Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-12-10

New York, Dec. 9.-Dr. Frederick A.
Cooks personal lawyer, Henry Well
,, ington Wacl, has severed further rela-
tons with his client. Mr.. Wack refused
tonight to confirm or deny his with
drawal, but it can be affirmed on COM
petent authority, that after a consul
tation with his partners, Mr.. Wack
wrote DR.. Cook 50 long ago as Nov. 80
that he must beg him to seek legal adj
vice elsewhere.
Il haven't the remotest idea said
Mr.. Wack tonight, "where DR.. Cook is
keeping himself or why he persists in
seclusion when his presence is vital to
his own interests and his friends. l
read that he is in Brooklyn, in SAN
itarium in Maine in Philadelphia
asylum, but personally l incline to the
belief he is abroad.
"One thing, however. is certain
there is agreement tonight for the first
time among those who have always
believed that DR.. Cook discovered the
North pole, those who have never be-
leved and those who have waited to
be informed on disinterested authority.
Partisans and skeptics all now concede
certain cardinal facts which admit OF
no argument. Namely: DR.. Cook has
sent his record to the University of
Copenhagen for the inspection of
commission. Two men--One broker
who says he acted as go-betWeen, and
one u skilled navigator-have sworn
that they supplied the doctor with
complete set Of fabricated observa-
tons, covering his trip northWard step
by step to the pole, in agreement with
his narrative as originally published.
These sworn statements carry within
themselves their own proof OF dis.
proof.
THAT is to say, if the papers now in
the hands of the University of Copen-
| hagen contain any considerable por-
| ton of the boreal observations which
Cant August Loose says he worked
( out by the reverse route no farther
north than the Gramatan Inn. in
! Bronxviile. N. Y, the deduction is that
| DR.. Cook felt no confidence in the ade>
quacy Of his own proofs.
IF. on the contrary the Copenhagen
records snow that DR.. Cook made no
evident use of the calculations Capt.
| Loose says he supplied it will be fair
| to assume that he accepted them only
| as checks on his own data. The inquiry
will then revert to it's first status: Are
the original observations of DR.. Cook
sufficient?'
| Asked fatty if he had or had not
withdrawn from DR.. Cooks affairs, Mr..
| Wack said:
This is not the time for an an
nounccment 1t might be thought had
deserted DR. Cook in his need. He may
be delirious i'll a sanitarum or on the
| ocean unable to defend himself A
close friend of Mr.. Wack reiterated,
however. that Mr.. Wack had long ago
decided to close dealings with g client
who did not keep his counsel informed
| of mis- intentions or movements
To this phase of the situation Mr..
Wack made this contribution:
"Dr. Cook" he said. "has disappeared
of his own volition and not by persua-
sion of his friends. I last heard from
him by telephone on Tuesday, Nov. %.
I had seen him personally two days
before. He was highly nervous, con-
| tinuaily clasped his hands over his
J stomach as if in pain and complained
of gastric distress
.I,ast night Dr.. Cooks friend, Charles
Wake, who first came out with a denial
that the doctor had sailed for Italy on
Saturday, Nov. q, by the Caronia, con-
fessed to me that he had not the faintest
idea where the doctor now is and that
he hadn't heard from him since Tuesday,
Nov. %.
! INV very urgent letters to the doctor
have remained unanswered, although they
| demanded reply from any man solicit
Gus for his own affairs, and although
| in, fha Of
brother. who is supposed to know his
whereabouts" Mr.. Wack, however, did
receive a letter from Mrs Cook on Dec.
6. dated Dec. and posted Dec. in
Brooklyn, asking him to discontinue all
| expenses on the doctors account and to
| forward certain papers which Mr.. Wack
| understood were affidavits bearing on the
| doctors disputed ascent of Mount Nc
Kinley. These affidavits the doctor origi-
nally intended to take with him to Eu-
rope, where they could be available for
the University Of Copenhagen if desired.
| Others of DIR. Cooks friends admitted
tonight that Capt. Loose consulted with
| him freely and even occupied rooms ad-
Joining his at Gramatan Inn. whether
this propinquity served as an opportunity
for cooperation merely or FOR collusion Is
a point on which not even Capt. Loose
cared to pronounce positively. The cap
tain, however, went deeply into his own
motives this afternoon.
81 went to DIR. Cook" he said, 'thnk-
ing I could help him. short talk con-
WINGED me he was ignorant of some Of the
essentials of navigation. My task en-
larged, but that was no question for me