Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-25
COOK SCATHED
BY EXPLORERS
Ccoutinusa from Pare One,

abandoned for the season. Otherwise
I would not have left the expedition"
Instead of this DR. Cook it is
charged. side tracked all members of
the expedition until there remained
only Cook. his guide Barrill and one
packer. who subsequently was got rid
of also.
These defections left Dr, Cook. says
Professor Parker, no instruments ca
pabe of measuring the altitude he says
he attained.
Moreover, ho adds. the summers eX-
pcrience had shown that, of all the
party, DR. Cook and Barrill were the
least fitted physically for arduousI
mountain climbing.
Relmore Brown in the MAN, con-
firms Professor Parker and says also
that in DR. Cooks book there is not
one date given from the time he left
the Chuitna river. This makes In
telligent criticism impossible, he de-
Clares. He asserts further that he
never saw Dr. Cook make a single
aneroid barometer reading in the
whole trip.
Confirming a charge that previously
has been made, he says that Or. Cook
was known to be in serious financial
straits and would have had great diff
ficulty in getting out Of Alaska If he
had not reported that he attained the
summit of Mount Mckinley.
Photographs False
Brown and Shelton also report that
various photographs in DR.. Cooks
book do not represent the peaks they
are said to picture, neither do they in
clude the climbing rope, and Sheldon
denies that he is the author OF Appen-
dix G in the book which Dr. Cook cred
its to him.
The committed as a whole, therefore,
concludes in part that DR. Cooks ac-
count Of the ascent is not only such
as to be unconyincing to the eXpe-
rienccd mountaineer, but that, under
analysis, it becomes incredible.
THAT he entered into "A secret finan-
Cial agreement with n publisher which
resulted in embarrassment to his asso-
ciates
THAT he broke his agreement with
his fellow club members to supply his
original photographs and data upon
which his book was based"
The other conclusions of the commit
tee are as follows:
THAT the Mount Mckinley eXpedl-
tion abandoned the ascent of the noun
tain in 1906, agreeing that no turther
attempt should be made to reach the
summit that season, and with that un-
derstanding Professor Parker set out
at once for the coast.
"That Dr. Cook persuaded Brown
to commence the collection of natural
history specimens in - locality that
would take him well out of the neigh
borhood of the last operations Of the
party.
Cooks Alleged Ruse
'"That DR.. Cook, taking with him the
guide. Barriu. proceeded farther toward
the mountain with the declared object
of examining glaciers, but apparently
To ascend some readily accessible part
of the mountain to secure photographs
and other data upon which TO base
a claim Of having ascendcd the highest
peak, and to remain absent 81 suti1clent
length of time for the purpose of ac-
romplishing the ascent alleged.
'"That he did not have with him the
proper equipment ana facilities, such
as footwear, proper life lines, lnstru-
ments for recording altitude, etc. Tor
such am undertaking.
"That Or Cooks action In attempt
ing the ascent (whether possible or
noh Immediately on the departure of
the rest of the party after entering
into an agreement with them that no
further attempt would be made for the
season. was unfair TO his associates.
"That the evidence before the conf
nitteo is to the effect That It would
be utterly impossible 10 ascend the
glaciers and frozen snow slopes Wear
| ing the rubber shoe packs which DR.
cook states i'm his book he wore while
making the ascent
"That Dr Cooks description OF the
northeast ridge Of Mount Mckinley
which is the ridge by which he claimed
to have reached the peak is in reality
a description of the southeast ridge
'"Tho former ridge was explored by
him on a previous expedition, and in
his book he declares it impossible as d
route to the peak"