The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-09-13
SEIZED HIS HOUSE
DR.. Cook Tells How Peary Con
fiscated Stores.
Left a Boatswain in Charge of
AnnatOck Station.
TAKES ANOTHER SLAP
Bridgeman Says Cook Got In
formation Through Peary.
Commander Taking Time in
Return to United States.

Copenhagen, Sept. ia remarkable
letter, giving DR.. Frederick A. Cook ;
version of the trouble with Comman-
der Peary over supplies, appears in the
Politiken- The letter was written by
DE- Norman Hansen, a prominent Dan
ish physician, who serveral times visit
ed Greenland to study eye diseases.
Dr. Cook told practically the same
story to one of his closest American
friends just week ago. before Com
mander Peary reappeared on the scene,
but said he did not intend to make 1T
public because it might lead to I'M
pleasantness.
DR.. Hansen was with DR.. Cook for
some time in Greenland and returned
with him on the Danish governm ent
steamer Hansegede. Now that Dr.
Cook has gone" he writes, Il am n }
silence and will exercise my right to
publish the story about the house lii
Annatock, a story which DR. Cook him
self had too much delicacy to relate to
the world. I write it from memory. as
DIR. Cook told it to me and 1 am fully
recollections wrong.
The House That Cook Built.
''Dr Cook had built his house for
stores in Annatock, north of Etah and
it was this depot which he started to
reach in February, 1909, crossing Smith
sound. 1t was a pretty large house, the
walls being built of heavily filed pro-
vision boxes, so that DR.. Cook knew
that when this important point Was
reached, everything was safe. He had,
before the start, given permission to
young friend named Whitney, to use
the house while hunting musk oxen for
sport in the winter Of 190S-09
when DR.. Cook and his two Esqui-
came within a short distance of the
house in Annatock Young Whitley
came out to bid him welcome, but in
side the house was stranger, giant
Newfoundland boatswain, on watch
This man had been placed in DR.. Cooks
house by Peary, when the latter passed
Etah with his ship bound north. Peary
had given the boatswain a written or
der, which commenced with the follow
ing words:
This house belongs to DR.. Frederick
A. Cook, but DR.. Cook is long ago dead
and there is no use to search for him.
Therefore, I, Commander Robert Z.
Peary. install my boatswain in this de-
This paper the boatswain, who could
neither read nor write, exhibited to DIR.
Cook and the latter took a copy.
Millionaire Treated Like Dog.
This copy, however, he does not in
tend to publish if Peary's course does
me lively account Of how the young
Whitney, during the whole
winter was treated like a dog by the
boatswain and how he had witnessed
the sailor bartering DR.. Cooks pro-
visions for fox and bear skins for him
self. Dr. Cook, also had to put good
face on the unpleasant situation. He
had to beg to get into his own house
and had to make a compromise with
the boatswain.
"Dr Cook made a present of the
house with all its contents to his two
faithful Esquimaux, with the pro-
vision that Whitney was to have the
use of the house as long as his hunting
trip lasted but he was compelled to let
the boatswain continue his watch. The
boatswain, however, received strict or
ders not to exchange any more of the
provisions or guns.
ITO Mr.. Whitney DR.. Cook gave IT,
structions and his observations, as he
thought these precious things were
safer there than on the long sledge trip
in the spring across Melville bay but all
his note books and soiled record books
which have been so closely written
upon he kept and carried with him.
ITO me, who understands only a very
little astronomy the records written
down so closely and in all directions
were very hard to read but what is the
record to US? The two men. Peary and
Cook. their character, their conduct,
that is what interests us. and every lit
tie item throwing a sidelight upon their
natures is valuable"