The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-12-25
old FRIENDS
SIGN REPORT
Committee Of the Explorers
Club Declares DR.. Cooks
Nit. Mckinley Claims Are
Not Worthy of Credence.

New York, Dec. 24-The board Of gov
errors of the Explorers club met today
in executive session, and, standing in ST.
lence, voted with bowed heads. that DR..
Frederick a. Cook be dropped from the
rolls OF the club for frauds practiced on
its members and on the public.
Coming hard upon the heels of the
crushing verdict lately rendered by the
University OF Copenhagen, the action OF
the Explorers club today is the result
of Independent Investigations which in no
way touched upon the polar controversy
and the weight Of its disapproval thus
becomes cumulative.
Preliminary TO its vote of expulsion, the
board met to pass upon the report of its
committee that has been investigating the
validity of Cooks assertion that he reach
ed the summit Of Mount Mckinley.
Not Worthy of credenee.
This committee. in concluding an ex-
haustive report recommended that Or.
Cooks claims. that he assembled to the
summit of Mount Mckinley in 1906, be re-
jected by the Explorers club as not wor-
thy of credence."
The committees recommendations were
based on its finding that DIR. Cook had
repeatedly made statements that have not
been in accord with facts, and that he had
entered into agreements which he has
failed TO keep, and that the misstate-
ments and broken agreements deal not
only with matters aDpertaining to dis
covery, but TO ordinary transactions, so
that no credence can be given to state
ments made by him."
Report Signed by Friends.
Among the seven signatures appended
to this arraignment are those of Caspar
Whitney and Anthony Fiala, both per
sonal friends Of DR.. Cook. The commit
tee is further explicit in its statement
that it undertook its investigation only
after first apprising Dr.. Cook of its pur-
pose, which he approved in person; and
that il has disregarded entirely the tes-
timOny Of Edward BaTTill, DR.. Cook S
guide, and of Frederick Printz, his packer
although such testimony was before
them-because it wished no cloud of par
tisan contention OF question of financial
interest to dim the integrity of its yer
dict.
Some Prominent Names.
In addition to the findings Of the com
mittee as a WhOle-which are signed by
Anthony Fiala, a polar explorer Of note;
Frederick S. Dallenbaugh of the American
Geographic society, Prof Marshal H. Sa-
vile Of the chair Of archaeology in Co
lumbia university, Walter S. Clarke,
Charles H. Townsend, director of the New
York aquarium; Henry G. Walsh, secre-
tary Of the Explorers club. and Caspar
Whitney signed reports as
submitted by Herschel c, Parker, profess
scr OF physics at Columbia and Belmorp
Brown, both Of whom were members of
the Cook-McKinley expedition; and by
CHARLES sheldon, who has recently re-
turned from a years residence on the
slope of Mount Mckinley, where he went
with the express purpose of studying the
conftguration Of the mountain, with a
view to the possibility of its ascent.
Prof. ParEer's Report.
Prof. Parker reports that he was a part
ner with DR.. Cook In the Mckinley ex-
petition, both physically and financially.
Dr. Cook assumed the lead with a plan
that proved unteasible and the party es-
capped with their lives, thanks to the local
knowledge Of BelmOre Brown
1t was perfectly understood" said
PrOf. Parker, that after the misadven-
ture all further attempts were abandoned
for the season. Otherwise I would not
have left the expedition"
Instead Of this, DR.. Cook, it is charged
sidetracked all members of the expedition
until there remained only Cook. his guide.
Barrin, and one packer, who SUBSEQUENT
ly was got rid of also. These defections
left Dr. Cook. says Prof. Parker. no in
Struments capable of measuring the alti-
tude he says he attained. Moreover. he
ADDS, the summer experience had shown
that of all the party, DR.. Cook and Bar
rill were the least fitted physically for
arduOus mountain climbing.
Washington, Dec. "a -. Commander
Peary, president Of the Explorers club.
when told tonight of the expulsion Of DR.
Cook, refused to discuss the matter fur
Their than to make the following state
ment:
IAN the information I have on the sub
ject I have received from the neWsDa-
pers. Aside from that / know absolutely
nothing Of the affair. None of the gov
errors have ever spoken or even written
to me anything concerning the investiga-
ton. 1t is q matter in which I have no
more connection than If I were not even
a member OF the club"