The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-09-09
TO SEND FOR ESKIMOS
VIII Use Them as Witnesses
In Pole Controversy.
SAYS PEARY TOOK SUPPLIES
Advises Friends TO Speak Kindly
Of Rival Explorer.

Copenhagen, Sept 9.-T have been
20 the north pole AS | said when I
heard Of Commander Pcary's success,
If he says he has been to the pole, I
believe him.
fi 81 am willing TO place facts, figures
and worked.out observations before a
joint tribunal of the scientific bodies
of the world. In due course shall
be prepared to make public an an.
nouncement that will effcCtually dis
pei any doubt, If there can be such,
of the fact that I have reached the
pole But knowing that | am right.
and that right must prevail, | will
submit at the proper time my full
story to the court of last rcsort-the
people OF the world.
II will not enter into any Contro-
versy over the subject with Comman-
der Peary, further than TO say that If
he says ! have taken his Eskimos.
my reply Ia that Eskimos are nomads.
They are owned by nobody and are
not the private property OF either
Commander Peary or myself. The
Eskimos engaged by me were paid 10
times what they agreed 10 accompany
me for.
"As to the story that Commander
Peary says ! took provisions stored
by him, my reply is that Peary took
my provisions, obtaining them from
the custodian on the plea that I had
been SO long absent that he was go-
ing 10 organize relief stations for me
in case / should bc alive. For this
have documentary proof"
This is Or. Cooks reply 10 Com
mander Peary's charges.
Coming so quickly upon other dra.
matte incidents of the week, Com
mander Peary's dispatch denying
that Or. Cook had achieved the tri-
umph for which he has been foted
and honored in Copenhagen beyond
the lot of any other person. has been
read here with feelings of amazement
and concern. But DR. Cook himself
seems in no wise disturbed. He was
perfectly cool and apparently un-
moved when confronted with tele-
grams from the United States saying
that Commander Peary has denounc-
ed him as an imposter. His demean
or has not changed in the slightest
from the day he landed at Copen.
hagen.
DR. Cooks friends had urged him
TO their utmost TO make any state
ment possible TO the public, but he
had said repeatedly that all he had TO
say for the present was that he pos
sessed proofs that he had visited the
north pole on April 2t, 1908 Those
proofs were convincing and in due
time would be given to the world
When it was suggested to him that
his chances of proving his case nigh,
be ruined unless he made n satisfar
tory statement Immediately, he smiled
his usual quiet smile and asked how
could a man he ruined by popular
clsmor calling him an imposter when
he had proofs OF his case which could
and would be published, as he had
oft.times repeated, when they were
In proper form to be given out.
Regarding the controversy over his
alleged taking of Peary's stores, Or.
Cook asserts that he has written and
other satisfactory evidence that
Peary took his stores. perhaps believ.
ing him dead.
Harry Whiteney Is personally ac-
quainted with all the facts, and per.
haps what he has to say when he re.
turns may be interesting added the
explorer. Then Cook remarked qui-
etly Make as little as you can of
this. and don't cay anything Disagree
able about Peary."
Dr Cook told Captain Sverdrup
and another friend the day he landed
here that he hoped there would he no
unpleasantness over supplies with
the Peary party; that he had found
nome of Pearys men in possession OF
one of his depots and had turned
them out uhoeremoniously