Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-13
OLD STORY, SAYS COOK
Had Tip to Expect Something
Like It From Peary.
HAS NO REPLY TO MAKE
Will Not Drag Arctic Exploration
Into Mire Of Controversy.
SAYS ESKIMOS KEPT FAITH
Their Account to Peary Evidence
That They Did Not Break
Their Promise to Him.
SAYS EsKIM0s KEPT FAITH

CLEVELAND. Ohio, October 13.-Dr.
Cook has been for several weeks in pos
session Of the knowledge that Commander
Peary was about to start a campaign OF
diecredit In the press against him.
Some time ago copy Of the dispatch
from Commander Peary. then at Battle
Harbor. to a well known newspaper man
in New York, who was also known to
be opposed to DR.. Cooks interests. was
placed in his hands. It read as follows:
Battle Harbor, via Cape Race, N. F.
Personal and confidential.
Can you meet me at Bangor, Me-.
about first next week? Desire your ad-
vice regarding most destructive way Of
presenting and disseminating my evil
dence of falsity Of Cooks story.
"PEARY."
Cook Expected Something.
This put DIR. Cook on the lookout for
some such statement az has just been
published over Commander Peary's sig
nature in conjunction with others. DR..
Cook. however. did not and does not. he
says. fear any such campaign, and re-
fuses to permit himself to be drawn into
a controversy which can only serve to
drag arctic exploration into the mire.
He declares his confidence that his rec
ord will be accepted by the scientific
bodies as soon as they are presented to
have his instruments here. so as to prove
their accuracy, but. in default of their
presence, he says he will do the next
best thing-pamely. present his complete
report.
"same old Story"
1T 10 the same old story" said DR..
Cook when he was shown the statement
issued by Commander Peary. together
with tho map accompanying it.
II have replied to the points raised
dozen timee.'' he continued. 1.-The map
published by Commander Peary in itself
indicates that the Eskimos have respected
their promise made to me that they would
not give any information to Peary or his
men.
.aThe Eskimos were instructed not to
tell Mr.. Peary or any OF his party Of our
tr1p over the polar sea. They were told
to say we had been far north. They have
kept their word.
.'Mr. whitney has said that during the
c,,ss-examination conducted by Com
nander Peary and others of his expedi-
ton the Eskimos did not understand the
questions put to them or the map which
Was laid before them. Their replies 70
the questions put have been twisted to
lit a perverted interest.
II will not enter into any argument
about the matter. But I will bring the
Eskimos to New York at my own ex-
pense and they will prove. as did Mr.
Whitney. all that have claimed
DR.. Cook would not consent to go over
the details contained in Peary's state
ment any further than this.
The Eskimos," he said, ARE only too
willing to say something that they think
will please their questioners.''
Explorer Not Perturbed.
The explorer was not at all perturbed
by the accusations. A confident smile
hiekered over his bronzed face when tfiey
were shown to him.
II fully expected to see sometime os
the kind" he said. THE document looks
formidable over so many signatures and
will probably appear SO to the public
There Is, however. nothing in 1t II il
based upon the distorted and evasive re-
plies Of persons who are told not to give
any details
The doctor continued:
"Rasmussen who will be mere shortly,
has seen the Eskimos and knows the real
story They did not try to deceive him.
He was with them for fourteen days.
They know him and told him everything
he EScEi rr,C In for he