The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-09-05
His Arrival at Copenhagen Was the Occasion of
One Of the Worlds Greatest Dem0nstra-
lions to an Individual
PUT ON WITNESS STAND BY STEAD
The Artic Hero Arrives al Civilization and is Ten
dered an Ovation by the People of Denmark
and UnderqOes Severe Examina ion
rGate city Leased Wire Service ]

I EGate City Leased Wire Service
81 BY Charles p. Stewart, staff Cor
4 respondent United Press. copyright
81 1909 by United Press].
81 COPENHAGEN, Sept 4.--In an in
Elterview granted today to number OF
hcOrrespondents representing the fore
Fj>nost news agencies and newspapers
tSbf Europe and America, DR.. Freder-
Kick A. Cook, pinned down by the
amerciless, searching questions of VIM.
|AT. Stead, the veteran Journalist and
| s4ean and spokesman of the corre-
k1kpondents corps, admitted that un-
less his astronomic obseervatfons and
he corrobative evidence Of his two es-
aQimo companions is accepted as
Iuch, he has no positive proof of his
E]}lGht to the title of discovery of the
Hh6fth pole.
10 frank, straightforward and con-
dkmctng were the answers OF the
Nlnntless scientist that at the end of
In hours cruel gruelling, he had sat
I6ned the belief Of virtually every
an present OF the truth Of his asser-
lons that he planted the stars and
sAtripes on the long coveted northern
|goai April 81. 1908.
Clearing Away Doubt.
DR.. Cooks statement this afternoon
1.-THE first detailed account he has re-
Eilated OF the achievement which has
Etartled the world was graphic re-
e3cital made under the most crue' and
tnost unfavorable circumstances. AT
Ter day strenuous enough to tire q
Roosevelt and distressing enough to
mreck the patience OF Job. DR.. Cook
IN the face Of discouraging skep-ic.
3sms which would have snatched
hway his laurels almost before they
Eere bestowed, was called upon to
Etlear away an international incredll
slty which seemingly barred his en-
trance to the hall Of fame.
l Called impertable, though wincine
hnder the cruel thrusts which the
tactfulness OF Stead could not miti
kate, DR.. Cook modestly and with de
lightful unassumption, met every in
buiry with directness and frank
Hess that quickly won all his hearers
At the conclusion Of the interview
lie was congratulated on all sides ant
Everywhere were heard expressions o
3omments on his modesty and SINGER
fy. and the way that the scientific
Forlds verdict will be that he wol
sIhe prize vainly sought for centuries
Ncthina to Gain by Untruth.
- II realize also gentlemen said Di
@cook, In addressing the newspape
shen that despite the fact that hav
xhothing to gain from misrepresenta
sjions or actual facts and on the othe
band have everything to lose. tha
jhe nature of my achievement OF Aprl
g1l 1908, when planted the kmerI
3an flag at spot at the latitude G
0 degrees north, calls for proof t
khe scientific world. | understan
Efat In a case of this sort my reputa
Non and my past count for naugh'
aIut believe that in a carefully pre-
Slared diary which | kept and in tn
Hhinstakingly accurate astronomi
observations which / made, will b
bund the proof demanded by tn
lorld Corroborating this will be tn
fidence of the two brave and uT
bmplaining companions Of my triI
a3e Eskimos Etukishuk and Ahwelaf
1hose names were previously mis-
M3e1led
ld"My story of the trip north and tn
Nturn as published in the New Yor
%frald on Thursday, September
Tbs absolutely as | wrote 1t while /
lie north, with the possible exceptio
Sl the temperature encountered.
1--WE seen various figures in the cliI
4hgs handed me here and do nc
siftow just what ones were pub-lsne
III America.
III am told that our trip to the pol
f been branded as unscientific an
unprecedented sportsmanitk
knt While plead guilty to cel
ln amount of the spirit of tn
prtsman, am not willing to admi
ft my expedition was unscientifi'
slis true that did not have tn
II Iborate paraphernalia o. all OF tn
trumcnts that would have desii
jhad It been possible for me to cal
more luggage. was, however
fipped with an up to date and con
lie set of navigation and astron'
% IAN instruments. had thre
onometers, pedometer and
3ch and used each of the instr
hts to check the records of tn
yhrs. Az result. 1t Is my opinio
fc were few really serious errot