The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-09-18
Tells His Version of
Controversy.
HOW TROUBLE STARTED
Claims Peary Conflscated His
Supplies at AnnatOk.
TRADED Them FOR SKINS
Asserts He Has Ample Proof to
Sustain His Claims.

on Board the Steamship Oscar H.,
at Sea, Sept. 1S-(Via Marconi wire
less telegraph to Cape Race, n. FL
Tell the people of America to have
the fullest confidence in my conquest
Of the pole. have records Of obser-
vations made by me which will prove
my claim. shall be glad again to
set my foot on American soil"
This was the brief message Dr.
5 Frederick A. Cook asked the Associ
ated Press to give TO his countrymen
as he nears home on the steamer os-
car ii, bound from Christiansand,
Norway, to New York. The Oscar II
IS due to arrive there some time next
Monday.
DR.. Cook discussed freely with the
Associated Press correspondent the
assertions of Commander Peaty that
he (Cook) had never reached the
north pole, and drew from him de-
tailed story of the causes that
brought about dissensions between
the two explorers.
When he departed for the north,
DR. Cook said, he left depot of pro.
visions at Annatok, north of Etah, in
charge of Rudolph Francke and sew
eral Eskimos. Francke had instruc-
tions to go south aboard a whaler
and return later. This he did. but
missed the returning vessel owing to
slight illness. He was then taken
aboard Peary's ship. the Roosevelt,
and proceeded north
Commander Peary found my sup.
ply depot at Annatok," Or. Cook con-
tinued, "and the Eskimos in charge
told him that | was dead which they
fully believed to be true at the time.
Peary placed two men in charge of
the depot, Boatswain Murphy and an
other Harry Whitney, the New IIa.
ven hunter, also remained there.
Murphy had orders not to search for
me, but was told he could send Eski-
mos northward the following spring
from the relief depot.
when / returned from the pole,
Unexpectedly, Harry Whitney was the
first to see me and to tell me what
had occurred. Whitney was placed
in possession Of the facts concerning
my journey to the pole, on condition
that he would not inform Commander
Peary or his men of them. At the
same time the Eskimos who had ac-
companied me north were told 10
maintain strict silence.
when / went into the depot there
was a dispute between myself and
Murphy, who delivered TO me written
instructions he had received from
Peary although he himself could mel
ther read nor write. These instruc-
tions showed that he was making a
trading station OF my depot, the con
tents of which had been exchanged
for furs and skins"
DR.. Cook said he was intensely an
noyed at this alleged wrongful use OF
his supplies and threatened 70 kick
out Murphy aud his companions.
Finally, however, he consented to
their remaining at the depot, as there
Wdb nutliSl III lnt NlGlUilN
for them.
"On one occasion Murphy asked
me abruptly, Have you been beyond
81? DR.. Cook said, but | was deter.
mined not to let Peary know of my
movements, and replied evasiyely
that ! had been much farther north
From this statement has been con.
cocted the declaration that had said
that had not reached the pole" I.
DR.. Cook declared that Deither
Harry Whitney nor his (Cook'sl rec.
ords are on board the steamer Roose-
welt, and that therefore Peary's infor-
nation concerning him emanated
from Boatswain Murphy, who knew
nothing of his movements. Dr. Cook
said also that he had made arrange.
ments for the two Eskimos who went
with him to the pole and Knud Ras-
mussen. whom he met in Greenland.
IN Qp tO Npw Norl< and confirm Tho