Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-09
COOK CALLED A LIAR
Claim of Discovery of North
Pole Discredited.
Statement OF ESKIMOS
Charges Made by Peary Pronounced
Confirmed.
TRAVELLING IN A CIRCLE
Rasmussen, Danish Explorer,
Transmits Stories Told by
Ituksuk and Apilak.

Ituksuk and Apilak.
CHICAGO, November 9-Dr. Frederick
A. Cook was further discredited in q spe-
cial cable dispatch to the Chicago Daily
News yesterday from it's correspondent in
Copenhagen, Denmark. The story was
the first publication of the report of
Knud Rasmussen, the Danish explorer,
as sent by him to his wife in Copen-
hagen and now given out by her.
Contained in the story are what purport
to be the statements Of Cooks two Eski-
| mo companions in the polar quest, Ituku-
| suk and Apilak, in which they confirm
Commander Robert E. Peary's charge
| that Cook travelled in a circle and never
even approached the pole Rasmussen in
the story is quoted as saying he himself
did not interview the men. but that their
statements were taken by the Rev. Gus
tav Olsen and Kateket Sechrnann Rose
bach, missionaries born in Greenland. and
at the time of securing the statements
working in the country from which COOK
claimed to have started for the pole.
Story of the Eskimos.
The dispatch to the Daily News says:
Already in 1909, when was on an ex-
petition to Greenland" writes Rassmus-
sen, there existed grave doubts as to
whether DR.. Cook really had reached the
pole, so determined to find out from
his two Eskimo companions. secured
their statements through the mission
aries"
This is the story Of the Eskinos as
given in the dispatch:
1--WE travelled from Annatook with
eight sledges in company with DR.. Cook
at the first sunshine CFebruary). From
there to Ellesmere we slept only once
on the ice. 1t took four days to cross
Ellesmere Land. Eighteen days out our
companions left us. We then had gone
only about twelve English miles from
land.
1.-The ice was fine and there was no rea-
son to stop, for any one who wanted to
go on could do so. The nineteenth day
Dr. Cook took observations with an in
strument he held in his hand. and we
then changed our course westward.
I'VE left here a lot Of food for men
and dogs and one of us QtukusuD went
ahead to examine the ice He reported
it in. good shape. which it was, but DR..
Cook looked at it and said 1t was bad.
ION the way back we stopped at: open
water near the land. We stopped one
before the show had melted ApriD. We
had not had the least fog on the ice. AT
this time the sun was just below the
horizon at night. It was the month
when it does not get ., dark CM Ma ~
passed two days in fog.
Zone day /. Apilak, came upon DR..
Cook sitting down and drawing a map
l looked at it and asked him:
"'Whose route are you drawing?
MY own replied DR.. Cook.
Route Drawn Not Correct.
But that was lie because he drew
the map a long way out at sea, where we
never had been.
1--WE continued to shoot bears on the
ice till we had eonugh for the dogs. We
do not know how many nights we slept
on this part of the journey. The small
rivers had only begun to break when we
reached Helrs Gate.
Here, as DR.. Cook directed US, we left
our dogs behind us. although they were
fat from the meat of bears. We crossed
the great sound and had to push our
1--WE will reach human beings Baf-
fms land) within two days."
I'VE had slept twice when he looked
ahead and said he saw a tent: but 1t was
man beings a long time. Then we came
to an island on which elder birds were
nesting. We followed the land past Cape
Sparbo and when our provisions were
Seldom. where we arranged for wintering.
ut was yet twilight the whole night,
and we built house of peat and stone,
just as we do at home. We caught wal
with the bow we killed only two hares.
We had gun to kill musk OK and bear
with. To kill a musk OK with the bow
is impossible. 1t was fine autumn and
we had good provision for the winter.
DR.. Cook Wrote All the Time.
During the dark time we were inside
most of the time making clothes. DR..
Cook wrote all the time. At first sight
of the sun we started home.
I'VE pushed the sledge ahead of us
and had much target practice at seals
until we had only four cartridges left.
Not before we were near Annatook did
we leave the sledge. The sun then stayed
In the sky at night
us a good reward, but he proved himse.4
a liar and swindled us out Of the pay
ment. We did not. get the guns he
promised us. These he sold for fox
matches and a useless boat.
This is all we, Itukusuk and Apilak,
have to tell Of our journey with the great
DR.. Cook"
Regards Report as Authentic.
To this Rasmussen adds:
IT regard the report as absolutely au-
thentic According to what is known.
Dr. Cook said nothing of the pole while
with his two companions, and when he
left them and began to tell Of finding