The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1892-10-04
Is HE ALIVE ?
Where ia verhoeff, Who Was Reported
Dead by penry?


Several Gentlemen acquainted with the sit
nation ana conditions Of the Peary eXped-
ton to North Greenland entertain the belief
that Mr. Ncrhoetf who is reported dead by
Lieutenant Peary is still living. The Phla-
dclphia Inquirer has interview with Dr.
William Il. Hughes. who sailed with the party
rs far McCormickS bay. Dr hughes
says
"yorhocfT contributed 81 600 TO the Peary
fund The lieutenant himself putting in $1,000.
This contribution by the headStrong young
man was on condition that he was to be Lieu
tenant Peary's companion on the trip north,
covering some thirteen hundred miles. There
was very shortly misunderstanding, though,
1 aud at Sidney, Cape Breton island, their coal
ing station, Verhoef was about to leave Lieu
tenant Peary hedging on the question of
companion"
Dr. Hughes adds:
| "The result OF the trouble was that Peary
went north accompanied not by Nerhoef, but
by Astrup. and Nerhoef did not attain the OBJ
ject for which he contributed the $1,000. Th0t
said DR.. Hughes, is seen from the letter OF
Pcary 10 the New York paper. lie reCOunts
the principal incidents of the trip, and the
only time that Ferhoeh'S name Is mentioned
In connection with the explorations is on
! September T. 1891, where he made short
tour with several companions, ana returned
III Il few days. The rest OF the party con-
tinued their work and Ferhoen remained in
camp The only other mention of him is In
regard to his disappearance"
Dr. Hughes thinks that the bitter dfsap-
pointment at the failure of his plans has led
Nerh0cfr TO seek the EsklmOs. with whom he
claimed he could live, often chewing blubber
in order TO become accustomed TO their habits
snd methods Of life The story is made more
plausible because Verhoeff disappeared the
day before the expedition was TO leave Nc
Cornick bay, and that he could not he found
was due TO the fact that he had hidden him
self He did not consult the members of the
party about his plans because he felt too in
different to their views and would have
! 10 them bpVOud
absolutely unavoidable. 1t is cOnjectured,
then, that he has gone to friendly tribe OF
teen and another about twenty miles from the
bay. Both are of easy access, about days
Journey. and VerhOcff could get back without
The slightest trouble by catching whaler off
Cape York, after he had finished his own in
vestigation, which his trouble with Peary had
Verioeff Sent a Message Home.
From The Philadelphia Enquirer.
From one of the crew Of the Kite Miss Mat.
tie VerhOef has received a message from her
brother that convinces her that his disappear
| ance was planned.
Before going his trip inland Verhoeff
took the sailor aside and said to him: when
the Kite goes back if l am not with 1t, tele-
graph to my sister at Louisville. She will
meet you, and you tell her that am all right"
so great was the obligation Of secrecy laid
on all by Captain Pike, the man did not de-
liver this until he was absolutely sure he
would not be detected. At its receipt Miss
Verhoeff was than ever convinced that
her brother will return.
She has been under such strain for the last
few days that her friends fear an attack of
nervous prostration will follow. Her brief,
sharp interview with the lieutenant on the
deck of the Kite shows how OVer-eXciteu she
| is Like her brother however she Is nothing,
If not preserving, and she is determined that
the hasty homecoming of the Kite shall not
be overlooked when the official inquiries are
made about the voyage.
No Blasphemous Names Permitted.
Seattle Wash, September 23.-The acting
commissioner of the general land office has adj
ministered a rebuke to the class of prospec.
tors who make Il practice of showing their
love of blasphemy in naming their claims.
Two woudbe humorists in the Okanogan
district recently named their claims the Holy
Moses" and the Jumping Jesus and made
filings under those names The register and
receiver Of the Waterville land Office have just
received letters from the acting commissioner
saying that these names have been stricken
! from the certificate and receipt and will not
| be mentioned in the patent when issued being
| rn1 acnhp pnnc md ind hIt lint