The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-12-16
admits That He Grew Mad in the Glarino. Iono
Cracking Arctic Day and May Have
Made Mistake
believed In HIMSELF AT THE TINE
Nails One Lie By Denying That He Took Any
Gum Drops With Him to
Tempt Esquimos

fN NEW lOhh, DSC. H. mo one
should discredit me until he knows
what ! endured the two and a half
years of Arctic experience-unti he
hungers with me, freezes with me,
shudders with me in the spectre-rid-
den Arctic night and grows mad with
me in the glaring, burning, long and
cracking Arctic day. Not until tnen
can he understand my mental condi-
ton at the time and appreciate just
| how feel now and what l believe to
/ be true.'
III these words uoes DR.. Frederick
A. Cook, in the first installment of his
'ewn story, in the January number OF
Hampton's magazine, issued today,
lays the groundwork for his de-
Tense, not of his North pole discovery
claim, which he now admits may be
without merit, out OF his honesty in
believing that he accomplished this
marvellous feat.
All through the story Cook refers
to the terrible physical and mental
strain he underwent and to the posi-
bility, II not probability. that the
bardshins he endured affected hls
mind 50 that he was in no condition
10 make scientifically correct OBJ
scryations as to his movements.
He explains how he got In bad" at
the outset in these words: Return
ing from life. savage in its drain on
body and mind, was tossed to the
zenith Of worldly honor on q wave OF
enthusiasm, a world-madness which
startled me. In the ebb of that wave
Il was plunged into the depths Of
suspicion and discredit, victim of
my own folly and the sufferer from
a storm of adverse circumstances.
After reciting a chapter OF hard
ships and priyations that will prob
ably move to pity many an adverse
critic, Cook says: when ] recall the
many hairbreadth escapes from
death, the hazards we took, and feel
again that physical and mental suf-
fering. | wonder whether any living
man would do this were he premedi-
tating lie'
IF did believe in myself, honest
~ and sincerely, If felt convinced OF
my claim when | reached Copenhag-
en- and later New YORK." the explorer
says, is 1t just to call me the worlds
most intrepid fakir. common, delib-
crate swindler? Unconsciously may
have made statements which | my
self now question. That is inexcusable
But most emphatically and positive
ly, am not thief; most certainly
there was no plan to hoax the world
to my own financial proht.'
DIR. Cook says that he has been ac-
cused of being colossal liar, and
yet that many lies have been told on
him. He cites the gum drop story as
a sample. He says he took no gum
drops with him and never heard the
story until he got to New York. Cook
says that the trip was not undertaken
for scientific attainment. 1T was a
personal conquest, in which | expect
ed only the return due a pathfinder"
Continuing, DR.. Cook says. Il shall
not give in this story my scientific
observations. They nave been pub
Iished and scientific authorities have
rejected them as inadequate. 1t may
seem a curious thing, as so much ls
made of figures which can be manu-
factured by the ream-for me to say
that figures Of instrumental observa-
tons are only self-convincing. But /
am telling the truth, as see it,
My conviction that | reached the
pole never was based solely upon OBJ
servations, figures or mathematical
did take these, OF
course. Sometimes ] took them mast
lly. again woI~ng them out with
most painstalilng accuracy. Some
times my mind was clear as crystal,
again | was dazel with hunger, thirst
and cold. These figures did not con-
vince me of any achievement. They
only corrohorated my inner convic-
ton of progress.
Was my inner conviction that !
the pole insane? Perhaps,
which raises the whole problem OF
me border line of sanity. was
ieel, no more insane than any man
no frantically pursues an ideal--an