The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-12-23

Copenhagen, Dec. 21.-The Uni
versity of Copenhagen, the first
institution of learning to recog-.
nize DR.. Frederick A. Cook as the
discoverer of the north pole, to-
day solemnly declared that the ex-
plorer had failed to establish the
claim upon which his high honors
had been based.
The committee appointed by the
university to examine Cooks rec
ords recently presented It's report
to the consistory of the university,
which reviewed the deductions of
the experts with the greatest care
and discussed the findings from
every standpoint. That both the
committee and the consistory were
disappointed was soon known.
The consistory met today and
adopted written report to the
effect that the alleged records
submitted for examination by DR..
Cook failed tosprove his claim.
The report of the committee, of
which Professor Stromgren was
as presented to the con-
sistory, states that Cooks papers
arc without any value and that
his report to the university is
practically the same as that pub
lished n the New York Herald
on his return from his arctic ex-
petition. N
he copies: Of his notebooks sub
mitted, says the committee, CON
ainsnosyo}4ginat calculations Of
observations, but only results
thereof. Accordingly the commit
tee concludes that he affords no
proof Of having reached the pole.
Documents ef Cook.
The documents handed the commits
sion Of the University Of Copenhagen
for examination are:
First, q typewriter report prepared
by Cooks secretary, Walter Lonsdale,
and Lowering 81 pages OF foolscap.
Second. a typewriter copy made by
Lonsdale from Cooks note book. This
occupies 16 pages Of foolscap and in
clldes g description OF the expedition
during the period from March Is, 1908,
TO June 1s. 1908, during which, accord
to the statement, Cook j%ourneyed
from Svartevog to the north pole and
returned to a point on the. polar ice
not specifically indicated. but west of
SAxel Heiberg land.
The papers were not accompanied by
~ private letter from Cook, but secre-
atary Lonsdale stated verbally to the
commission that the original notes and
hooks of the explorer, from which his
copies were made, had been sent to Eu-
rope by another route at a p%recaution-
AIRY measure, and would be delivered
70 the university IN the course Of q
few days.
IN presenting the data Lonsdale
stated explicitly and repeatedly that
the copy numbered two was a COM.
plete and accurate duplication Of the
information contained in all Of Cooks
note books that could be of any import
anceS to the university for the purposes
of the examination.
Promise Not Kept.
In spite OF the explorers promise and
his secretaiy's assurance tina they
~ not yet In possession Of the original
note books and diaries.
to this time 1t has been impossible
Tor the university authorities to re-es-
@tabliahs communication with DR.. Cook.
which was suspended some time ago.
The explorers address is not known
here even to Secretary Lonsdale.
After the members of the examining
committee had made themselves ac-
sQuainted individually with the material
delivered n 50 convinced themselves
OF. its utter worth1essness az a mean of
Determining whether Cook reached the
pole, the president OF the committee
Professor StrOmRren. called a uenerai