Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1909-12-29
DR.. COOK, EXPLORER,
IS PROVEN A FAKER
University at Copenhagen Re-
pudiates His Claims.
Explorer Has MysteriousIy Disappeared
and is Supposed to be Hiding
Somewhere in Europe.


the University of Copenhagen, gar
landed with wreaths of roses by young
girls, accorded the freedom of the city
of New York, and acclaimed by
thousands for the length and breadth
of Europe and the United States as
the bravest man who ever dared the
silent terrors of the Arctic, DIR.
Frederick A. Cook stands tonight
discredited in the house of his friends.
Not word from him in defense or
explanation. Nothing but disavowals
from his partisans in the controversy
that has ragged about him ever since
he first flashed word from Lerwick,
in the Shetland Islands. to his wife:
Successful, we'll; address Copen-
hagen"
Even that address tonight is lack
ing. Only his brother in New York
still stands stubbornly by him, refus-
ing to believe the verdict of the Uni
versity of Copenhagen has been cor
rectly reported.
Interest tonight turns to three
questions: Where is the doctor
What will he do with himself?
EXPLORERS TITLE SHATTERED
The report of the special committee
of scientists which the University of
Copenhagen appointed to scrutinize
DIR. Cook s claims that he had dis
covered the North Pole was submitted
to the consistory of the university
this morning, Endorsed by that body
and given to the public
The report skaters completely,
almost contemptuously, the American
explorers title to such discovery and
fills the officials and people of Den
mark with chagrin at the figure Den
mark is made to assume in the eyes
of the scientific world.
The public was prepared for a
verdict of mot proven. !" but did not
expect its recent hero to be branded
as an impostor. Many still cling to
the belief that Cook acted in good
faith, but harbored delusion.
RASMUSSEN SAYS DATA WORTHLESS.
T he evening papers attack Cook and
seriously reproach him for hiding,
which they regard as sign Of guilty
conscience The rector of the uni
versity. DR.. Salomonson, when ques
toned as to the possibility of the
mi vorcitv oo0oo1ioo, fI,o dooroo vubioh
it conferred upon DR.. Cook. said that
no decision had been reached but he
thought that the degree could be
withdrawn in the same way as a
government could deprive person of
an order obtained under false pre-
lenses
In an interview tonight Knud
Rasmussen said: The university
would not call me at first because I
was one of DR.. Cook S strongest sup
porters Later, however, [ was in
vited to the investigation, and when
I saw the observations I realized it
was scandal.
Ny confidence in Cook had been
based on personal impressions. on re-
ports that had received and also on
the testimony of the Eskimos, when
they all said that be had made the
trip from Cape Sparbo to Etab, and
such a trip during the dark OF winter
would suffice to make man famous;
but rhe papers which Cook sent to
Copenhagen University are most i'm
pudent. No schoolboy could make
such calculations. It is d most
childish attempt at cheating. Cook
has killed himself by his own foolish
acts -
NO PROOF OF FEAT.
The report. which was signed by
all six members of the committee and
Knud Rasmussen, the explorer, fol-
lows:
81. 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
September and October last.
''2. The copy of Cooks notebooks
does not contain any original astrono-
mical observations whatsoever, but
only results.
$50. The documents presented are
inexcusably lacking in information
which would prove that astronomical
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 COM
mitteeto determine their reliability.
"The committee therefore is of the
opinion that the material transmitted
CONTINUED on 4th page.)