The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-04
DID NANSEN FIND TREP0LE?''
A Claim That John N. NerhOeff Is
the DiScOverer.
WHAT LIEUTENANT PEARY SAYS
Sartlins Story About the Young Seieu-
lists Wonderful Purpose in Joining
Peary-Livsd Like tho EskimOs.
Ho Mysteriously Disappears.

New York, March 3.-Has the north
pole been discovered by an American?
There is some ground for this seeming
ly senseless question. Lieutenant Peary,
the arctic explorer, has been inter-
viewed at his home in Brooklyn con-
cerning the remarkable claim that u
is young John NJ. Verhoeff, and not DR..
Nansen, who has discov cred the north
pole. Peary says that on Aug. II, lS?2.
while on his first expedition, young
Verhoeff left the camp to look for min
eralogical specimens in the valley and
never returned. This was on the very
day Peary's ship, the Kite. was to sail
for home. A thorough search was
made for the young scien tist, but 1t was
unavailing. Not q trace OF him could
be found, and the Peary party believed
he had fallen into a crevasse in the gla-
cier and was killed Verhoeff's rela-
tives in Philadelphia claim they have
every reason to believe the young man
remained behind with the deliberate
intention Of assOciating himself with
the EskimOs. living as one OF them, and,
II he found 1t necessary. exiling him
self In the north until he had accom-
plished the dream Of his life-to wit,
the discovery of the north pole.
There Is every reason to believe that
young Verhoeff Is the real discoverer of
the pole, If it has been found. The cir
cumstantial evidence in the case points
that way. 1t Is known that for many
years he had waited for the opportunity
afforded him by the Peary expedition,
and had trained himself especially for
the solitary work before him. Some
thing Of his history and the events
which led uD to his engagement with
Lieutenant Peary will be of interest.
A ANNUnVy0 0SO
John M. Verhoeff was a Yale gradu
ate from the Sheffield Scientific School,
who had for several years been anX-
ious to make an arctic exploration be-
fore he Joined the Peary party. Yer
hoeff paid $1,000 toward the expenses
Of the expedition, and Joined the Kite,
which sailed from Brooklyn on June
g. 1892 The plan of Lieutenant Peary
was to make permanent winter quar-
ters as far north In Greenland as pos
sibls, and from this base OF supplies
to strike nOrthward over the inland Ice
cap at favorable season. with sledges
and dogs, to explore the northern coast
Of Greenland. and to get as near as
possible to the pole.
Verhoeff was remarkably odd and
eccentric man, while he was one Of the
most faithful and working men,
bers Of the party. But all his peculiar
actions bore toward one thing: The
desire to make a far northerly explora-
ton over the ice, and to prepare him
self for so doing in every possible way
He lived and ate with the Eskimos
when possible. he could support life ON
blubber and raw flesh: he Injured his
body to extremes of cold, and all these
things he did with this end In view
that IL he could so adapt himself to the
Eskimo life that he could sustain life
under exactly the same conditions as
the natives there was no reason why
he could not remain Independent Of any
expedition in the arctic regions for an
indefinite period and conduct explora-
tions as no man had ever done before
him. He would be a naturalized Es-
kimo-able to live with ice, to build an
"igloo,' or house; furs to wear, and raw
meat and blubber to eat. This was the
dream that filled the soul Of Verhoeff.
While the Kite was anchored in the
port OF Godhaven Verhoeff declared
that the water looked SO pleasant that
he would swim from the ship to the
shore and back again. Those who
heard the assertion tried to dissuade
HIM, pointing to the numerous icebergs
looming in every direction. Even when
ne stripped. all thought that single
plunge would serve to make him change
his mind. But he accomplished his
purpose. much to the admiration of the
natives. for whose sole benefit he did 1t.
MYSTERIoUSLY DISAPPEARS.
The story Of his mysterious dlsap-
pearance Is striking and interesting.
On Aug. Lieutenant Peary and Mrs.
Peary started with some Eskimos for
the head of Inglefield Gulf, at which
place Mr.. Verhoeff left them and went
m tho nrivafo avC,1rainv, fn PohortaOn
Bay, which, in the opinion at that time
Of nearly every member of the party,
In his death. The day fol-
lowing Peary's and Verhoeff's depart.
ure all of the members of the relief ex-
petition save one proceeded to the en-
trance of Inglefield Gulf, where they
for three days, hunting gather
ing botanical specimens and studying
the movements of glaciers.
The camping party returned to Nc
Corinick Bay shortly after midnight of
Aug. u. Early on the following day
Mr.. Gibson came back from hunt In
the Fire Glacier Valley. For the first
time 1t was now learned by the men,
bers of the relief expedition that Ver-
hoeff had separated from the party of
Peary in Inglefield Gulf.
II was ascertained that three days be-
fore Mr.. Verhoeff had appeared on the
shores of Mccormick Bay and Informed
Mr.. Gibson that he was going up the
valley to collect minerals and would be
gone two days. He then went his way,
but six hours later returned unexpect-
pdly and told Mr.. Gibson that as his
absence would probably be four days
Instead of two, not to wait for him, but
TO return to the Red Cliff House, and at
the expiration Of that time to send him