The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-10-15
SAYS COOK never
REACHED TOP OF
MT. MCKINLEY
Edward BarriII, His Guide, Says
Records We're FaIsified
COOK SAYS BARRlLL LIES
Evidence Continues to Pile Up That
Cook is Star Romancer of
Modern Times


afternoon prints a copy of the affidav-
il made by Edwin n. Barrill, who ac-
companied DR.. Frederick A. Cook at
the time he announced his reaching
the summit of Mount Mckinley. The
affidavit was made before a notary
public at Tacoma, Wash, on October
4, and has just been received in New
York. Barril's affidavit states in eff
feet that he was the only person pre-
sent with DR.. Cook on the date when
he claims to have reached the sum
NIT of Mount Mckinley, that they did
not in fact reach the summit, and the
nearest point to the summit reached
was at least fourteen miles distant
from the summit of that mountain
the elevation at no time exceeding
ten thousand feet Barrilrs affidavit
also brings into question a number of
the photographs which DR. Cook has
given as representing the summit
and other high attitudes of Mount
Mckinley.
What Affidavit Says.
Barrill, in his affidavit, states that
he made certain changes in his diary
concerning the journey up the noun
tain in September, 1906. on direction
of DR. Cook The figures 10000 on
the date of September u were chang
ed by me at the direction of DR.. Cook
but | know the elevation I'M
der what now appears September ~
was not TO exceed 9,000, and | think
it was $780, Barril swears
Continuing. he swears: DIR. Cook
first told me TO stop my diary on Sep
TENDER ~, when we were in our fifth
camp going up the glacier, and at or
near the point which DR.. Cook claimed
as the top of Mount Mckinley. This
point was within sight of us at the
time DR. Cook stated at this time
and place that the same conditions
existed there as did exist on the top
of Mount Mckinley. and directed me
to stop my diary until further orders
At this time we had been to the top
of the point claimed by the doctor as
the top of the mountain, and the doc
tor had taken photograph of the
point with me standing on the top
thereof, with the American flag in my
hand
Photograph Taken.
nN uoNAOl lutH Win HIS camera
took the picture shown opposite Page
227, which picture is there designated
as The Summit of Mt Mckinley" in
his work, ITO the Top of the Cont
nent." The truth being that the sum-
NIT of Mt Mckinley was over twenty
miles distant in an air line from the
point where my picture was so taken,
according TO the scale on DR. Cooks
map, shown between Pages 1872 and
1853 in the book referred to above.
then came down with the flag to where
Dr. Cook was standing with his
camera, and ] made the remark that
the eight peaks 'on the other side of |
this point where | had been photo |
graphed would probably show in the |
picture, and he said that he had taken |
the picture at such an angle that |
those peaks would not.
Il was with DR.. Cook continuously |
every dap during the time he was at
tempting to ascend the mountain, in |
the year 1906, and the nearest point
to the summit of Mt Mckinley which |
we reached was at least fourteen miles
distant from summit Of that
mountain and at no time did we reach
an elevation in excess of 10000 feet.
and the doctor told me when we were
at the place where my picture was
taken, that we were not over 5000
feet high
other Charges.
The affidavit among other things de.
clares:
The drawing shown opposite Page
2O4 of DR.. Cooks book above men
toned is entirely false, as we never
built a snow house on the trip.
>
THE drawing opposite Page 2O9 of
the doctors book is also false We
never climbed anything half as steep
as there shown, and we never estab-
lished any camp nor slept, as there
shown
The photograph opposite Page 226
in the doctors book, entitled, In the
Silent Glory and Snowy Wonder of
the Upper World l5,4OO Feet was
taken two or three hours before the
taking of my picture with the flag
NnnKgc crArCMEM-