Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-10-02
WHITNEYS STORY
IN POLE WAR
Confirms Story That Cook Left
instruments With Him.
WAS PLEDGED TO SECRECY


Had Reached Pole and Eskinnos Did
Not Say He Was Never Out of Sight
of Land.
St Johns, NJ f.. Sept. 29.-Harry
| Whitney, of New Haven, believes that
| DR.. Frederick A. Cook found the pole
and that Commander Peary did the
same. In expressing this belief Mr..
| Whitney said that he knows no rea.
son for doubling Cook more than
! Peary.
''Dr. Cooks story" he added, seems
to me truthful and probable. Nothing
else would explain his twelve months
absence"
The schooner jeanne arrived here
with Mr.. Whitney on board, coming
from the Greenland coast by way of
Indian Harbor, Labrador Mr. Whit
ney feels keenly the position in which
he is placed He went north, he said.
| merely on hunting trip and now finds
himself in the storm center of a polar
controversy. Or. Cook left with him at
Annotok several cases containing in
struments and some other belongings,
but so far as Mr.. Whitney knew, no
written records.
Speaking OF DR.. Cooks detailed ac-
count of his trip to the pole, Mr..
Whitney said that the explorer showed
him how the western drift of the ice
had landed him in a region far remote
he A1 hA
was unable to get back. lie could moi
speak with authority as to whether
DR.. Cook and his two Eskimos could
carry on their three sledges enough
food for their journey to the pole, as
he himself is a novice in Arctic travel
ing. He declared he knew nothing of
the controversy beyond the vaguest
details.
Whitney said DIR. Cook had COM
planned to him of Peary's taking over
of his house and stores, but declared
that he had suffered no unfairness.
Peary's steward, William Pritchard.
was present when these statements
were made; like Mr.. Whitney, he was
pledged to secrecy by DR.. Cook.
Pedrys instructions.
There were two houses on the
Greenland shores, one at Annotok.
holding Cooks stores, and another at
Etah. holdin& Peary's stores. The
three white men, Whitney. Murphy and
Pritchard, sometimes occupied one
and sometimes the other of these tyo
houses. Murphy was In charge of both
houses. He is not able to read or write.
He had written instructions from
Peary, which Whitney, at Murphy's
request, read over to him from tina
to time
These instructions directed Murphy
to use Cooks stores first and Peary's
afterwards. Murphy was told in them
that he was to give DIR. Cook every
help If he came along in a needy con
dition, and. furthermore the instrur-
lions implied that Murphy was to or
ganize an expedition to search for DR..
Cook, but. according to Mr.. Whitney,
ed very ambiguously.
When DR.. Cook and his Eskimos ar
rived at the house they had no sledge.
Being too weary to drag it over the
rough ice, they had left 1t twenty
miles from Etah. The following day
some other Eskimos went ont, recov-
cred the sledge and brought 1t in. On
1t were DR.. Cooks instruments, clothes
and food.
After spending two days at Ammo
tok, where Cook first met Whitney,
Cook started for Etah. He planned
| originally to take two Eskimos and
two sledges, but one Eskimo fell sick,
and this made 1t necessary for him to
cut down the luggage he could take
with him south. He consequently
asked Whitney to take charge of the
instruments with which he had made
his observations at the pole. Cook left
no written records with Whitney that
he (Whitney) was aware of.
Eskinos Did Not Say SO.
Continuing Mr.. Whitney said that
last month, when Peary, on board the
Roosevelt. reached Etah from the
north after his winters work there,
he whitney informed him of DR..
Cooks arrival In April, adding that
Cook had told him (Whitnsy) to tell
Peary that Cook had gone beyond
Psary's farthest north.
Peary made no comment on this,
and Whitney said he was not asked
any other questions by Peary. But the
next day Cooks Eskimos came TO
Whitney and asked him what Psary's
men were trying to get them 10 say,
Peary's men had shown the Eskmos
papers and maps. but the Eskimos de
J clared they did not understand these
| papers.
| So far MS Mr.. Whitney Is aware,
Cooks Eskimos never admitted that
while with the doctor they had only
progressed two sleeps" from land.
The day the Roosevelt was leaving
Etah for home Whitney informed
Psary that Cook had entrusted TO him
| certain belongings to bring home on
the vessel that was coming up for
Whitney, but as this ship had not ar
rived Whitney was at a loss what to
! do with this property.
- -