Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-06
Guide Denies Explorer Ascend
ed Mount Mckinley.
TALKS ABOUT HUSH MONEY
Ridicules Story Of Discovery Of the
North Pole.
DOUBTS OF PROF. H. C. PARKER
Didn't Believe Ascent of Mountain
PossibIe-Others Convinced
of Cooks Truth.

BUTTE, Mont, September Ga Spe-
cial to the Standard from Hamilton,
Mont, says:
DR. Cook, who claims to have discov-
cred the north POLE will have hard
work to convince Fred Printz and Ed
Barrim that he made the reputed trip.
PrintZ and Barrim are well known
guides for Montana and Idaho, and live
at Darby When they read that Cook
had reached the north pole they laugh
ed and recited how they acted as Cooks
guides in 1905. when the doctor claim
ed to have made the ascent of Mount
Mckinley. when. they say. they did not
place a foot on that mountain.
~ am just as sure as that j am
living that Cook never saw the north
pole" said PrintZ. Any man who made
the representations he did of his al
legged ascent of Mount Mckinley IS ca
pable of making the statements credited
to him in the press today.
Went to Alaska With Cook.
81 made trips to Alaska with Cook
in company with Mr.. Barrim and Wal
ter p Miller of the Seattle Post-Intel-
Iigencer. who acted as photographer.
The first trip was made in 1908, and,
being unsuccessful, Cook arranged to
make a second attempt the following
year. The second trip was to be made
from this side, but in reality no at
tempt was made to scale Mount Mckln-
ley He evidently sized us up, and,
taking Barrim, assembled an adjoining
mountain, a mere foothill in compari.
son. This mountain was about 10000
feet high. and photographs were taken
of the adjoining peaks for the purpose
of deceiving the public, but no views
were taken in the direction of Mount
Mckinley.
MILLER and 1 were detailed to make
a side trip to secure game heads for
the Smithsonian Institution. Barrim
told me afterward that DIR. Cook bar
tered to give him hush money.
Dispute Over Money Matters.
"Dr. Cook agreed to pay me sL50
and expenses on the trip, but he did
not even pay my expenses, and l had
to borrow money to get home. He paid
my transportation to Alaska and as
far back as Seattle. He agreed to SEND
me money at Seattle. but 1t came not.
lon reaching Seattle the papers were
full of DIR. Cooks dope and banquet
was given in his honor. Miller and |
said nothing in contradiction. hoping
that by keeping mum DIR. Cook would
eventually pay US. In the spring Mr..
Miller tried to have Barrim and me
make a statement for the purpose OF
exposing the doctor, but we declined.
How did happen to go with Cook!
In 1908 1 made a trip to Mount Mckin-
ley with Alfred H. Brooks of Washing
ton, D. c.. who made geological sur
vey. Brooks gave Cook my address. and
] met the doctor at Mssoula and ar
ranged for the trip and hired Barrim to
accompany US. / am sure Cook reached
the north pole.
''Printz lives on a ranch south of
Darby. but was in town last night pre-.
paratory to leaving with hunting party
this morning for the Clearwater coun-
try. He has been guide In Alaska,
Montana and Idaho for twenty-five
years. He has lived in the Bitter Root
valley since 1880 and bears an excellent
reputation. Barrim has been guide for
about six years.