Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1909-12-21

acteristic way in which Mr.. Bradley
summed up his attitude.
Charles Wake. DIR. Cooks closest
personal friend and the only person be-
sides his brother who knew the where
abouts of the explorer in the last few
weeks. was so dumbfounded when in
formed of the verdict reached by the
university of Copenhagen that he
gasped for breath n dropped the tele-
phone receiver.
Cooks Chum stunned by News.
"This is such a severe blow TO me
that l cannot now fully appreciate il"
said Mr.. Wake when he had partially
recovered his composure. Il had every
confidence in DR.. Cook. Vet l am we'll
acquainted with the authorities of the
University of Copenhagen and know
that my verdict they reach is Just and
true.
sDr. Cook never expected this adverse
decision, | know, for he always spoke
with full confidence that the professors
would decide that he had gone TO the
Pole.
AT present l do not know what to
think of my old friend DIR. Cook. Ger
tainly | never dreamed of such a fraud
as seems apparent nov"
Mr.. Wake said that DR.. Cooks wife
is with him in Norway, but that his
children are here. Mr.. Wake is a gem
eral agent for a large insurance COM
pany, is rated as wealthy and has been
II of Dr.. Cooks most earnest cham
pions from the beginning.
From my personal knowledge OF Or.
Cock and my knowledge of the work
in the Arctic ! never wavered in my
belief tina Or. Cook could never prove
the claims he made said Herbert L.
Bridgman, secretary of the Peary
Arctic Club, when informed of the YER
diet of the Copenhagen scientists. Il
thoroughly believed il the story oil
Peary and the EsquimauX that COOK
had not gone far north. Again, Dr.
Cooks story wa9 filled with holes, so
that anyone who had knowledge OF
Arctic conditions could easily see that
no faith could be placed in the story
Dr. Cooks claim that he made the
ascent of Mt. Mckinley. in Alaska, the
highest peak in America, is now under
investigation by a committee of the EN-
p%lorers' Club here, DIR. Cook promised
TO appear before the committee after he
had completed his polar data, but ne
did not do so. His guide. Edward Bar
rill. who Cook claimed went with him
I'D The mountain, came out with an
afidavit a few weeks ago declaring that
they had not been within several miles
of the peak.
~ Was sure of IT." says Pcary.
WASHINGTON. Dec, 2l.-"Three
months ago from the Labrador coast
| sounded an explicit m deliberately
worded warning to the world, based
upon complete and accurate informa-
lion il regard to the Cook claims. In
doing SO / accepted the responsibility
devolving upon me and fulfilled my
duty to myself and 10 the world
With these words Commander Robert
f.. Peary pointedly expressed his sen-
timents regarding the failure of the
University of Copenhagen to find n
proof of tho discovery of the north pole
by Or. Cook.
Seated in a comfortably heated
room in his apartments, in Columbia
read, Commander Peary received an In
terviewer who apprised him of the de-
cision by the Denmark scientists
against DR.. Cook. 1t was evident that
the explorer. received the news with
mucb satisfaction.
II have known the outcome of this
since weeks before l reached this
try on my return from the pole. It was
not a matter of belief with me. but OF
absolute knowledge.
.However, shall not discuss this
matter in detail for publication. 1t is
rot necessary.
1.-THE warning which I sent to the
country before l landed is still suff-
Client. You remember my ~cablegram
from Baltic harbor, Here is the exact
wording of 1t:
g Cook has not been to the pole
April q. 1908. or any other date.
"'He has simply handed the public a
gold brick"
With this Commander Peary declined
further to discuss DR.. Cook or his al
fairs. and il was evident that he re-
garded the whole controversy as ended