New-York tribune., 1910-12-23
GEORGE WASHINGTON
BRINGS US DR.. COOK
Hirsute Disguise Lacking, He
Appears Stocky and Strong,
Calm and Assured.
THINKS HE REACHED POLE
Presence on Ship Breeds Intense
Partisanship Between Two
Factions Of Cabin
PASSENGERS.

DR.. Frederick A Cook came back In AZ
least one sense last night-that Is. ne
returned to this, the country OF his birth
and the scene of his aldernanic and
other triuynphs Sinyularly enough or
perhaps by design. he steamed into port
on that North German Lloyd liner called
the George Washington. after a man
who could not tell a lie even in infancy
Stocky and strong looking, with no
hirsute disguises and with calm, a.
sured manner in keeping with the smile
of amusement which never deserted him
during the interview. DR. Cook handed 2.
statement to each of tbs
score of reporters who had boarded the
George Washington at Quarantine and
mad swarned about him in the ladies'
saloon with questions pertinent and 1nl-
pertinent He wore a black cutawaJ
coat and tan shoes, a favoI1te comoina-
tion with. him in the days when ne en-
loved the freedom of the city" and dis
p,aved a. gold key. His statement fol-
lows:
IT have no statement 10 make other
than that which l have carefully pre-
pared and which is now being pub
lished / want the American people TO
read that story as a whole and not TO
depend upon extracts from it. With the
best intention in the world. extracts
from a. document SO large as my COM
pIete story are liable to be misleading
-Any interview I might give would
necessary be fragmentary and doubtless
misleading, also, so I shall not nos
nd
porting to come from me will not be
authorized I spent weeks carefully pre-
pairing my story, and I have frankly
said in 1t all that there is to say Every
charge against me is taken up and
answered in it's proper place in my mar
rative.
Was in America Month Ago.
Where I have been and what have
been doing during the last thirteen
months since I left the United States in
November. 1909, is fully set forth in my
story. I will say. however. that I was
in the United States less than a month
ago 1 arrived in Quebec on October 90.
went to Troy, N Y. thence to Newburg
and PouShkeepsie- I was in the two last
revising and correcting proofs on my
story.
II registered under an assumed narre
because I was very busy-too busy TO
receive my many personal friends or
newspaper men. No other precautions
were taken to keep my presence CON
cealed- I stopped at leading hotels and
took an automobile ride each pleasant
day. I was at the Palatine Hotel. in
Newbur,g. most of the time. left Pough-
keepsie on the night of November %.
and went directly to Halifax where
sailed for Europe on the same steamship
line. Oil the same steamer and just year
from the time I sailed from the same
port when I left America in 1909
II dc not know what my plans for the
future will be. I have no plans what
ever for going on the lecture plafornl-
have not returned to America with the
intention of making money out OF my
Arctic experiences Money did not
prompt the writing Of my story. as L
have seen suggested in certain news
papers AS said. I have come back
sclely for the purpose of rehabilitatinS
ters right with my countrymen-
The band of crosS-examinerS could
hardly be content with this document.
carefully prepared with the aid OF a
of the magazine In which
the explorers confessions are appear
ing. while the ship was coming up the
BAY. They pressed him for something
hot of the bat. with no press agent
strings attached At first he refused alb
soluteIy to amplify his statement. but
finally he consented TO answer few OF
the rising tide of questions.
Still Thinks He Reached Pole.
els il possible that you will enter into
a debate with Peary on the lecture plat
form ?'' he was asked
mo. it isn't possible
, '.why do you say il isn't possible
Because that isn't my manner. my
way of doing things"
DO you contemplate a lecture tour:
IL do not
.Do YOU believe now that you got 70
the North Pole?' was the next query.
.I haye stated circumstantially just
u hat do believe in my magazine story
and wherein I may be wrong in my
belief"
Yes. but the people are anxious 70
know tomorrow morning what your at
titude is to-day-what you think ABOUT
il as YOU enter New York for the first
time since your disappearance
But I have explained all that
cant you give us anything dennife
for Tomorrow morning, doctor?
"weu. personally I believe got to the
pole
What. then. do you think of the ver-
dict of the University of Copenhagen
with regard TO your proofs
IT accept its verdict for the reason
that I don't believe any man could pre-
.ent such q thing as positive proof that
he had reached the pole"
..Didn't you believe In your proofs
when you forwarded them 10 the uni
versity for exaninationy'
II felt as confident OF them as man
can OF that sort Of thing
do you believe Peary got 10 the