Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-17
FAKE" SAYS 0Sb0N
"liar," Says Loose, and Re-
affirms Cook Story.
BRIBE OFFERED, HE SAYS
Norwegian Says Lightfoot Offered
$4,000 for Reputation.
LETTER WHICH HE SHOWS
Arctic Club Secretary Declares Ex-
plorer's Accuser Confessed
Wrongdoing in AFFIDAVIT.
LETTER WHICH HE SHOWS

| NEW YORK, December 11.-Capt. B. S.
| Osbon, secretary of the Arctic Club of
America. announced last night that Capt.
August Wedel Loose had verbally con-
fessed that he faxed the recent affidavit
| in which he said that he had prepared
data for DR.. Frederick A. Cook.
| Capt. Loose said at his home in Brook
| lyn last night that Capt. Osbon was
"a liar, in his second childhood; that
he had never told any person that the
affidavits in question were not true, and
added that he had refused an offer of
$1,000 to repudiate them.
The statements of the two captains do
not at first glance seem to coincide.
More harmony enters into this latest
dispute about the north pole when the
third party appears. The name of this
| third party Capt. Osbon kept tightly in
his bosom, but Capt. Loose made it
known almost in shouts.
Capt. Osbon's Friend.
| Capt. Osbon referred to "a FRIEND"
| with offices in New York and home in
| New Jersey, to whom Capt. Loose had.
he said, made full and complete con-
| fession of his connection with this affair"
| Capt Loose names a third person, who
| 81 Broadway, living at Atlantic High
lands N. j.. as the man whose offer of
$4,000 for a reputation of the affidavits
Capt Loose says he refused. He
ceived letter from Mr.. Lightfoot, dated
as recently as December IL, bearing
upon and urging the acceptance of the
| alleged financial aid.
What Osbon Tells.
| In enthusiastically entertaining
manner Capt. Osbon, between puffs on
numerous cigarettes. related in circum-
stantial way the so-called negotiations be-
tween Ibis friend (who did not want to
be bothered by reporters) and Capt.
Loose.
| Il dropped into my friends Office Fri
while there. TO my surprise, in walked
| Loose and Dunkle. I have known Loose.
| Il shook hands with him because l can
| shake hands with almost anybody. 1t
| Dunkle l had never seen before. My
| friend began to cuss and abuse Loose and
Dunkle in a highly elaborate and thor
ough manner.
Loose Laid Out by Friend"
He called them perjurers. blackmail
ers, but he didn't stop at that. He put
embroidery on all he said. and 1 was
| looking for a fight. The conversation,
which to my surprise, was largely con-
| fined to the monologue variety-Loose
and Dunkle sitting there and taking their
| medicine with hardly emphasized for
one hour and quarter.
after a while Loose said:
81 was down and out and needed the
money, and ! didn't care how | got 1t.
"Dunkle said: I didn't swear to any
| thing that wasn't So
1.-THE next day, Saturday. Osbon con-
| tinued, II went down to the office of the
me that he had had a call from Loose.
| The editor said that Loose wanted the
| Mail to buy confession from him.
Loose confession"
Then l went again to see my friend
| He told me that Loose was going to make
| confession. My friend had a notary
public ready to call in, he said.
This friend of mine has been LOose's
| employer in the past, and wants to help
| him resuscitate his punctured reputation.
| He said Loose had promised to come to
my friends effice and sign the confession.
| and was expected on Monday. December
| 49,"
Monday, therefore, Capt. Osbon was
not asleep. Monday. however, Capt:
| Loose must have been. for he did not go
| to the office of the captains friend, who
had prepared "a confession" from notes
taken at the interview the previous Sat
urday.
The captains friend was nettled, but not
discouraged Re would write Loose
letter which would bring the alleged peni-
tent to the point of reputation.
Letter Written to Loose.
Capt Osbon thereupon read a type
written copy of that letter addressed by
his friend to Capt. Loose, which was as
follows:
After your promise to me ! am sorry
for your own sake that you did not see
fit to come out in the open and follow my
advice
Your reliance on. the course you are
pursuing cannot but bring disaster to
YOU and it would have redounded to your
credit to have followed my advice. After
your promise to me and your not having
fulfilled that promise I am led to believe
that the Times or others have bought
you off.
Il am leaving the city tomorrow and
will not be at the Office after II am If