Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-10-22

New York, Oct. 15.--The Globe
this afternoon prints d copy OF the
yaffidavit made by Edwin n. Bar,
rill, who accompanied DR.. Fred
erick A. Cook at the time he an
nounced his reaching the summit
of Mt. Mckinley. The affidavit
was made before a notary public
at Tacoma, Wash, on October 4,
and has just been received in New
York.
B~arriii2s affidavit states in effect
that he was the only person pres
ent with DR.. Cook on the date
when he claims to have reached
the summit of Mt. Mckinley, that
he did not in fact reach the sum-
NIT and that the nearest point
to the summit reached was at
least IA miles distant from the
summit of that mountain, the ele-
walton at no time exceeding TO-
900 feet, Barrill's affidavit also
brings into question a number of
the photographs which DR.. Cook
has given as representing the sum-
nit and other high attitudes of
Mt. Mckinley.
Story of the Guide.
Barrill's affidavit says at the out
set that he was born in Buffalo in 1864.
and now resides at Darby, Mont. He
says he was the only party present
with DIR. Cook when he claims to have
reached the summit of Mt. Mckinley
and that he is the party referred to
as BarriIl or Edward Barille in DR..
Cooks book, entitled THE Top of the
Continent" bearing upon the expedi-
ton to Mt. Mckinley. He details his
first meeting with DIR. Cook at Mis-
soula, where the latter was accompa-
MED by Professor Parker, of Column
bia university, r. w. Porter and others.
The organization OF the Mt. McKin-
ley expedition is explained, the men,
bers consisting Of Fred Printz, a guide;
Belmore Brown, an artist n natural
list, of Tacoma; Walter Miller, a pho
~tographer, of Seattle: Samuel Bercher.
who acted as cook for the party, and
Barrill. The party sailed from Seattle,
May II, 1906.
Changes in Diary.
Barrill ~recounts that at the start
Gf The trip he prepared TO keep an ex-
act diary and sets forth that his diary,
marked exhibit A" attached to the
affidavit, "fs a pocket diary kept by
me during all the time that DIR. Cook
M / were together neal Mt. McKin-
ley, and the same is a truthful record
with he exception of the entries and
changes made by me therein under the
orders of DR.. Cook"
The diary referred to by Barrill as
attached to the affidavit, is now in pos
session of the New York Globe.
The affidavit then proceeds as fol-
lows:
"On the evening OF September 9,
1905, DIR. Cook and I started at once
for the purpose of exploring Mt. Nc
kinley. He informed me before start
ing that his purpose was to find a way
for ascending the mountain, as he and
Professor Parker intended to climb
the mountain the following year.
AS shown by my diary, we took the
ice on September 9 from and includ-
ing the SIN down 10 and including the
18th of September. All writings in my
diary are by me, but We're made under
the direction of DR.. Cook. / also
changed the dates during his time un-
der his direction. The figures IL, 900
on the date of September IL were
changed by me at the dictation of DIR.
Cook. On September IL, DIR. Cook di-
reeted me to stop keeping my diary and
leave the g therein blank. / can
not now remember the exact dates or
hgures which / had in my diary be-
Tore / was ordered to change them, but
l know the elevation under what now
appears September IL vas not to ex-
coed 5000, and I him 1t was 5000"
The affidavit is a very long one. and
goes into a detailed story Of DIR.
Cooks adventures in his alleged bogus
ascent of the mountain.