Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-09-27
PEARY BEGINS ATTACK ON COOK
Issues Signed Statement in Effort I,
Discredi% Rival.


in answer to Harry Whitney's state
ment that Whitney does not know the
extent of the contents Of the box left
in his charge by DR.. Cook to be
brought back to the United States.
Pedry says he refused to bring back
Cooks instruments, etc, but ordered
his Eskimos not to disturb the Cook
cache at Etah. Pea.ry says he doesn't
believe Cook left either records or in
struments or flags with Whitney.
1t was learned tonight from a source
close to Peary that the commander
justifies his action Of refusing to allow
DIR. Cooks instruments or records on
board the Roosevelt on the theory that
he had been aware for some time Of
Cooks intention to claim the discov-
cry Of the north pole and that Peary
therefore, would sanction nothing to
aid this project.
Specific Charges Contemplated.
Peary in the near future, 1t is said,
will charge that the Brooklyn ex-
plorer, cannot produce shoes, sledges,
or other equipment to show the wear
and tear that comes from travel over
the arctic ice. This is the first in
timation Of any specific evidence that
the commander will produce. although
he has said ne has evidence enough to
discredit DIR. Cook.
Reports from New York tonight say
that DIR. Cook Is tied hand and foot re-
discovered the pole. He is waiting the
arrival Of Whitney. He was disap-
pointed when he learned that Whitney
had not brought the instruments. He
cannot state when the proof that he
discovered the pole will be sent to the
University of Copenhagen. He cannot
get the records and bring the Eskimos
from Etah now because of the ice.
Wireless dispatches received at ST.
Johns, N. f., state that the schooner
Jeanie. which is bringing Whitney
back to civilization, left Indian Harbor
yesterday morning for st. Johns, and
would not call at Battle Harbor. 1t is
expected that the Jeanie will arrive ~at
st. Johns Wednesday.
Commander Peary has received mes
sages concerning Whitney's progress
He has, however, made no attempt to
communicate with Whitney and says
he will make none.
Statement Regarding Whitney.
Peary made a close reading OF the
dispatch from Whitney when it was
shown to him, and then dictated the
following:
"At Etah, on Aug. II or 1S, after the
arrival of the Roosevelt, and after I
invited Whitney to come on board the
Roosevelt with all his belongings and
trophies, having extended the invita-
ton in view of the uncertainty of the
movements Of his own ship, which he
had expected to arrive about the first
of August and which had not yet ap-
peared, Whitney told me he had some
foxskins-six, think-and some mar
: whal horns which Cook had sent back
after leaving Etah for Danish Green
land, with the request that Whitney
take them home with him on Whitney's
ship. Whitney also told me that Cook
had given him (Whitney). the sledge
with which Cook had returned to Etah
in April
II then told Whitney that / did not
care to have anything belonging to Cook
on board the Roosevelt, and that all
wanted from Whitney was that he
would not bring on board the Roose-
velt anything belonging to Cook, which
promise he instantly gave me- Later
bringing to the ship his things Whit
ley came and told me he also had
some clothes and Instruments belong
ing to, Cook.
Told Eskimos to Guard Cache.
II told Whitney that these, as we'll
as the foxskins and norwhal horns, he
could put In a chace at Etah or leave in
charge of Eskimos for Cook, whichever
he thought best. Just before the Roose-
welt left Etah he told me that he per-
sonally had seen that these things had
been left in q cache and had told the
Eskimos that they had been left there
for Cook.
81 also told the Eskimos that they
were to leave the cache undisturbed
and that they were not to break up
Cooks sledge. Later heard the report
that the instruments were the ones
that Cook had used during his sledge
journey, but / gave the report no cred-
ence, as ! could not conceive Of q
man leaving instruments Of that kind
out Of his own sight or In the hands
of a stranger.
"Still later. after leaving Eskimo
land entirely, and during the voyage
home I heard report that Cook also
had left with Whitney flag he had
carried with him on his sledge Journey.
No one seemed to know anything def
mite about this, and paid no atten-
tion to the report for the same rea-
son as before. After getting in contact
with the world ! lesrned that Cook