The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-10-30
COOK CONTROVERSY
IS STILL RAGING
Friend of the Explorer Makes
Affidavit COntradicting the
Statement of Barrill.
DOCTOR COOK MAKES
NEW SWORN STATEMENT
Insists That He Climbed Mt. Nc
kinley and That BarriII
Was With Him.

MlSSOULA, Mont. Oct 29.-Among
the developments today in the Cook
Barrill Mt. Mckinley controversy is the
announcement Of the securing of an
affidavit from George w Solleder, a
prominent farmer OF Ravilli county,
living near the homes of Barrill and
! Printz. in which the affiant declares
that Barrill told him that he and DR.
Cook did reach the top Of Mt Me
/ Kinlcy at the time the explorer claims
they did
This affidavit was secured by Attor
ucy Stiff, one of the local counsel for
Dr. Cook
Dr.. Cook s confidential agent an
nouuccd at the time he gave ont the
| affidavit that others had been secured
but he had decided not to make them
public at this time "Iou may say
that although we have several valuable
statements from friends and neighbors
of Barrlll, said the agent, "'that ow
ing to the bitterness Of the coutro'
vcrsy in the Bitter Root valley at the
present time and the fact that The
statements come from people who have
every. day business dealings with the
guides, they have been promised that
their statements would not be given out
for publication, but simply submitted
10 the proper scientific bodies as evil
dcncc in the controversy.
Cook Reaches Missoula.
DR.. Cook and his party arrived ia
MiSsoula late this afternoon, coming
from Hamilton III automobiles. When
seen, DR.. Cook said thai he did not
care at this time to discuss the meet
ing at Hamilton last night further than
10 say that the matter had now siftcd
itself down TO a point whore it was
the affidavit of himself against the
affidavit of I5arrill, and the matter
could only be settled by an expedition
10 Mt Mckinley TO recover the rec
ords, which he SAYS he left on the
peak. The doctor reiterated The asser
tjou made IN the cast recently that he
would head a party of unbiased and
unqucstiouable men 10 the mountain
and recover his records.
The affidavit secured from Mr. Sol |
Iedcr is as follows:
Text of Afidavit
II, George ". SolIcdcr. being first
duly sworn according TO law, dcpose
and say:
- am a. years Of age, my occupa-
tion is farming and fruit growing, aud
at the present time am a Justice of
tho peace. ] live about onc-half mile
from Darby. Ravilli county. Montana.
and have lived that near where Darby
now is for thirty\years last past. ]
know Edward \. Barrill, aud have
known him ever since lie camc TO
Darby several years ago: my acquaint
ancc with Mr.. BarrrIl has been intI |
mate during all that time; have been
on hunting trips with him: made a
trip into the Clearwater country with
him some years ago; have talked with
him i great deal about trips he has
made both whcu We were on bunting
trips together and at other times Mr. |
Barril has often told mo incidents of
the trip lie made with Dr. Frederick
\ Cook when they climbed Mount
Mckinley Almost immediately after
Mr. Barrill returned from that trip !
had a talk with him; ! knew where be
had been. and, of course. was anxious
TO hear what he had to tell about the
trip; he told me that he and Dr. Cook |
went up stream ms far as they could |
in launch and then went on foot. |
Mr. Barrill told me what articles they
carried with them: he told of the |
trouble they had in climbing the noun
tain on account of ihc ice: Mr.. Bdrrlll |
and ] are upon friendly te-ms and |
have no interest whatsoc III the con
troversy between Mr. Barrill aud DIR. |
Z
Mckinley or any matter connected
with il,
Cook s Affidavit
Being advised after his arrival here
that tho affidavit which he madc ON
The platform al Hamilton last night, !
which was lacking in the notarial seal,
was not properly drawn, DT Cook made !
duplicate affidavit in MissouIa this !
afternoon, ono which was drawn in
legal form, aud his signature TO it was
Acknowledged hy Floyd j. Logan a
notary public Of this city, The dupl |
cate affidavit rcitcratcs tho samc state
mont made in the original written on
the platform at Hamilton last night.
The affidavit IN full reads:
"I, Frederick A. Cook, being first
duly sworn according TO law, on my
oath dcpose and say that on september
Is. 1906, ! was on tho top Of Mount
McK uIcy, and on hat date 7 left tbc
record Of our climb deposited thereon
Edward \. BarrilI of Darby, Montana,
was present ri the time
- (Signcd)