The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-12-27
Or. COOK FEARED
PLOT AGAINST HIM
Received Many Menacing Let
tiers Before He Fled
For Europe.
STATEMENT BY A FRIEND
MRS. COOK SAILED ON OECEM-
Der "a WITH THE ORIGINAL
RECORDS, IT is CLAIMED, TO
MEET WITH LOUNSDALE.

ing whose strange disappearance
there has been such mystery, fearing
plot to take his life, shaved his
mustache and in disguise. left for
Europe under the assumed name of
Frederick Hunter. was the gist of a
statement issued by Charles Wake,
of No. 16 East Sixtieth street. last
night.
Wake, who for many years was DR..
Cooks most intimate friend. makes
no effort now to defend the explorer.
When Wake last heard from DIR.
Cook the explorer was stopping at the
Central hotel in Lisbon, Portugal. and
in a cable message. dated December
10 and signed Frederick Hunter"
the explorer asked for the address Of
Mrs. Cook. who. it had been planned.
was to have accompanied DIR. Cook
to Europe with the original polar da-
ia. The cable message read:
Where can l reach Marie? Has she
my original records"
Wife Has Polar Records.
Mrs. Cook was then nearing Europe
on an Atlantic liner. with the polar
records in her possession. and Mr..
Wake said that he communicated this
fact to DR.. Cook by cable.
Later. he said. he sent a cable mes
sage to DR.. Cook. informing him
where he would find Mrs. Cook. Since
then Mr.. Wake has received no word
from DR.. Cook. and. SO far as he
knows. the explorer and his wife have
not met on the other side.
After describing a conspiracy which
he said DR.. Cook believed really exist
ed. Mr. Wake tells how the Cooks urg.
ed him to come to the Gramatin Inn.
Bronxville, and occupy room ad-
joining their apartment. He said
that to satisfy DR.. Cook he allowed
the door connecting the two apart
ments to remain open during the
night.
Believed There Was a Plot.
Several letters wer< received by DIR.
Cook, Mr.. Wake telling of the alleged
plot TO destroy his data, even if it was
necessary to kill DR.. Cook to gain
possession of the documents. Mr..
ceived letters of similar nature that
he put any faith in the conspiracy
story.
Evidences of the plot. as pointed
out by Mr.. Wake. were the warning
letters, the fact that DR.. Cook was
constantly followed by spies. or detec-
tives. and that there was a telephone
leak" which made it impossible for
either DR.. Cook or himself to COM
municate over the telephone without
other persons hearing their converse
ton
After detailing the plans arranged
for Walter Lounsdale. DR. Cook sec
rotary. to convey only a typewriter
copy of the palor records to Copenha-
gen. while the genuine data was to be
taken to Europe by DIR. Cook and his
dale at Stettin, Germany. Mr.. Wake
tells how the plans We're upset be-
cause of DR.. Cooks sudden impulse
to flee from the men he believed
were shadowing him.
How He Got Away.
AT the SEduu Seutidl SODh
and Mr.. Lounsdale found the usual
array of men waiting to shadow
them" Mr.. Wake said, in explaining
the manner of the explorers flight
from New York. They hurried
through the crowd and saw a south
bound Madison avenue street car just
getting under way. DR.. Cook sudden
ly exclaimed: Here is a chance to
get away from them and l am going
to take il. Come along
They caught the car just as it was
entering the Park avenue tunnel and
were certain that the men had been
left behind.
They left the car at Thirty-third
street and entered the subway. They
left the train at Blocker street. slip
ping out Just before the last door was
closed, to again make sure that they
were not being Swallowed. From there
they went to the depot by a circuit
Gus route, and DR.. Cook took the train
for Philadelphia On the way to Jer-
sey City he had his mustache shaved
off and exchanged his Derby hat for
soft felt hat