Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-10-18
FOUR MORE AFFIDAVITS
Showing Falsity of Socks Claims Of
Mt. Mckinley Ascension.

VOOn WOnE ATTIDAVIJS
Showing FaIsity of Socks Claims of
Mt. Mckinley Ascension.
New York, Oct. 17.--Four more az
fidavits were made public here Satur-
day in connection with the investiga-
ton of Dr. Frederick A. Cooks expedi-
ton to Mount Mckinley. Three of them
are by members of the Cook party
Fred Printz. a guide; Walter P. Miller
photographer. and Samuel Beecher.
Their testimony relates in detail the
movements OF the party, explaining
that Cook and Barrll were alone to-
gether the period in which DR.. Cook
claims to have reached the summit OF
Mount Mckinley. All three say that
Barril assured them later that Cook 5
story was false.
The fourth affidavit was that of DR..
John +. Shore. a physician of Leaven-
worth, Washington. who tells OF a
conversation with Oscar F. Blanken-
ship. Of the United States forestry
service. in which Blankenship said
that DR.. Cooks claims to having
climbed Mount Mckinley were false,
inasmuch as the feat was impossible
in the short time during which Cook
and Barrill were absent. Blankenship
was located near Mount Mckinley at
the same time Cooks expedition was
there.
The Printz Affidavit.
The affidavit of Fred Printz, the
guide. is dated october 4. 1t says
that at the time OF DR.. Cooks alleged
ascent of the peak. he and several
others had been sent on a side trip to
hunt specimens for the Smithsonian
Institute. The affidavit continues:
Then the doctor picked up Dokken
for a cook and taking Barrill, left in
the launch for Shushitna station.
From there. he said, they were going
up Shushitna up the Chulitna, and up
the TOkostnatO the head Of naviga-
ton, to explore the country for the
route to Mount Mckinley.
Miller and | returned to Shushitna
tor joined us with BarrilI on Septem-
Der %, saying that he made the sum-
init of Mount Mckinley
From there we left for home On
leaving doctor at Seward, he promised
that part of my pay for the summer
would be in Seattle for me- but on
arriving there. and not finding it, |
borrowed money to get home on, and
have written the doctor several times
for the amount due. l have received
500. leaving Il balance of 1926 due me
at this date
In about one month after Barrili
and ! returned home from our trip
with DR.. Cook in 1906. Barrill laughed
and told me that he and Cook never
got to the top of Mount Mckinley"
The Miller Affidavit.
Walter p. Miller, the photographer.
in his affidavit says that he was with
Printz on the side trip during the
time in which DR.. Cook claims to hav,,
gone to the summit of the mountain.
His testimony continues:
DIR. Cook and Barrill took the
launch and went down the Yentna,
announcing their intention of ascend
ig the Shushitna, the Schuletna, and
exploring the Talshetna glacier for Il
possible route for future attempt 70
ascent to the summit of Mount Nc
kinlcy; Printz and | returned to the
TENDER we met DR.. COOK and Barrll
ut the station. and thence we all cam
together to Seward
Il was called east by Henry Diaston
of Philadelphia. the hacker of the ex-
petition. to whom / related all the cir
cunStanceS OF the trip.
SO far as | am advised. Barrill IS
the only man who has personal
knowledge as to whether or not DR.
Cook assembled to the summit OF
Mount Mckinley.
I'm May, 1908. / met Edward n
Barrill at Missoua. Montana. He
then Informed me for the first tim
that he and DR.. Cook had never
| reached the summit of Mount Nc
kinley. / then said to him. Where
| were you. when he remarked. 'we
were only on the first ridge, this sid
OF the mountain ! asked him about
his picture shown opposite page 227 in
| lfr. Cooks boot, when he replied
That is my picture. but that is not
the top of the mountain"
The Deecher Affidavit.
The affidavit Of Samuel Beecher. af-
ter describing the early experience of
the party. tells of a trip which he and
several other members OF the ex-
petition took from their basis camp
| He says:
"On July 23 We reached our nearest
| point to the mountain: the point be-
ing. as R. w. Porter said. fourteen
| miles from the summit. At our las:
camp the elevation was in the neigh
borhood of 5000 feet. and from that
i, point l could readily recognize all the
, pictures shown b. DR.. Cook in his
mlgsZi"n article N his ascent cf the
| mountain, with tae exception of the
pictures shown as being the summit
and the one on page $50. which v.era