The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-14
COOKS BARRILL.
Tries to Stave OF Old Mt. Mckinley
Stories.

New York Oct. 14.-The Globe thi
afternoon prints a copy of the affidavit
made by Edwin N. Barrill, who accom-
panied DR.. Frederick A. Cook at tn
time he announced his reaching tn
1 summit of Mount Mckinley.
The affidavit was made before a nc
| tary public at Tacoma, Wash, Octobe
| 4, and has just been received in New
York
BarrilPs affidavit states in effect thai
he was the only person present with DE-
Cook on the date when he claims tC
have reached the summit of Mount Nc
! Kinley, that they did not in fact reach
the summit, and the nearest point to
the summit reached was at least IA
miles from the summit of that noun
tain, the elevation at no time exceed
ing 10000 feet.
Barrills affidavit also brings into
question a number of the photographs
which DR.. Cook has given as represent
Ing the summit and other high attitudes
of Mount Mckinley.
Barrill says he was the only party
present with DR.. Cook when he claims
to have reached the summit of Mount
Mckinley and that he is the party re-
1erred to as 'Barrill," or Edward Bar
rifle" in DR.. Cooks book entitled ITO
the Top of the Continent" bearing
upon the expedition to Mount McKin-
ley.
DIR. Cook first told me to stop my
diary On September IL when we were
IN our fifth camp going up the glacier
at or near the point which DR.. Cook
claimed as the top of Mount Mckinley.
This point was within sight of US at
the time. DR.. Cook stated at this time
and place that the same conditions ex-
listed there as did exist on the top of
Mount Mckinley, and directed me to
stop my diary until further orders.
Jagged Marks of Enemy.
AT this time we had been to the
top of the point claimed by the doc
tor as the top of the mountain, and
the doctor had taken a photograph of
the point with me standing on top the
reef with the American flag in my
hand. The photograph to which I re-
Ter IS shown opposite page 227 of the
doctors book entitled To the Top of
the Continent before mentioned. The
jagged marks on the apex of the snow
in that picture and shown from the
bottom of the picture up to the gran
lite rock forming the top of the point
are my foot marks and those of DR..
Cook. My best recollections of this
are as follows:
DIR. Cook and went to the top of
this point together and he said:
we will go back down and get a
picture of this
1--WE did not take our bags with US
to the top of the point, having left
them down in the saddle above the
glacier. We then both went down
from the point to where our bags had
been left. The doctor took the Amer
lean flag out of one of the bags and
handed it to me and sent me back to
the top of the point and told me to |
hold it there on the end of the ice axe, |
which I did.
THE doctor then with his camera
took the picture shown opposite page
227, which picture is there designated |
as The Summit of Mount Mckinley in |
his work, TO the Top of the Con-
tinent,' the truth being that the sum-
NIT of Mount Mckinley was over 20 |
miles distant in an air line from the |
point where my picture was so taken,
according to the scale of DR.. Cooks |
map shown between pages 152 and 1853 /
IN the book referred to above.
CorrOborate BarriII.
Seattle. Wash, Oct 14.-Walter P.
Miller of this city, photographer of DR..
Cooks Mount Mckinley expedition. has
made an affidavit corroborating that of
Sarrill in every detail Miller says he
has photographs and maps that fully
confirm the statements of BarriII.
Attorney Ashton and Mountain
Climber Brown, who were with DR..
COOKS party in the Mount Mckinley
expedition, left Tacoma for New York
L week ago, presumably on business
connected with the Mount Mckinley in