The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1910-12-09
EXPLORER, IN MAGAZINE ARTi'
Gle, SAYS HE is NOT GER
TAIN ne FOUND POLE.
HALF CRAzED BY COLD
Promises to Tell Story, Pleading for
Charity if He Missed.-Deelares
He Prefers Friendship to
Polar Distinction.

New York, N. Y. - DR.. Frederick
A. Cook, the Brooklyn explorer, in an
article which will be published in a
magazine confesses he does not know
positively whether he reached the
North Pole.
DR.. Cook, who has been in hiding
for over a year., has informed the edi-
tors of the magazine publishing his
story that he will return to the United
States with his wife and children Dec.
% in order to spend Christmas here.
DR.. Cook deals with the psychology OF
his adventure and says:
Did l get to the North Pole? Per-
haps l made a mistake in thinking
that I did. Perhaps I did not make a
mistake. After mature thought con-
TESS that I do not knOw absolutely
whether I reached the pole or not.
This may come as an amazing
statement, but I am willing to startle
the world if, by SO doing, l can get
an opportunity to present my case.
BY my case, l mean not my case as a
geographical ~discoverer, but my case
as a man. Much as the attainment
of the North Pole once meant to me
the sympathy and confidence OF my
fellow men mean 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 lso-
lation and hunger, he believed he
reached the pole; he is not a faker,
then | shall be satisfied"
Discovery of Pole His Ambition.
DR.. Cook tells the story of his life
and pictures what he calls the over
towering ambition of exploration that
beset him until it finally eliminated
in his effort to reach the pole. He de-
clares that at the time he convinced
himself he had discovered the pole he
was half mad. He spent W years in
his quest and during that time en-
dured hunger and privation, he says,
that would unbalance any mind.
The explorer states that it would
be impossible for any man to demon
strate beyond question that he had
been to the North Pole. He char
acterizes the region as a realm OF IN
sanity, where one cannot believe the
evidences gathered by ones own eyes.
He says he had always looked upon
the discovery of the pole as an
achievement for his own personal
: satisfaction, for the satisfaction OF a
craving and desire that was greater
l than any other factor in his life.
: When he found how tremendous a sen
sation his statement that he had at,
tanned the pole created he was over
come with bewilderment.
Never Wore a Disguise.
n DIR. Cook then tells the story Of the
days in Copenhagen and later in New
# York and of the crisis in his life thai
led to his flight from New York ane
his voluntary exile from the United
States. The explorer says that not
8 withstanding the fact he was followed
It by the shrewdest newspaper men il
e the world day after day and tina
< sums ranging up to several thousands
e of dollars were offered for a clue II
r. his whereabouts he has never worn
e disguise and has never taken II un
e usual %precaution to conceal his iden
Al tity. Part of the time, he says, hi
70 wife has been with him and part OF tn
time his children.
ID With the opportunities for though
Id that his exile has given im-Dr Coo
re says he never ever had time to slice
Id more than three or o hours betwee
m his arrival at Copenhagen and MS di'
" appearance in New York-he ha
tn found growing stronger and stronge
D. the desire to return to his own coul
~ try to be understood by his ow
nd people.
d. II have been called the greatest ha
of in the world, the most monument;
Nv impostor in history" says DR.. Coo
4 believe hat in every undesiraD
on way l stand unique, the object OF sue
,ly suspicion and vituperation as hay
8: assailed few men.