The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-09-11
WHAT COOK SAYS
HE DECLARES HE CAN AND
WILL PROVE HIS CLAIM.

Will Send for His Eskimo Compan-
ions and Asserts That Peary Took
Food Stored for Him.
At Copenhagen, Cook, shown
Peary's statement Wednesday night
stood by his gun, declined to enter
into debate and calmly asserted
that his records would sustain him.
He said:
II have been to the North Pole.
AS I said last night when 1 heard
of Commander Peary's success, if
he says he has been to the pole, l
believe him.
II am willing to place facts, fig
ures and worked-out observations
before a joint tribunal of the scien-
tifc bodies of the world. In due
course l shall be prepared to make
public an announcement that will
effcectually dispel any doubt, if
there can be such, Of the fact that
| have reached the pole. But know
ing that l am right and that right
must prevail, l will submit at the
proper time my full story to the
Court of last resort-the people of
the world.
Il will not enter into any contro-
versy over the subject with Com
mander Peary, further than to say
that if he says l nave taken his
Eskimos, my reply is that Eskimos
ars nomads. They are owned by
nobody, and not private property
of either Commander Peary or my
self.
GAS to the story that Command
er Peary says I took provisions stor-
ed by him, my reply is that Peary
took my provisions, obtaining them
from the custodian on the plea that
l had been so long absent that he
was going to organize relief stations
for me in case l should be alive.
For this I have documentary proof.
This is Dr.. Frederick A. Cooks
reply to Commander Peary. Com
ing so quickly upon other dramatic
incidents of the week, Commander
Peary's dispatch denying that Dr..
Cook has achieved the triumph for
which he has been feted and honored
in Copenhagen, beyond the lot OF
any other private person, has been
read there with feelings of amaze
ment and concern. But DR.. Cook
himself seems in no wise disturbed.
He was perfectly cool and apparent
ly unmoved when confronted with
kilograms from the United States
saying that Commander Peary had
denounced him as an imposter. His
demeanor has not changed in the
slightest from the day he landed
at Copenhagen.
When it was suggested to him
that his chances of proving his case
might be ruined unless he made
satisfactory statement Immediately,
he smiled-his usual quiet smile
and asked how could man be ruin
ed by popular clamor calling him
an imposter when he had proofs
of his case which could and would
be published, as he had oft times
repeated, when they were in proper
form to be given out.
Regarding the controversy over
his alleged taking Of Peary's stores,
Dr.. Cook asserts that he has written,
and other satisfactory evidence, that
Peary took his stores, perhaps be-
:ieving him deadl Harry Whit
ney is personally acquainted with all
the facts, and perhaps what he has
to say when he returns may be In
teresting," added the explorer.
DR.. Cook told Capt. Sverdrup and
another friend the day after he had
landed that he hoped there would be
no unpleasantness over supplies with
the Peary party; that he had found
some of Peary's men in possession
of one of mis- depots and had turned
them out uncermoniously.
1t is settled that Cook will SEND
ship back to bring to America the
two Eskimos who accompanied him
on the last stage Of his journey to
the pole, as we'll as some of the party
who were sent back when the start
of the stage begun. Capt. Sverdrup
may command the expedition; 1t Is
DR.. Cooks desire that he shall do
so, and they conferred for several
hours a few days ago.