Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-20
SAW COOK At ETAH
Peary's Men Say He Called at
Their Camp.
WAS TIRED AND HUNGRY
Said Nothing to Them About Hav.
ing Found the Pole.
PEARY TALKS WITH REPORTER
Tells Graphic Story Of Arctic Dash.
Refuses to Discuss Cooks Claims
Until Latter Speaks.
PEARY TALKS WITH REPORTER

light was thrown on the controversy over
the discovery Of the north pole yesterday
on the arrival of the steamer Tyrian
spondents learned from two members OF
Commander Peary's expedition that DR..
Frederick A. Cook had met them at Etah
and had mentioned nothing Of discover
ing the pole.
When Harry Whitney. George Norton
and Larned went to Etah on the Erik to
bring provisions for Commander Peary
both Norton and Larned turned back and
Whitney obtained permission from Com
mander Peary to remain at the Etah sta
ton. Commander Peary stationed John
Murphy, boatswain Of the Roosevelt, and
William Pritchard, assistant cook OF the
Roosevelt, at Etah to guard the stores.
Murphy. telling of his experience at
Etah. said to the newspaper men:
Commander Peary told me to go
ashore at Etah to guard the stores which
l saw taken from the Roosevelt and the
Erik. Pritchard was with me- Some
time last spring white man came into
camp, and Mr.. Whitney told me that 1t
was DR.. Cook. He did not stay long in
camp. Cook looked tired and worn out,
and haid he was hungry. l had an argu-
of the stores that we were guarding be-
longed to him. He had only two Eski-
mos with him, and as all his dogs were
dogs the doctor had to pull his own
sledge."
"Had Been Far North"
Pritchard said these Eskimos told him
that they had been way. way north"
None Of the Peary party at Battle Har-
no. hot iofo hoc
been learned from Harry Whitney, as
Commander Peary had given orders that
the Cook controversy must not be men
toned. 1t was commonly reported at
Battle HarbOr, however, that Peary had
some differences with Whitney, who de-
cided that instead Of returning to Sydney
on the Roosevelt he would do some shoot
ing In Greenland.
Friends of DR.. Cook here pointed out
that when Commander Peary on his re-
turn from the pole sent for Prof. McMil-
Ian, who had gone to establish a base of
supplies at Cape Morris Jesup, he did
not mention in his letter to the professor
message which was made public by Prof.
Mcmillan at Battle Harbor read:
steamship Roosevelt, April %, 1909.
MY Dear Mcmillan: Arrived on board
yesterday. Northern trip was entirely
satisfactory. There Is no need of Green
land depot. Captain came on board the
2fth. Concentrate all your energies on
tidal observations and line soundings
ncrth from Cape Norris Jesup. Use in
eended supplies for me for this purpose;
The adherents Of Commander Peary as
sert that the words in the message
northern trip entirely satisfactory" in
dictate clearly that the expedition had &C
complished its purpose.
Prof Mcmillan said at Battle Harbor
that he had seen Harry Whitney at Etah
and that Whitney did not tell any one of
DR.. Cooks reported discovery of the
pole.
Peary Tells His Story.
1t was in an old sail and stores loft
in Battle Harbor, Labrador. that Com
mander Peary told the story to a score
or more of correspondents of his journey
to the pole. He will head no more trips
to the arctic. nor. for that matter to
the antarctic. His work in the ice fields
is finished.
Il have accomplished the ambition of
my life," said the commander; Il shall
always be interested In arctic explora-
ton. but it must now be left to young
er men,
pale, cheerless Labrador sun weakly
penetrated the gable window of the
musty loft and dimly lighted the place.
Tall and military in his bearing. the ex-
plorer was easily the commanding figure
Of the company gathered there. Dressed
In a dark blue shirt of dough material,
with trousers tucked in pair of high
top rubber boots that reached almost to
his hips, he looked for all the world like
a Newfoundland fisherman. The feeble
sunlight played about the tense, gaunt
face of the explorer. and showed the
north. A sandy mustache and hair that
had grown negligently in the arctic.
sought to give the lie to the precise ex-
preston of his mouth and searching look
Commander Peary often broke his mar
rative to call upon Prof Donald McMil-
Ian. naturalist and geologist of the ex-
petition. to relate some incident of the
dash to the pole were the discoveries by
Prof. Mcmillan of relics and stores of
seven previous arctic expeditions
Commander Peary did no fencing with
his interviewers and prefaced the in
quis ton as he called it. with the state
ment that he had made his position clear
in reference to the Cook controversy in
earlier dispatches, which had been sent
by wireless to the Associated Press. To
the boSnbardment of interrogations the
and couched his answers in terms that
left no mistake in their meaning
Il shall pay no attention to fake
stories or any side issues said Com
manQeT fedTy, tnat are put out 10 Qf8-
tract from the main question. Has Cook
been at the pole?'"
do you think 1t possible for any man
to fake observations to prove that he
was at the pole?'' he was asked.
I'm the opinion Of Admiral Melville,
Z. 8. N: Admiral Sir George Mares. r.
NJ: and myself. yes" he responded
quickly.
Will Await Cooks Statement.
Then he continued: II do not care to
speak OF other observations. in view of
what I claim, and I won't say anything
more until the statement signed by an
other Is offered. and then will submit
my statement"
The story OF Christmas day In the arc
tic was delightfully."- pictured by Com
mander Peary. and as he told Of those
hours with the members Of the expedi-
ton his face. usually stern and drawn.
relaxed and he smiled frequently. Some
athletic contests were arranged by Prof.
Mcmillan. and a running course OF sew
enty-five yards on the ice and snow was
laid out beside the Roosevelt. which then
Law in the ice cradle or CoDn c,h