The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-09-29
DR. COOK CROSSEXAMINED
THE POLE FINDER SUBMITS TO
GRUELLING INTERVIEW.
Forty Newspaper Men Fire All Kinds
of Questions at the Explorer, but
Can Answer Them All.

Can Answer Them All.
Dr.. Frederick A. Cook, seeking
rest and seclusion with his family
after the boisterous welcome OF
Tuesday, denied himself to inter
views Wednesday and remained In
his suit at the Woldprf-Astoria,
In New York, until late Wednesday
| afternoon, when he submitted cheer.
| fully to one Ct the severest CROSS
! examinations since he announced his
| discovery Of the North Pole. The
| ordeal of the interview. which was
conducted by forty newspaper repre-
sentatives, including several from
foreign newspapers, proved at least
that he was not afraid to meet the
public. Incidentally the city Of Nav
York officially recognized his achieve
ment Wednesday when the board Of
aldermen passed a resolution, COM
memoratilg his discovery and pro-
viding for a public welcome at the
City Hall. The date Of the recep-
ton will be announced later.
AS the questions asked were put
BY laymen they did not go deeply
into the scientific aspect Of the ex-
pedition. But DR.. Cook vas ready
to answer anything pertinent to the
issue.
The most interesting phase OF the
interview was reached when DR..
Cook was asked II he would object
to showing his diary. He immedi-
ately consented, and after retiring
to his room, returned with a small
octave note book, which he showed
freely to all. 1t was a thin book,
containing ITS pages, each Of which
was filled with fifty or sixty lines
of ~pendiIIed writing of the most
minute character.
The book, he said, contained con-
siderably more than n hundred
thousand words. while he has be-
sides other books embracing his OBJ
servations and other data.
Interviews Severe.
The interviews were rather severe
in regard to details. but nothing in
dicated that the Polar travellers
memory was at fault even In the
most minute particulars. Some
times when a petty question indi-
Gated ignorance, he smiled with good
humored sympathy at the lack Of
technical knowledge displayed.
Not once did he refuse to reply.
except wnen the name of Commander
Peary was broached. Even then
he said that he had always and did
now consider Peary as his friend,
but controversial subjects In connec-
ton with his rival he avoided en-
tirely. saying that they could wait.
When requested to say what had
occurred at his meeting with Harry
Whitney, the New Haven sports
man, he said he preferred to let
Whitney tell his own story. as Whit
ney was quite unbiased. His rea-
sons in imposing secrecy on Whitney,
on P%ritchard. Commander Peary's
cabin boy, and the Eskimos, were
prompted by his desire to be the
first to tell the world his discovery.
He mad done the work. he said, and
was entitle to relate how 1t had
been carried out.
Some of the Questions Asked.
Some of the more important ques-
tions put to DR.. Cook during the
interview, and his replies thereto.
follows:
@. Did anything ever occur in
the life of yourself and Mr.. Peary
that would create an enmity or Bit
terness between you?
A. Nothing that I know Of.
@. Would you be willing to meet
Peary il a debate when he gets
here?
A. As far as I am concerned the
Peary incident is closed. Mr.. Pearv
is not the dictator of my affairs, and
I do not care to say anything fur
Their about him.
@. Did you know Mr.. Whitney
when you met him on your return
to Etah?
A. No; he introduced himself.
@. What caused you to have such
confidence in Mr.. Whitney that you
entrusted your instruments to him:
A. I knew him by name. and
circumstances that arose while I
was with him justified my conf
dence. I gave him the instruments
| to bring back because I thought thew
would be less liable to injury on
board his vessel than If + took them
across glaciers and rough ice-coVer-
ed country.
@. What Is your opinion ct the
| story told by the negro Henson Of
Tie information he obtained from
your two Eskimos?
A. We'll. the Eskimos we're hound
down by ME not to tell anyone where
they had beer. l should like YOU TO
aave Henson net. and cross IL estion
him yourself. Hensou's testimony
is entirely founded on hearsay.
@. knowing that a ship was COM
ing North this summer for Whitney.
why did you not wait for that ship
aud come direct to New York in
stead of going to South Greenland
and sailing from there to Copen~
hagen?.
A. I knew that the Danish Gov