The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-21
His Claim to Discovery Oi
North Pole Declared
s'WITHOUT VALUE
Report to University Same as
n. Y. Herald Story.
DR.. Cook in Norway Ready to
Give More Data.

Copenhagen, Dec. 21.-The Univer-
sity of Copenhagen, the first institu-
ton of learning to recognize DIR. Fred
erick A. Cook as the discoverer of the
North pole, today solemnly declared
that the explorer had failed to estab-
lish the claim on which his high hon.
ors had been based.
The committee appointed by the
university to examine Cooks records
recently presented its report to the
consstory of the university, which re-
viewed the deductions of the experts
with the greatest care and discussed
the standings from every standpoint
That both the committee and the con-
sistory were disappointed was soon
known.
The consistory met today and
adopted a written report to the effect
that the alleged records submitted for
examination by DR.. Cook failed to
prove his claim.
The report of the committee of
which Prof. Stromgren was chairman
as presented to the consistory states
that Cooks papers are without value;
that his report to the university is
practically the same as that published
in the New York Herald on his re-
turn from his Arctic expedition.
The copies of his note books sub
1nitted. says the committee, contain
no original calculations or observa-
tions. but only results thereof. Ac-
cordingly, the committee concludes
that he affords no proof of having
reached the pole.
There was produced before the COM
mittee a letter from Cook postmarked
Marseilles December IA. This lends
color to the earlier report that Cook
sailed from New York for d Mediter-
ranean port.
The Documents Submitted.
The documents handed the commits
sion of the University of Copenhagen
for examination are:
First, typeWritten report prepared
by Cooks secretary, Walter LOnSdale,
and covering 81 pages of foolscap.
Second, typewriter copy made by
Lonsdale from Cooks notebooks. This
Is pages of foolScap and in
cludes a description of the expedition
during the period from March 49, 1908
TO June 13. 1908, during which, accord
ing to the statement Cook journeyed
from Svartevog to the North Pole and
returned to point on the polar ice not
specifically indicated but west of AK
elheiberg land.
The papers were not accompanied by
a private letter from Cook but Secre-
tary Lonsdale stated verbally to the
commission that the original notes and
books of the explorer from which his
copies were made had been sent to
q
tiolary measure and would be deliver
ed to the university in the course of a
few days.
In presenting the data Lonsddle sta
ted explicitly and repeatedly that the
copy numbered was a complete and
accurate duplication of the information
contained in all of Cooks notebooks
that could be of any Importance to the
university for the purposes of the ex-
animation. In spite of the explorers
II
that they would be forthcoming, the
commission is not yet in possession of
the original notebooks and diaries.
Can't Find Him.
Up to this time it has been impossi-
BILE for the university authorities to re-
establish communication with Dr. Cook
which was suspended sometime ago.
The explorers address is not known
here either to Secretary LousdaIe.
After the members of the examining
committee had made themselves ac-
quainted individually with the mater
ial delivered and SO convinced them
selves of its utter thlessness as a
means of determining whether Cook
reached the pole the president of the
committee, Prof. Stromgren called a
general meeting of the committee for
last Friday, when the report to the
university which is now made public
was drawn up.
Ionsdale. who had been invited to
this meeting to answer some questions
brought with him a letter which he
had received from Cook which bore
neither the place nor date of its writ
ing. The opened envelope, however.
bore the postmark Marseilles, Decem-
Der IA. 1909. The same envelope con-
tanned letter addressed by Cook to
the former rector of the University of
Copenhagen, Prof Torp. The letter to
Torp was dated New York. September
q, 1909
His Letter TO Torp.
In his letter to Prof. Torp, Cook
states that not only were his instru-
ments left at Etah as indicated in his
cable to the university of October %,
but most of his astronomical observa-
tions also were left at that northern
point and he adds that without these it
seems unwise and impossible to pass a
final judgment upon his expedition. At
ter obtaining all available Information
the committee finds as follows:
First-The report of the expedition
sent to the university by DR.. Cook is
the same as that printed in the New
York Herald during the months of Sep
tember and October last.
Second-The copy of Cooks note books
does not contain any original astrono-
micaI observations whatsoever but only
results.
Third-The documents presented are
inexcusably lacking in information
which would prove that the astrononai-
cal observations therein referred to
were really made: and also contain no
details regarding the practical work of
the expedition and the sledge journey
which would enable the committee to
determine their reliability.
The committee therefore is of the
opinion that the material transmitted
for examination contains no proof that
DR. Cook reached the pole.
The report is signed by all six men,
bers of the committee who were assist
ed in their inquiry by Knud Rasmus-
sen, the explorer.