The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-10-02
COOK Got THERE
WHITNEY SAYS SO AND TELLS
OF PEARyss E1ITTLENEss.
Says Peary Made Him Separate All
Of Cooks Luggage From Bis and
Leave it Behind.

Harry Whitney, of New Haven,
Conn, has arrived at st. Johns, n.
F. He says he believes that Dr.
Frederick A. Cook found the pole
and that Commander Peary did the
same. In expressing this belief Mr.
Whitney said that he knows no rea-
son for doubling Cook more than
Peary. "Dr. Cooks story" he added,
seems to me truthful and probable
Nothing else would expalin his IL
months absence"
DR.. Cook left with him. t~Annatok
several cases containing instruments.
and some belongings. but so far
as Mr.. Whitney knew, no written rec
ords. There may have been records,
however, packed with DR.. Cooks per-
sonal effects, but the explorer did
not tell him especially that he was
leaving written records in his pos
session.
Speaking of DR.. Cooks detailed
account of his trip to the pole, MI
Whitney said that the explorer show
ed him heg the western drift of the
ice had laaded him in region faT
remote from where he expected to
:o,and he was unable to get back.
He could not speak with authority
as to whether DR.. Cook and his two
Eskimos could carry on their three
sledges enough food for their jour.
ney to the pole, as he himself IS
novice in Arctice travelling. He
declared he knew nothing of the
controversy beyond the vaguest de-
tails. The first he learned of it was
at Indian Harbor, when he received
messages from several American pa
pers asking for statement.
Mr.. Whitney denied that Com
:mander Peary had removed DR..
Cooks stores from ,Aunatok5to Euah'
What Peary really did was to trans
fer few things and rebuild the
house at Annatok. Boatswain Mur-
phy's only reason for refusing to
help Capt. Bernier's Canadian expe-
dition to get dogs and sledges at Etah
was was that they were short of dogs
themselves. Mr.. Whitney had troub
be in getting enough dogs for his
teams all through the winter and
Murphy was looking out for Peary,
SO that he would have sufficient
dogs for the commanders exploring
trips around the country when ne
returned from the north.
- The day the Roosevelt was leav-
ing Etah for home Whitney inform
ed Peary that Cook had intrusted to
him certain belongings to bring home
on the vessel that was coming up
for Whitney, but as this ship had not
arrived Whitney was at loss VIVA!
to do with the property.
Peary declined to permit Dr
Cooks belongings to be brought
aboard the Roosevelt and he put
Whitney on his honor not to include
anything belonging to DR.. Cook IN
his own luggage. Whitney thereup-
on went ashore from the Roosevelt
separated DR.. Cooks property from
his own baggage, and with the aid
of Capt. Robert Bartlett, commander
if the Roosevelt, whom he had ask
ed to help, repacked Cooks proper
ty in boxes.
After this had been done, Whit
ney and Bartlett cached all Cook 8
property in cave in the rocks. They
built up the cave securely with stones
and turf and left it and the proper
ty in charge of one Of DR.. Cooks
Eskinos.
It may be remembered in passing.
Mr.. Whitney went on, that ten years
ago Peary did with the explorer
Severdrup, who was cruising in Faith
sound, what he has done with Cook
he refused to bring back any Of
Severdrup's letters or records.
In conclusion Mr.. Whitney declar-
ed he regretted being dragged into
the controversy. He said he had
found both DR.. Cook and Commander
Peary courteous and considerate and
that he had never met any men whose
conduct generally was more COM
mendable or whose dealings with him
had been more fair.
DR.. Cook, when shown Mr.. Whit
ney's statement, said that he APPROX