The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-12-21
investigation by Danish Scientists
Shows That his Data Does
Not Prove His Asser-
ton.
HE SAYS II TOLD YOU So"
Peary Says That he Told the People
Three Months Ago That Cook
Was Handling Gold
Bricks.

COPENHAGEN, Dec. 21.-The com.
mittee investigating the data of DR..
Frederick A. Cook, today reported to
Copenhagen University that the ex-
plorer's records and observations are
wholly insufficient to warrant ver-
dict that he discovered the north pole.
The committee consisted of Prof.
Ellis Stroemgren, president of the
committee; Commander Gustave
Holm, director of the photographic
bureau; Commander Jensen, director
of navigation; Astronomer Pheyle OF
the university; Captain Ryder, direc
tor of the meteorological institute, and
Prof. Engstroem of Lund University,
Sweden.
Each of these men is a world re-
nowned scientist. The last hope OF
the friends of DR.. Cook for favor
able report by the committee, went
glimmering today when the committee
informed the University of Copenhag-
en- that it was ready to submit its
final report. The consistory went into
session and final decision was given
within short time.
The early termination of the COM
mittees' investigation, was by Cooks
friends, considered proof that the re-
port was adverse to him. 1t is said
the committee SO thoroughly con-
vinced of the utter insuffciency OF
the evidence submitted, that 1t cast
aside much of it as unworthy OF con-
sideration and was able to make its
report week earlier than anticipat-
ed. 1t is said some of the members
of the committee, favored denun-
citation of Cook as an impostor, whose
discovery claims are unworthy OF
scientific consideration.
a Told You so."
WASHINGTON, Dec 21.-Com-
mander Robert E. Peary, when shown
the above dispatch from Copenhagen,
made the following statement to the
United Press:
Three months ago, from the far
Labrador country, / sounded an ex-
plicit and deliberately worded warn
ing to the world, based upon complete
and accurate information in regard to
the Cook claim. In doing SO, l ac-
cepted the responsibility devolving
upon me and fulfilled my duty to my
self and to the world
The warnings to which Peary re-
fers was his cablegram from Battle
Harbor which was as follows: Cook
has not been at the pole April 81.
1907, or any other date. He has
simply handed the public a gold
brick"
Committee Astonished.
COPENHAGEN, Dec. 21.-If the
University by any possible means
could have avoided reputation OF
the explorer, it would have done so
The public now feels that it has been
grossly imposed upon and the most
bitter excoriations of Cook are heard
on every hand A demand will be
made that he surrender the honorary
degree of doctor of science which the
university conferred on him.
Despite statements by DR.. Cooks
brother in America that he is now in
Norway, all efforts to find him proved
futile at Christiansand. The members
of the Investigating committee say
they know where Cook is but will not
tell. Walter Lansdale, Cooks private
secretary, is greatly disappointed at
the report and making an effort to
have final judgment withheld until ali
of the doctors data has been examin
ed He told the committee that the
missing data, which is part of Cooks
original data documents, sent from
America by a different route, would
arrive here in few days. He says
this data was sent by another route
for prudential reasons. The commit
tee will pay no attention to this latest
appeal and its finding today is the
final chapter as far as it is concerned
One of the members Of the investi
cation committee said: 1T took the
committee but a few minutes to see
that Cooks observations and so call
ed records were worthless. We coult
nave made report at once but oul
r. A'S VOC So III edt Ihdt IL eooh us
several days to recover. The 81
called note books submitted by the
doctor, on which he relied for vindi
cation, had only the account of tht
observations, rather than the obser
vations themselves and were throwl
aside without moments considera
don.