Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-09-30
WHITNEY I'M EXPLANATION.
Tells Why He Did Not Return for
Cook'e Ine%runoAn%.

Ie!Is why he Die Not Return for
Cooks instruments.
New York, Sept. 30.-The following
dispatch has been received by the Asso-
ciated Press from Harry Whitney the
New Haven hunter, who arrived at st.
Johns. II. F., Yesterday by the schoon-
er~1eanie on his way home:
"Stephenville Crossing. n F.. Sept.
$3.50 many questions are being asked
me by different papers that I desire to
make the following statement thru the
Associated Press: My reasons for not
going back to Etah after DR.. Cooks
things were that the engines of the
Jeanie, one of the smallest boats that
ever went to the arctic, Were not work.
ing satisfactorily. and we were depend
ing partly on sails, which later we had
to do entirely.
There was no reasons whv the
Jeanie could not have gone back. but,
not knowing that DR.. Cooks things
left with me We're of such Importance
as they have since turned out to be, I
did not return. In addition, I had
promised the Eskimos who were with
me after musk oxen in Ellsmere Land,
certain things which I expected on
aboard the, ship coming for me, but
they were not aboard the Jeanie and I
did not want to return and disappoint
the men.
Another reason was that I wanted
to prolong my hunting trip, which I
was able to do by not going back, but
by cutting across Smith Sound from
North Star Bay and following the edge
of the ice south.
Il do not believe that either DR.. Cook
or Commander Peary, if placed in my
position, would have done any differ
emily than i did, nor would they, hax-
ing started south for civilization, have
turned back. 1 had never seen DR.,
Cook until met him IN the arctic. He
told me he had been to the north pole
and was pledged not to reveal this
fact to Commander Peary, but could
say that he had gone further north
than Peary in 1906.
Commander Peary, to my knowl-
edge, knew absolutely nothing about
what had been left with me by DR..
Cook. except that / mentioned instru-
ments, clothes apd furs and also a
narwhal horn. DIR. Cooks belongings
left in my charge We're placed in boxes
which were nailed up. Then I saw the
EsklHloS cover tnem with rocks.
No one could have been kinder to
me or shown me more consideration
than Commander Peary did while 1
was on the Roosevelt. and he said he
would be very glad to have me remain
aboard and return with MIN, instead
of joining the Jeanie.
"HARRY WHITNEY,"
Members of the schooner Jeanie said
that when Mr.. Whitney learned in
Labrador of the polar controversy and
of the important bearing Dr. Cooks
instruments have on this, he engaged
Captain Sam Bartlett and his vessel to
go up next year and recover DR.. Cook s
belongings at Etah. Captain Bartlett
himself declined to speak on this sub
ject, but his manner gave the impress
sion that the statement is correct
According to the Jeanie's crew. while
Commander Peary scoffed at the idea
that the sledge which DR. Cook gave as
alsouvenir to Mr.. Whitney, ever cover
ed long distance, Mr.. Whitney con-
tended that the sledge showed actual
proofs Of what it had endured and that
the rear sections had been cut off to
make arrows for killing game, as DR..
Cook described.