Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-06
Disooverer's Account is Accepted by
Geographers and Explorers,
IS MESSAGE ARRIVES
TAFT'S
Finder of Pole Much Pleased with
Presidents Greeting.
GOES TO BRUSSELS AND PARIS
After Delivering Lectures In These
Cities, DIR. Cook WIN Return to
Copenhagen and Sail for
New York.

COPENHAGEN, Sept. 5.--Dr. Frederick
Cook dined this evening with King Freder-
ck at the summer palace, few miles out
side of Copenhagen. The king summoned
DR.. Cook to an audience yesterday a
formal courtesy. They engaged in an hours
talk, and while these royal audiences can
not, according to etiquette, be minutely de-
scribed by the members of the court, DR..
Cook made such an impression on the king
that his majesty Immediately instructed the
court chamberlain to summon the explorer
to dine with him tonight. The king invited
DIR. Cook to meet him yesterday after
making the closest possible investigation
into his story All the Danish explorers
were asked to give their opinions of DR..
Cooks claims before the audience was
granted and their verdict was unanimously
in his favor.
The dinner tonight was entirely the re-
suit of the kings personal opinion regard
ing the explorer, who had the seat on the
kings right, an honor which Danes cannot
remember having been accorded another
private person, and members of the royal
family listened to his every word as he
recounted the dangers and privations of his
polar journey.
TRfrs Message Arrives.
by receipt of telegram from President
Taft, in which the president Of the United
States extended his hearty congratulations
on the announcement that DR.. Cook had
reached the pole. He had to undergo a
veritable ordeal again today being bonn
barded every side with questions in.
tended to test the accuracy of his affirma-
tions.
Although after midnight when he reached
his hotel at the end Of the first days try
ing experiences, he sat up for two hours
engaged in correspondence and In conversa-
tion with Commodore Hovgaard and Prof.
Oufsen, secretary Of the Geographical So
ciety. The explorer was again about before
o'clock this morning, reading translations
Of the comments in the Danish newspapers.
Later ne received Commodore Sverdrup
and Count Harald Moltke, a member of
the Mylius ErIchsen expedition, who prob
ably will illustrate Dr. Cooks book.
Scientist Asks Questions.
One of the most exacting periods of the
day was an interview with Prof. Stromberg,
the leading Scandinavian astronomer whJ
says that when he is permitted to examine
DR.. Cooks observations he can decide
within half a day whether the explorer
has been at the pole. Several other expert
Arctic explorers were closeted today with
Dr. Cook When they came out they ap-
peared thoroughly convinced OF his abso-
Lutte good faith.
! A luncheon at the American legation af-
forded further opportunity to nonexpert
persons to strengthen their already firm
belief in the explorers narrative. Then
Dr. Cook disappeared from public view for
an hour, during which time he submitted
to the camera at a Photographic studio,
| RovoU TFuu,sH- nNnna-
The dinner at the royal castle at Char
lottenlund was the scene OF the greatest
sL thusiasm. The king and every member
of the royal family, even the smallest
children. assembled. DR.. Maurice F. Egan,
the American minister, Rev. DR.. DaAe OF
Chicago and several other guests completed
the party. The dinner passed off quietly,
as is customary on Sunday in the royal
household, but after the dinner there was
q regular rush around Dr. Cook, who
started sucoinct recital Of his adventures
His graphic depletion gained from the
calmness and candor of the speaker One
after another OF the royal personages piled
him with questions and marked their inteIli-
gent appreciation OF the conditions In Aro-
tic seas and then waited eagerly while the
| explorer answered, always without hesita-
tion. The younger members OF the family
seemed literally to hang on his words
Prince Waldemar, brother OF the king who
Is scientific sailor, was extremely inter
ested in the currents about the pole and
the condition OF the ice. Prince and
Princess George OF Greece also made perti-
nent inquiries, The king and queen and
everybody were 30 greatly interested In
the poles discovery that they remained in
the drawing room much later than b their
Egan and was the center OF a conRratuia-
tory group. II was easy TO be seen that
the royal family had implicit faith In him.
Brussels and Paris.
! When he returned to HIS rooms at the
hotel DR.. Cook took up the correspondence
on which he had been engaged. writing
until a late hour, II has been decided that
after his visit TO Brussels he will deliver
lecture at Paris. He will then return to
Copenhagen and san from here for New
York
One OF the most interesting features Of
DIR. Cooks present position IL that he Is
about the only intelligent man In the world
now who does not realize how conspicuous
and talked about DR.. Cook II today Minis
ter Egan has shielded him as carefully as
possible. While he is theoretically living
as the governments guest at a hotel he
is practically living at the legation. so that
he may be kept away from the pressure
Of the crowds which are still surrounding
the hotel. DR.. Cook thinks that he may be
able 10 get back 10 New York quietly, so
that he may revise his scientific records
Il before he gives them TO the world
Explorer Asks Questions.
At luncheon at the American embassy
today the explorer escaped for a few
minutes from the absorbing topic OF the
Arctic and asked questions, which appeared
amusing, about what was going on. What
was Tafts maJority2 and similar ques-
} tiOns. were asked. When given some de-
tails OF Lieutenant shanklston's expedition