The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-10-16
COOK ACCUSES
ALASKA GUIDE
OF FALSE OATH
Asks Anthony Fiala to Ascend
Mount Mckinley and Pros
cure Records
Expects to Show That Barrill
Perjured Himself in Recent
Affidavit

NEW YORK, Oct. 15.-Doctor Fred
erick A. Cook. refuting the charges
that he had not assembled Mount Nc
Kinley in Alaska, came out with a
statement here tonight after three
hours conference with his attorney, in
timatng that Edward n. BarriIl,- the
guide who accompanied him, had per-
jured himself.
Doctor Cook announced that he had
taken preliminary steps to organize
an expedition to ascend Mount McKin-
ley to procure the records which he
says he left there He has wired An
thony Fiala, the arctic explorer, to
head the expedition and has wired Prof.
H. c. Parker of Columbia university to
accompany Fiala. Their answers are
expected tomorrow. Doctor Cook says:
Upon my return from Atlantic City
today l conferred with a confidential
agent whom 1 had sent to Montana to
investigate stories to the effect that
Edward N. Barrill, the guide who ac-
companied me to the summit of Mount
Mckinley in the summer of 1906.
Cook Charges Bribery
After thorough investigation he re-
ports to me that an offer of a consid-
cradle sum of money was made to Bar
rill on the condition that he prepare
and sign an affidavit which would be
calculated TO discredit my claim that !
succeeded in scaling the Alaskan peak
This offer. so my representative in
forms me. was made to Barrill in the
presence Of c. G. Bridgford, a reputable
citizen of Hamilton, Mont who is as
ISOLATED with Barrill in the real estate
business
'Barrill at that time. according to the
statement of Bridgford to my repre-
sentative, declined to make such an
affidavit, and informed the men who
had requested him to swear that | did
not reach the top of Mount Mckinley
that to make such an affidavit he would
have to commit perjury and sell his
own soul
Several days after this proposal was
made to BarriIl, he, in company with
Frederick Printz, who was also mem
Der of my Mount Mckinley expedition.
joined Walter p. Miller, the official pho
tographer of that expedition, in Mis-
soula, Mont, and accompanied him to
Seattle and Tacoma. 1t was while on
this trip, / am informed, that BarriIl
made the affidavit which was printed in
New York for the first time yesterday.
First Story Upheld Cook
Since Barrill and myself were the
only two members of the party to reach
the top of Mount. Mckinley it is now
simply question of my word against
his statement. Within the next AZ
hours, however, affidavits made by
prominent citizens of Hamilton. Mont.
will be handed over to the Associated
Press and will be to the effect that
during the last three years Barriu has
continually rehearsed the Mount Nc
Kipley story. and has at all times in
sisted that we succeeded in reaching
the summit of the mountain. No one
has been found in Hamilton who can
testify that at any time he has ever
heard Barrill tell the story as it is re-
lated by him in his sworn affidavit.
Il have today received numerous tel
egrams from reputable citizens of Mon
tana, who have talked with BarriIl. and
are willing to make affidavits as to his
former version of the Mount Mckinley
trip"