The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-03-09
DEFENDS COOK
Minister to Denmark Believes That tie
Explorer Vas
HONEST IN Els BELIEF

~ Shall Believe That DR.. Cook, the
Explorer, is an Honest Man I'm
til There is Definite Proof to the
| Contrary" Declares DR.. Maurice
F. Esaa. +.
II shall believe that Dr.. Cook. the
explorer, Is an honest man until
there is definite proof 10 the cos-
trary." d.. Maurice 2. Egan. minis
ter to Denmark. declared to the mem
bers Of tie University club at Wash
ington. Ds. Egan was the first Amer
lean citizen to greet Dr.. Cook upon
his arrival at Copenhagen from his
trip IN the artic.
The statement followed the eIpla-
nation by Minister Egan that the
Danish board which passed on Dr..
Cooks records has simply declared
that the records furnished them by
Dr.. Cook were not sufficient 10 en-
able them 20 say he had been 70 the
north pole. He also explained that
letters TO him recently indicate that
fully hall OF the people OF Denmark
still believe that Dr.. Cook viii provs
himself honest
| Minister Egan gave many inter
estias sidelights on Or. Cook IN the
course OF his address at the u2iver-
sity club. based upon the incidents
OF the explorers reception In the
Danish capital.
The opinion OF LongsdaIe, who
acted as Dr.. Cooks secretary until
the explorer disappeared. was one
Of the interesting features OF the
I; lecture.
Minister Egan said he asked Ions
dale what Dr., Cooks mental condi-
tion was when Lonsdale left him to
take the records from New York to
Copenhagen.
Hes half mad" Lonsdale said,
according to Minister Egan. 'Ee is
possessed with the idea that he Is
going TO be assassinated."
Dr.. Cooks disappearance followed
shorty after Lonsdale said be Was in
this condition.
DR.. Egaa's talk On Dr.. Cook was
spontaneous. In introducing the
speaks. Claude " Bennett. chair
man OF the entertainment committee,
referred to the many honors which
haze come to DR.. ESan as 2 teacher.
q writer. poet. Christian layman
and diplomat.
He forgot one OF the attributes,
which I think I ought to mention"
| remarked Dr.. EgaR. with twinkle
IL his eye. He ought to have said
was the man who discovered Dr.
Cook
Minister Dyan began by announc-
ing that he had no outlined remarks.
| and asked what the members wished
10 hear about.
"Dr. Cook" came from the back
OF the nom And Dr.. Cook became
the subject Of the discourse.
Dr.. Egan prefaced his account Of
the reception OF Dr.. Cook IN Copen-
hagen by an explanation OF his OWN
duties in the premises. AS the Amer
lean minister. ae said. he was obiig-
| ed TO be hospitable 10 any American
citizen. who came 20 the Danish cap
| itol. To cast doubt on the word OF
anv American citizen would have un-
American. in Or. Egan's opinion. AZ
ter news had been received. he said,
he looked up Dr.. Cooks record.
found that there was nothing against
him publicly. that he belonged to
several clubs OF good standing and
seemed to stand well as an explorer.
And no intimation came to him at
the time from any American sc!ent-
is: that d.. Cooks integrity should
be questioned.
Not that IS would have made any
difference IN my course. unless the
charge was one that carried proof
WITH It." he commented.
Upon hearing ,ha: the Grown
Prince OF Denmark. as president Of
the Royal Geographical Soctety. was
to NEE. the explorer. Minister Esan
decided 20 90 with the party OF rep
resentatives from the society.
| He had an honest face. II Il
were not clever" commented Dr.. Es-
an. describing his first impression Of
the explorer And he was always
very modest"
| The popular reception given DR..
Cook on :he dock was described az
great ovation. Children Of Dem
mark. Dr.. Egan explained. ara told
stories OF north pole expeditions t,st
the same as American children are
taught the story Of George Washing
ton and the cherry tree. SO the
Danes turned out II hordes to greet
the explorer returning from the
north.
Some one in the crowd got one
Of his cuffs" remarked the minister.
Then pieces Of his clothes were torn
of. He wss disintesrated by relic
hunters. so that his personal ap-