Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-09-14
COOK WROTE WIFE
OF VISIT TO POLE
Explorer Said Peary Had Taken
His Furs and Had Moved Sup
plies That Had Been Sent Him
By Mrs. Cook.

By Mrs. Cook.
NEW YORK, Sept. lit is learned on
excellent authority tonight the purport
OF letters written by DIR. Frederick A.
| Cook to his wife that will become his
torical II the text is made public. 1t
was to these letters that DR.. Cook re-
ferred in his announcement cabled from
Copenhagen that his wife was in posses
sion of indisputable evidence that he had
discovered the north pole.
In one letter written in the spring OF
this year from Etah, the explorer de-
scribes the terrific hardships of this jour
ney. starting in February from his win
ter quarters in a hole in the ground in
Ellsmere Land, to Etah. The distance,
about 300 miles, had to be covered with
out dogs and without sufficient food.
FOUND STORES GONE.
The most striking part of this letter,
however, Is that which describes the Bit
ter disappointment on arriving at his base
near Etah to find that his cache Of sup
plies which had been sent by his loyal
wife, had been moved by Peary. DIR. Cook
also tells of his subsequent JOY in recov-
ering the provisions and of the great help
rendered him by Harry Whitney, the Arc
tic hunter of New Haven.
Another letter mentions the loss OF a
case of furs taken. DR.. Cook writes, by
Peary. .
Friends of Mrs. Cook are discussing a
letter received by her from Peary last
winter, on the return of the Eric from the
Polar regions. After saying he had seen
a letter purporting to have been written
by her husband from Cape Thomas Hub
bard. Commander Peary added that she
need have no fear; that her husband
probably was in Ellsmere land, where
game was plentiful. After the name Cape
Thomas Hubbard, it is said, Commander
Peary had put a big interrogation mark,
intimating that DR.. Cook was at an en-
tirely different place from where he pro-
fessed to be. In general, 1t can be said
DR.. Cooks letters to his wife have made
her belief in his achievement absolute.
Mre. Peary Brands False
The Tale of Fur Theft
SYDNEY, n. s., Sept. n.-"Rudolph
Francke wrote me two letters, stating
that II 1 sent 5000 to Mrs. Frederick A.
Cook, wife of the explorer, there would be
no further trouble"
With the greatest reluctance Mrs. Peary
made this statement today. 1t was in re-
ply to charges made by Francke that
Commander Peary had opened, read and
even altered letters intrusted by Cook to
Francke. In these letters 1t was asserted.
was the plans OF Cook and reports of his
progress toward the pole.
IT am exceedingly loathe to speak con-
corning this matter" said Mrs. Peary. ut
Is only because my hisband has bee at
tackled and the public as a result may
draw wrong conclusion OF the affair
that come to his defense. / had hoped
to keep entirely aloof from this most I'M
fortunate controversy.
Now let me explain. After Francke
had returned from the Arctic. he began
to make trouble by saying THAT my hus-
band had stolen DR.. Cooks furs. He even
said Mr.. Peary had found them at Etah
in the United, States :-
PEARY CARED FOR FRANCKE.
''Francke returned on the Eric, He
had left DR.. Cook and after futile efforts
to get south he was taken care of by Mr..
Peary and given transportation aboard
the Eric.
'It was on the Eric. Francle asserted.
that the Cook furs were sent south by
my husband.
After Francke had reached New York
received a letter from him in German.
In IL he made the accusations which l
have alluded to. He further stated that
some men who were themselves scoun-
drels had noble wives. For that reason
he hoped that would see that there was
justice.
1.-THE furs which he said belonged to
DR.. Cook were. certainly worth 5000 and
II that amount. of money was paid Mrs.
Cook. there would be no further talk.
LAS to the charge that Mr.. Peary would
steal furs or anything else belonging to
Dr. Cook II is too absurd to discuss. 1
know he will explain everything when he
comes. -
Ridiculous. also, is the statement re-
ported to have been made by Francke
that Commander Peary opened, Cooks let
tiers. It has been said that afidavits have
been made by Francke and Joseph White,
making this accusation. Now, do you
think it probable that II Mr.. Peary intend
ed to do such an evil thing he would have
done it in the presence of two witnesses?
The only Cook letters that 1 know any
thing about were written by Mrs. Cook to
>her husband. At her request my husband
carried them north on the Roosevelt.
REGRETS CONTROVERSY.
at is a pity that my husbands great
achievement should be involved in such q
bitter controversy. He has struggled for
nearly a quarter Of a century to win this
victory"
When Herbert L. Bridgman. secretary
of the Peary Arctic club. was asked con-
corning Franckes threat to sue Mrs.
Peary, he said:
Lewis l.. Delafeld. of No. 1 Wall
street, New York, attorney for the Peary
Arctic club. will receive any papers which
Francke desires to have served on Mrs.
Peary.
THE more fully the details of this at
fair are made known. the better will peo-
pie realize how Commander Peary and
his noble wife have suffered from talk of
those envious of the explorers achieve
ments.
"Franckes charges will be absolutely
disproved by Peary. Francke was be-
friended by Peary.
"Peary found him and took him aboard.
He gave him $50 in cash. bought him
clothes and arranged to have him make
the return trip aboard the Eric, the sup
ply ship of the expedition"
GEoRGIA'S APPLE CROP (