New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-12-22

"A.
Cooks claims that he had discovered
the North Pole was submitted TO the
consistory of the university this morn
ing. indorsed by that body and given to
the public.
The report skaters completely almost
contemptuously. the American explorers
title 20 such discovery. and fills the ofr-
cials and people of Denmark with cha
grin at the figure which Denmark u
made to assume in the eyes OF the sci
entiic word. The public was prepared
for verdict Of mot proven" but did
not expect its recent hero TO be branded
as an impOstor. Many still cling TO the
belief that Cook acted in good faith. but
harbored delusion.
Explorers and scientists almost unani-
mousIy have lost faith in Cooks honesty.
one of his warmest supporters. Knud
Rasmussen. helped TO frame the report.
The evening papers attack Cook. and
severely reproach him for hiding. which
they regard as sign of guilty con-
science.
The rector of the university. Dr. SsIo-
monsen. when asked about the possibility
Of the university's cancelling the degree
which it conferred on DIR. Cook said that
no decision had been reached. but he
thought that the degree could be with
drawn in the same way that a govern
ment could deprive a person of an order
obtained under false pretences.
Commodore Gustav Holm. the Arctic
explorer and'a member of the commit
tee said:
Cooks claim that he made the OBJ
servatiOn 50 degrees 50 minutes as sec
onds near the pole proved Immediately
that he was bad observer. but nothing
indicated that he was a swindler Now
his papers convict him of being a
swindler We examined Cooks obser-
vations first. and agreed unanimously
that they were worthless Loose's OBJ
servations were not used in the papers
which Cook submitted to the university"
Professor Olufson. secretary of the
Danish Geographical Society. said.
1t is the saddest event in my life As
an explorer, there seems to be no doubt
that Cook is absolutely unreliable"
"IMPUDENT." SAYS RASMUSSEN.
Knud Rasmussen said:
The university would not call me at
first because l was one of Or. Cooks
strongest supporters. Later, however. Z
was invited 70 the investigation. and
when I saw the observations 1 realized
il was a scandal
My confidence in Cook had been basel
on personal impressions. on reports that
I had received and also on the testimony
Of the Esquimaus. when they all said
that he had made the trip from cane
Sparbo to Etah. and such a trip during
the dark Of winter would suffice TO make
a man famous But the papers which
Cook sent to Copenhagen University are
most impudent. No schooIboy could
make such calculations Ut is a most
childish attempt at cheating. Cook has
killed himself by his own foolish acts"
commodore Hovgaard the explorer.
said. Although il has not been proved
that Cook did not reach the pole. 7 can
only regard Cook now as an impostor.''
Nobody could feel more sorrow at the
commissions crushing statement than
myself. for 1 had learned TO appreciate
Cook as a devoted friend and an honest
man. said captain Roald Amundsen
to-day with much feeling. THE inn
portant question now is whether he is
a swindler or merely ignorant i pre-
fer To believe that Dr. Cook himself
was confident that he had arrived az the
North Pole This must have been A
fixed idea with him. II he is swlndIIng.
he must have changed his charaeter in
the last ten years.
The "Natioral Tidende." wh.ls dsplos-
ing that the university conferred IN.
degree in moment OF enthusiasm, finds
consolation i'm the fact that others hon
ored Cook when he returned 90 civiliza-
tiOn.
The President of his own country and
its envoy at Copenhagen" says the
paper. were the guarantors for him.
Denmark did not bIunder alone Our
country must now leave this sad affair
tO America and Cook"
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
The committee chosen 70 represent the
University of Copenhagen In the exami-
nation Of Dr. Cooks claim was composed
as follows;
Professor Ellis Stromgren. director OF
the Astronomical Observatory; DIR. a. ".
Pochule. astronomer. attached To the Oh
servatOry. Gustav Helm. explorer: Pro-
fessor A. r. Yensen president OF ths
school Of Navigation; Dr. Royder. direc-
tor OF the Meteorological Office. and DIR.
r. y. Engstrom. director of the Lund
Observatory