The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-12-03
COOK coNFEssEs
Does Not Know Whether He Reached
Pole or Not

TslG ~ W.
New York. Dec. 2.-Dr Frederick
A. Cook, the Brooklyn explorer, in an
article which win be published in
Hamptons confesses that he does not
know whether he reached the North
Pole or not. DR.. Cook who has been
in hiding for over a year, has inform
ed the editors of the magazine pub
fishing his story that he Will return
to the United States with his wife
and children December 22 in order 70
spend Christmas here.
The publishers of the article issued
a statement tonight saying that no
where in his narrative does DR.. Cook
either cast any reflections on Com
mander Peary or question Pearys
claims.
DR. Cook in his story deals with the
psychology of his adventures and says
Did get to the North Pole? Per-
haps | made a mistake in thinking
that I did. After mature thoughts, /
confess that / do not know absolute
~ whether l reached the Pole or not.
This may come as an amazing state
ment 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 a geo
graphical discoyerer, but my case as
a man. Much as the attainment of
the North Poe meant to me, the sym
pathy and confidence of my fellow
men means more.
Fully, freely and frankly ] shall
tell you everything and leave the de-
cision with you. If, after reading my
story, you say Cook is sincere and
honest; half-crazed by months of iso-
lation and hunger, he believed that
he reached the pole; he is not a fax
IT.. then | shall be satisfied"
DIR Cook tells the story of his life
and pictures what he calls the over
towering ambition for exploration
that beset him until it finally Gull
minated in his effort TO reach the
North Pole. DR., Cook declares that
at the time he discovered the pole
he was half mad. He spent two
years in his quest and during that
time endured hunger and priyation
that, he says, would unbalance any
mind. The explorer states that it
would be impossible for any man to
demonstrate beyond question that he
had been to the North Pole. He char
acterizes the region as region OF
| insanity, where one cannot believe
the evidences gathered by ones own
| eye.
II says that he had always looked
upon the discovery Of the Pole as an
achievement for his own personal sat
isfaction, for the satisfaction of 9
craving and desire that were greater
than any other factor in his life
When he found how tremendous {
sensation this statement that he haC
attained the Pole created, he was
overcome with bewllderment.
DR.. Cook then tells the story of th'
days in Copenhagen and later in New
York and OF the crisis in his life tina
led to his fight from New York ant
his voluntary exile from the United
States. The explorer says that not
withstanding the fact that he was fol
lowed by the shrewdest newspaper
|
that sums ranging up to several thou
sands of dollars were offered for {
clew to his whereabouts he has new
er worn a disguise and has never ia
ken any unusual precaution to con
ceal his identity Part of the time
he says his wife has been with hin
and part OF the time the children.
DR.. Cook and his wife are now II
Europe and the children are in a con
vent in France Most OF the time dul
ing his exile DR.. Cook has been II
London He says that he has gon,
about among Americans there will
the utmost freedom. and at times hai
registered under his own name ant
that only few have guessed hi
identity. Those who did guess II, d
Cook says were turned away witt
ease by the remark; Why, yes,
have been told that before
With the opportunities for though
that his exile has given him-Dr
Cook says he never even had time 4
sleep more than three or four hour
at stretch between his arrival q
Copenhagen and his disappearance Il
New York-he has found CROWN
stronger and stronger the desire I
return to his own country 10 be III
derstood by his own people. II hav
been called the greatest liar in tn
world, the most monumental imposto
in history" says DR.. Cook. II b,
lieve that in every undesirable wa
| stand unique, the object OF sue
suspicion and vituperation rs hay
assailed few men,"
With this realization DR.. Cook say
| that to him the honor of dlscoverir
i. the North Pole no longer seems an
thing. According to editors Of Il
: magazine he says that his sole
sire is to make the people OF the Vi
ted States realize just what he we
through during his two and a hi
years in the Arctic fastness, and
make them see what processes
- IL - n. q 4 -