The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-12-01
Prof. Parker of Columbia
Attacks Explorer.
DENIES MOUNT M'KINLEY CLIMB
Brands Whole Story Of Ascent as
an Imposture For Which Prep.
aration Was Made Be-
forehand.

Portland, Me-, Nov. 30.-Professor
Herschel @. Parker of Columbia uni
versity, comes out in a statement in
which he brands Frederick A. Cooks
story Of his ascent Of Mount Mckinley
as false.
"It is with profound regret" he de-
clares, "that feel obliged to impeach
the manhood and honor of a personal
friend. Nothing but stern necessity
would prompt me to do this, but this
is a case where truth and justice as
well as science and civilization COM
pei the step. DR.. Frederick Cook never
made the ascent of Mount Mckinley,
as he has claimed"
He then reviews their joint attempt
to climb the mountain and its failure.
Continuing, he says:
"My experience with Cook had DEM
onstrated that he knew nothing about
mountain climbing and had no scien-
ti6c training. All the measurements
and care of the two hypsemeters fell
to me. In fact, was In full charge Of
the expedition, as Cook seemed to real
iZe his own total incompetence for
such work.
when we parted his last words to
me were that he simply wanted to
hunt little and look over some Of the
nearby glaciers. 1 came home, and
you may judge Of my surprise when
one month later he telegraphed that
he had reached the summit of Mount
Mckinley.
"In.lsr1of of this startling assertion
he offered nothing whatever. The
statement was an impossibility on its
face.
"When his report came he said that
he had remained two weeks to fix up
the boat after had left and had then
reorganized the party for the ascent
of the mountain.
"Now, let us see how he reorganized
the party. First, he sent Printz and
Miller back up the Ventna on a hunt
ing trip. The naturalist Of the party,
Browne, he sent of in a different d.
rectiOn with one of the assistant pack
ers. Beecher was sent off in still an
other direction on hunting trip, leav-
ing only Barrill with himself. Funny
way to organize an expedition of that
nature, wasn't it?
with Barrill and a packer Cook re-
mained on the Chulitna river for two
weeks fixing up his boat, and in two
weeks more he returned to his party
and reported that he had reached the
summit Of Mount Mckinley by the
northeastern ridge.
''In his book he says that in going up
the Chulitna river he picked out sev-
eral different routes over the north
eastern ridge and by one Of these
reached the summit.
"The nearest point to the mountain
at which he could have been was forty
miles. There was no possible route
that way. The statement of Cook was
absurd on its face.
''In one of his subsequent lectures on
his alleged ascent of the mountain a
man asked him how 1t happened that
a large flag appeared In the photo he
had used in his book as the summit of
the mountain when his statement to
Browne and myself had been that he
only remained behind to hunt and ex-
plore glaciers.
"Dr. Cook at once replied that the
flag got into his pack by accident. 1t
looks quite reasonable that large silk
flag should be packed in with pemmi-
can, wood alcohol and other things of
that nature by accident, doesn't it7
Doesn't 1t look bit more reason
able that 1t was placed there deliber-
ately in order to play an important
part In the big fake game that was
about to be staged?
Doesn't 1t look as though this flag
would be needed for dramatic effect in
a fake photo?
Doesn't 1t look like fake when he
sent all his best men away on hunting
trips while declaring that he himself
was going to hunt and study glaciers
''The fake was prepared by sending
all the best men away, packing a silk
flag with his food and fuel, sending
the Bridgeman message and then
starting up the river. That flag got in
the pack by accident with a venge.
ance.
His photographs Of the Mount Nc
Kinley peak are absurdly wrong.
Two OF them are Of exactly the same
mountain, yet one is labeled 20.S0O
feet high and the other 5000 feet
high. BY some fearful lack of fore.
sight there appears In one Of the pho.
too q mountain kn0wH 4" A- ~-'- I" go