Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1910-12-08
DR.. COOK DID ERR
EXPLORER, IN MAGAZINE ARTl.
GLE, SAYS HE is NOT GER
TAIN he FOUND POLE.
half CRAzED BY COLD
Promises 10 Tell Story, Pleading for
Charity if He Missed.-Declares
He Prefers Friendship to
Polar Distinction.

New York, NY. - DR.. Frederick
A. Cook, the Brooklyn explorer, in an
article which will be published in
magazine confesses he does not know
positively whether he reached the
North Pole
DR.. Cook, who has been in hiding
for over a year, has informed the edi-
tors of the magazine publishing his
story that he will return to the United
States with his wife and children Dec.
% in order to spend Christmas here.
DR.. Cook deals with the psychology of
his adventure and says:
Did l get to the North Pole? Per
haps l made a mistake in thinking
that did. Perhaps l did not make a
mistake. After mature thought con-
TESS that I do not know absolutely
whether 1 reached the pole or not.
This may come as an amazing
statement, but | am willing to startle
the world if, by so doing, can get
an opportunity to present my case.
| By my case, | mean not my case as
geographical discoverer, but my case
as man. Much as the attainment
of the North Pole once meant to me
the sympathy and confidence OF my
fellow men mean more.
gully. freely and frankly | shall
tell you everything and leave the de-
cison with you. If, after reading my
story you say, Cook is sincere and
honest; half crazed by months OF lso-
lation and hunger, he believed he
reached the pole; he is not a faker,
then | shall be satisfied
Discovery Of Pole His Ambition.
DIR. Cook tells the story Of his life
and pictures what he calls the over
towering ambition of exploration that
beset him until it finally eliminated
in his effort to reach the pole. He de-
clares that at the time he convinced
himself he had discovered the pole he
was half mad. He spent two years in
his quest and during that time en-
dured hunger and privation, he says.
that would unbalance any mind.
The explorer states that it would
be impossible for any man to demon
, strate beyond question that he had
been to the North Pole. He char
sanity, where one cannot believe the
evidences gathered by ones own eyes.
: He says he had always looked upon
the discovery of the pole as an
l achievement for his own personal
: satisfaction, for the satisfaction of q
l craving and desire that was greater
! than any other factor in his life.
When he found how tremendous sen
U sation his statement that he had at
tanned the pole created he was over.
!, come with bewilderment.
Never Wore a Disguise.
n DR.. Cook then tells the story of the
= days in Copenhagen and later in New
f York and of the crisis in his life that
l. led to his fight from New York and
l. his voluntary exile from the United
= States The explorer says that not
8 withstanding the fact he was followed
t by the shrewdest newspaper men ir
e the world day after day and thai
& sums ranging up to several thousands
e of dollars were offered for clue tt
= his whereabouts he has never worn
e disguise and has never taken any un
e usual precaution to conceal his iden
Il tity. Part of the time, he says. hi:
0 wife has been with him and part of the
time his children.
d With the opportunities for though
d that his exile has given him-Dr. Cool
e says he never even had time to slee]
d more than three or four hours between
n his arrival at Copenhagen and MS dis
2 appearance in New York-he ha
h found growing stronger and stronge
D. the desire to return to his own cour
g try to be understood by his owl
d people.
D. Il have been called the greatest liza
Of in the world, the most monuments
W impostor in history" says DR.. Cool
II believe that in every undesirabl
IN way stand unique, the object of sue
ly suspicion and vituperation as hav
): assailed few men
Of