The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-12-27
FRIENDS UNABLE
TO LOCATE COOK
Charles Wake Tells Of Ex.
plOrer'S Disappearance.
FEARED FOR Els RECORDS

Ing Date Of SalIing-FaiIs to Keep
Appointment With Insurance Agent
and Is Next Heard From In To.
ronto--Last Message Came From
European City, Where All Traces
Come to Sudden End.
New York, Dec. 27.-Charles Wake,
the insurance man, who has been one
of the stanchest hackers of Dr. Fred
erick A. Cook, has at last concluded
that his faith in the Arctic explorer
has been misplaced. He issued a
statement in which he told the full
story of his relations with Cook. After
relating how Cook had practically
been driven into seclusion by denun-
citation threats, Mr.. Wake tells of the
steps he took to assist Cook.
"The doctor and his wife evinced
an increasing anxiety to have me
with them" says Mr.. Wake, "and be-
ginning with Nov. 10, spent every
night at the Hotel Gramatan So
great was their fear for the safety of
his original records that from the
second night | consented to the door
between their ~oom and mine being
left open. They urged me repeatedly
to go with them to Europe to safe
guard the original records, but | did
not consider 1t necessary and could
not see my way clear to do IL. Dur.
ing all the time that | was with them
the doctor was unable to get any
sleep, night or day, and at the end
he was practically nervous wreck.
He became more uncommunicable
than usual and would not express his
thoughts.
ut was finally arranged that Mr..
Lonsdale, DR.. Cooks secretary,
should sail for Copenhagen with a
typewriter copy of the records on
the United States, sailing Nov. 25,
and that the doctor and his wife, car
rying the originals, should sail for
Genoa, under assumed name, on the
Cedric, leaving on Nov. 81. Lonsdale,
after he had deposited the copy, was
to go, accompanied by some trust
worthy person, to Stain, Germany, to
meet the doctor and his wife. Ions
dale and bis companion were then to
take the originals to Copenhagen,
and DR.. Cook was to remain within
distance Of the university. Their
passage on the Cedric was secured,
but subsequently IL was agreed that
their departure should be deferred
until IL became more certain that
they would not be detected and fol-
lowed. When / left the Hotel Gram
atan at noon on Wednesday, Nov. "a,
1t was understood that the doctor and
Lonsdale should come to my Office at
3 o'clock that afternoon to arrange
some of the details of Lonsdale's de-
parture. To allay the anxiety of the
doctor and his wife l had arranged
with detective agency to have him
constantly shadowed. and the detec-
tive was at my Office o'clock to
pick him up, but they didn't rut in
an appearance.
"At 9 o'clock Lonsdale met me and
told me the story of DR.. Cooks dis
appearance. He said they came down
from Bronxville at $3.50 o'clock that
afternoon, intending to go to my Of
fee. On their arrival at the Grand
Central station they found the usual
array Of detectives awaiting to shad-
ow them. They hurried through the
crowd and went into the subway,
where they boarded a southbound
train after making sure that they
were not followed They left the
train at Bleecker street.
From there they went to the
Pennsylvania depot by circuitous
route, and DR.. Cook took train for
Philadelphia. On the way to Jersey
City he had his mustach shaved off
and exchanged his derby for soft
felt hat. His parting words to Ions
dale were, Now ] shall be able to
get some sleep Tell Mr.. Wake | will
write him. using the name of Harper,
but tell him trust him to keep this
secret along with the rest
"Lonsdale sailed with copy OF the
records on the United States on
Thursday, Nov rs, and on the follow.
ing day Mrs. Cook, who knew nothing
more about her husbands where
abouts than did, moved to New
York. On the next day, the 9th, we
received our first word from Dr.
Cook. It came in the form of letter
postmarked Toronto, Ont, to Mrs
Cook. In II he told her to meet him
In Europe at once. "If the hounds
are still pursuing YOU he said. put
my original records In safe deposit
box and leave the key with Mr.
Wake; II they are not following you
bring the records with you. My life
is OF more importance than the polar
matter. which can wait If necessary.
II did not like the tone of the let
ter and ! had all along urged upon
the doctor the necessity for getting
his original records to Copenhagen
with all possible dispatch. Therefore
returned them to Mrs. Cook, who
had given them to me for safe keep
Ing when her husband disappeared
with the suggestion that they be i'm
mediately sent to Lonsdale at Copen
hagen by registered mail, for which
pttrnooa proonrad Ii.o.