The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1910-12-30

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A. Cook came back to his native land
yesterday on the steamship George
Washington as calmly as if there had
never been North Pole controversy.
He said that little typewriter inter
view handed to the reporters embrac-
ed all he had to say, with the excep-
tion of the necessary formalities of
conversation thrown on him by the
interviews.
OF far more dramatic interest was a
heated controversy among the steam
ship passengers concerning the i'm
lpression he had made on them. The
doctor asserted that he believed he
was at the pole. His statement in part
follows:
II have no statement to make other
than that which l have carefully pre-
pared. Any interview l might give
would necessarily be fragmentary and
doubtless misleading, so / shall not
give out any interviews, and any pur-
porting to come from me will not be
authorized. | spent weeks carefully
preparing my story, and have frank
ly said in it all there is to say Ev.
cry charge against me is taken up and
answered in its proper place in my
narrative
Il do not know what my plans for
the future will be. | have not re-
turned to America with the intention
of making money out of my arctic ex-
periences, Money did not prompt the
writing of my story, as I have seen
suggested in certain newspapers. AS
| have said, l have come back solely
for the purpose of rehabilitating my
self and my family by setting matters
right with my countrymen."
Argument among the George Wash
ington's passengers arose when the
doctors sympathizers aboard wished
1t understood that he was received
with no shadow of discrediting by the
other passengers. His enemies wish
ed it made clear that he had been
The minute the reporters !
who had gone down the harbor on the |
revenue cutter stepped into the saloon.
of both sides assailed
them. Persons, who in ordinary cir
dodge publicity as they
would a plague, button-holed the re-
porters in eagerness to present their
case first Men elbowed each other.
on each others toes, shook
heir fingers in each others faces, and
shouted unqualified contradictions at
zach other. Women gave up pouring
ea to stand on brocaded chairs and
'eer over the ring of men into the {
'ortex of discussion
Cook was spared embarrassment of K
his hubbub as he met the reporters at S
he ladder when they boarded the ship. I
poised. 1t was the same t
'ook, little less tanned and worn. i
ut with the same lock of hair hanging
own over his forehead the same re- I
cent smile and the same stubby mus r
ache. s
In half an hour, gentlement, | will t
ave a statement for you. Just make V
at home in the ladies sa-
'on,' he said, and led the way him. Il
Elf. He spoke few words here and |;
lere to friends, shook hands and ex- s.
lsed himself without a trace of self 81
"
While the dispute in the ladies sa- s.
on boiled more temporarily, the pas fl
'ngers elsewhere found time to tell
ithout heat of the doctors trip. Helm
lme aboard at Bremen, they said a,
caring a full beard but had it shaved in
on the first days voyage. His NJ
lme did not appear on the passenger
st at first, but later was placed rs D,
err DR.. Frederick Cook on a supple dl
entail list. in
The unostentatious passenger was ss
aging cards of evenings with a few sa
lends once, when toasts were going &C
und before bed time, and when it re
me his turn to name the health. he
as quick to propose the Stars and
ripes.
One of the passengers who had not
marked him before, asked brusuue- B,
Are you DR. Cooke" ne
He answered, MY name is Cook ra
Are you the Dr. Cook who went to to
? north pole?" sh
I have been there" asserted the co
ctor gravely. "b