Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-16
Kinley at the time Cooks expedition was
there.
Prints Affidavit.

Kiniey at the time Cooks expedition was
there.
Prints Affidavit.
The affidavit of Fred Printz, the guide
is dated October T.. 1t says that at the
time of DR.. Cooks alleged ascent of the
peak he and several others had been sent
on side trip to hunt specimens for the
Smithsonian Institution. The affidavit
continues:
for a cook, and. taking Barrill, left in
the launch for Shushitna station. From
there he said they were going up Shushit-
ma, up the Culitna and up the Toxic
sitna, to the head of navigation. to ex-
plore the country for the route to Mount
miller and I returned to Shushitna
station September IL. where the doctor
joined us. with Barrill September g. say
ing that he had made the summit Of
Mount Mckinley. From there we left
for home.
ION leaving the doctor at Seward ne
promised that part of my pay for the
sumer would be in Seattle for me, but
on arriving there and not finding 1t, I
borrowed money on which to get home
and have written the doctor several times
since for the amount due. Have received
500. leaving a balance of $S25 due me at
this date
I'm about one month after Barrill and
I returned home from our trip with Dr.
Cook in 1906. Barrill laughed and told
me that he and Cook never got to the
top of Mount Mckinley"
Miller Affidavit.
Walter p Miller, the photographer. In
his affidavit says that he was with Printz
on the side trip during the time DR.. Cook
claims to have gone to the summit OF the
mountain. His testimony continues:
DR. Cook and Barrill took the launch
and went down the Yetna, announcing
their intention Of ascending the Shusnlt-
ma, the Schuletna and exploring the Tai
shetna glacier for possible route for fu-
ture attempt to ascend to the summit of
Mount Mckinley. Printz and returned
to the Shushitna station. On the I'D OF
September we met DIR. Cook and Barrili
at the station and thence we all came
together to Seward.
II was called east by Henry Disston OF
Philadelphia, the hacker Of the expedition.
to whom related all the circumstances OF
the trip.
$50 far as I am advised Barrill is the
only man who has personal knowledge as
to whether or not DR.. Cook assembled to
the summit Of Mount Mckinley.
I'm May, 1908, I met Edward N. Bar
rill at Missoula. Mont. He then informed
me for the first time that he and DR.:
Mount Mckinley.
IT then said to him. Where were you?
when he remarked we were only on the
arst ridge, this side of the mountain 1
asked him about his picture, shown op-
posite page 227 in Dr. Cooks book. when
ne replied, That is my picture, but 1t is
not the top of the mountain
Beecher Affidavit.
The affidavit of Samuel Beecher, after
describing the early experience OF the
party, tells of trip which he and several
other members of the expedition took
from their. "base camp
He says:
July % we reached our nearest point
to the mountain, the point being, as X.
W.. Porter said, fourteen miles from the
summit. On this trip We were mapping
and taking observations of the country.
''At out last camp the elevation was
in the neighborhood Of 5000 feet, and
from that point I could readily recognize
all the pictures shown by Dr. COOK IN
his magazine article on his ascent of
the mountain, with the exception of the
pictures shown as being the summit and
the one on page $50. which are such as
might have been taken at elevations of
5000 or 6,0OO feet.
Pictures that I recognized could not
have been taken at an elevation of above
1000 feet.
1.-The point located by Edward Barrill
as being the point claimed as the top of
Mount Mckinley from my position had
an apparent elevation of approximately
1900 feet.
From our camp / had view Of near
ly tine whole route as stated by Edward
Barrill. l was present at all times when
Mr.. Barrill made his. affidavit of even
date herewith. and all the facts stated
in his affidavit covering the period
was with him are correct.
From my point of view / recognized
all the points mentioned by him, and
from my knowledge of the conditions as
existing there it would have been i'm
possible for the climb of the mountain to
by DIR. Cook.
1.-The reason for my making this aff-
davit is not from any animosity or Ill
will against DR.. Cook, but from a sense
of justice to the public
Shore Affidavit.
DIR. John F. Shores testimony is as
follows:
During the summer of 1907 l was
conversihg with Oscar F. Blankenship,
who told he that while near Mount NC
Kinley he knew of DR.. Cooks alleged
ascent of the mountain, but that from
his very short absence from the launch
it was impossible for him to have made
the ascent and return in that time.
''Blankenship is now a forestry service
man at Stehekin, Wash. Since having
this conversation met s. p. Beecher, and
I talked with him about the matter. He
said to me: That is right, but he said
they were not saying much about the
feat; that the ascent had never been