Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-10-09

says brooklyn Explorer Told Him He
Had Reached Pole and Esklmos Did
Not Say He Was Never Out Of Sight
Of Land.
St Johns. n. F., Sept. 29.-Harry
Whitney, Of New Haven. 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.
DIR. Cooks story" he added, seems
20 ne truthful and probable Nothing
else would explain hts twelve months
absence"
The schooner jeanne arrived here
with Mr. Whitney on board, coming
from the Greenland coast by way of
Indian HarbOr. Labrador. Mr.. Whit
ney feels keenly the position In which
he Is placed. He went north. he said.
merely on hunting trip and now finds
himself In the storm center OF a polar
controversy. DR.. Cook left with him at
Annotok several cases containing in
struments and some other belongings,
but so far as Mr.. Whitney knew, no
written records
Speaking OF DR.. Cooks detailed ac-
count OF his trip 20 the pole. Mr..
Whitney said that the explorer showed
him how the western drift OF the ice
had landed him in a region far remote
from where he expected to go, and he
was unable to get back. He could not
speak with authority as 70 whether
Or. Cook and his two Eskimos could
carry on their three sledges enough
food for their journey 70 the pole. as
he himself is a novice IN Arctic travel
ing. He declared he knew nothing OF
the controversy beyond the vaguest
details
Whitney said Or. Cook had com.
planned % him or Peary's taking over
Of his house and stores. but declared
that he had suffered no unfairness.
Peary's steward. William Pritchard.
was present when these statements
were made; like Mr.. Whitney, he was
pledged TO secrecy by DIT. Cook.
Peary's Instructions.
There were two houses on the
Greenland shores. one at Annotok.
holding Cooks stores, and another at
Etah. holding Peary's stores. The
three white men. Whitney. Murphy and
Pritchard. sometimes occupied one
and sometimes the other OF these tyo
houses. Murphy was IN charge OF both
houses. He is not able to read or write.
He had written instructions from
Peary, which Whitney. at Murphy's
request. read over 70 him from time
20 time.
These instructions directed Murphy
to use Cooks stores first and Peary's
afterwards Murphy was told In them
that he was 20 give DR.. Cook every
help II he came along in a needy con
dition, and. furthermore, the instruc-
tons implied that Murphy was TO or
ssnize an expedition to search for DR..
Cook. but, according to Mr.. Whitney.
this part of the instructions was word.
ed very ambiguously.
When DR.. Cook and his Esl1imos ar.
rived at the house they had no sIedge.
Being too weary to drag il over the
rough ice, they had left It twenty
miles from Etah. The following day
some other Eshmos went out, recov-
cred the sledge and brought 1t in. On
sc were DR.. Cooks instruments. clothes
and food.
After spending two days at Ammo
tok, where Cook first met Whitney.
Cook started for Etah. He planned
originally to take two Eskimos and
two sledges, but one Eskimo fell sick.
and this made il necessary for him TO
cut down the luggage he could take
with him south. He consequently
asked Whitney to take charge OF the
instruments with which he had made
his observations at the pole Cook left
no written records with Whitney that
he whitney was aware of.
Eskimos DID Not Say SO.
Continuing, Mr. Whitney said that
last month, when Peary, on board the
Roosevelt reached Etah from the
north after his winters work there.
he CWhitney) informed him OF DR..
Cooks arrival in April, adding that
Cook had told him whitney to tell
Peary that Cook had gone beyond
Peary's farthest north.
Peary made no comment on this.
and Whitney said he was not asked
any other questions by Peary. But the
next day Cooks Eskfmos came to
Whitney and asked him what Peary's
men were trying to get them 10 say.
Peary's men had shown the EslOimos
papers and maps. but the Eskimos de-
clared they did not understand these
papers.
So far as Mr.. Whitney Is aware.
Cooks Eskimos never admitted that
while with the doctor they had only
progressed two sleeps" from land.
The day the Roosevelt was leaving
Etah for home Whitney informed
Peary that Cook had entrusted to him
certain belongings TO bring home on
The vessel that was coming up for
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