north-pole/.
In this case- the Historian writings around the case trump the media of it at the time. There appears only to be snippets of news-articles that cover the case of the Polaris during the time, and the aftermath of them, however- Historians sifting through the accounts and recollections of letters and memoirs have stumbled upon a possible motive for Emil Bessels; that being, a love triangle between him, Charles Francis Hall, and Miss Ream- whom seemed to have the affection of both men. Professor Potter- of Radeska's article "Murder Mystery: Captain Charles Francis Hall Died of Arsenic Poisoning on Way to North Pole: The Vintage News." studied Miss Ream's autobiography, deducing that this may be the possible motive. (Radeska)
This is only speculation, however- over the research on her biography. Outside of that motive- and the Arsenic used to kill Charles being something that Naturalists like Emil would bring on the expedition, there is no way of knowing if this is even correct- or if someone else had done the deed simply to presumably save themselves from what the crew thought was a doomed expedition. It could've even been a collaborative effort- a mutiny by the crew. Nobody is certain- but historians today, mimicking the voices of bystanders at the time, put their suspicion on Emil Bessels as the likely culprit. The answer is unfortunately, forever lost to time...
1. Radeska, Tijana. “Murder Mystery: Captain Charles Francis Hall Died of Arsenic Poisoning on Way to North Pole: The Vintage News.” Thevintagenews, 10 Oct. 2017, www.thevintagenews.com/2017/10/11/murder-mystery-captain-charles-francis-hall-died-of-arsenic-poisoning-on-way-to-north-pole/.
