The Detroit times., 1909-12-22


data to the University OF Copenhagen
and abide by it's decision. This action
followed the appointment by the Ma
| tional Geographic Society OF com
mittee to examine Peary's data. This
committee reported in favor OF the
commander Cook sent his data 10
| Copenhagen about two weeks ago.
Captain A. w. Loose and George H..
Dunkle. an insurance agent, made
afiidavits to the effect that Loose had
| faxed many OF the observations tnat
Cook submitted to the investigating
committee.
IL was on Sept. . last, that DR.. COOK
electrified the world by telegraphing
from I.erwick. Shetland Islands. that
ne had reached the north pole he
had been absent since early In l9o'
and for n time IL was believed that
he was lost I'm the Arctic regions. HIS
expedition was financed by John H..
Bradley and he started In schooner
fitted up for that purpose by Bradley.
Last year il was finally admitted that
he had probably perished and Diiion
Wallace and other friends prepared
10 organize an expedition TO search
for him This work was abandoned
with the announcement that. not only
was Cook all right. but that he dis'
covered the objective point OF ages
Of exploration on April 2l. 1908.
DR.. Cook soon reached Copenhagen
and then the feeling OF unbelief be
gan 10 spread throughout Europe:
Scientists. especially In England ana
America. voiced their disbelief but
the Danes accepted his promises that
he would prove all that he claimed
and he was crowned the king OF all
explorers. made a fellow OF the Uni
verslty of Copenhagen. dineo oy 'he
king and honored as no otner eA-
plorer ever had been.
For four DAYS Cook enjoyed the cen
ter of the stage and then came ais
patch from Commander Robert T..
Peary. Il. S. ~. dated Battle Harbor,
Labrador, saying:
Il have nailed the Stars and Stripes
TO the north pole
Following this. when Peary learned
that Cook was claiming TO be the orig
inal discoverer OF the big Nail, ne
sent dispatch on Sept. %. saying
Cook has simply handed tho pub
lie a gold brick. lie has not been at
the Pole on April Il. 1908, or at any
other time. The foregoing statement
is made advisedly and at the proper
time will be backed by proof
Cook refrained from any attack on
Pearv with the result that in the pub
lie mind he was soon regarded as q
popular hero and when he sailed FOR
the United States former associates
in Brooklyn arranged an elaborate re-
ception for him; he was met down the
bay by tugs and steamers. escorted
10 Brooklyn. featured as the promin-
ent actor in a big street parade and
dined by borough officials. Later ne
was given the freedom OF New York
city by the board OF aldermen.
He took the lecture platform ana
delivered lectures throughout the
United States until charges were
brought against him by Burrill. the
guide he claimed accompanied him to
the summit OF Mount Mckinley. who
declared Cook faxed the records or
that climb. DR.. Cook issued a state
ment that Burrill had "perjured him.
self for money" but the public out
cry that he prove his claim that he
had been To the top OF the earth be-
came so insistant that he returned to
New York and secluded himself in
hotel to prepare the records that
he had promised the Danes. who were
admittedly his friends that they
should have the right TO pass upon
them first. Here for the first time
the Cook followers saw signs OF weak
ening in his claims.
BROOKLYN, ~ Y. Dec. 21.-"Weil,
I'm clad it was Dane who found the
rottenness i'm Denmark, anyway" was
the comment OF Herbert l.. Bridgman.
secretary of the Peary Arctic Club,
when informed today by the United
/ pross ~ tho turning down of DR.