Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-12-26
DIR. COOK BEGINS
"SQUAR|NG" HIMSELF.
Makes Answer to Attack Of Rasmus
sen, the Danish Explorer, But Fails
to Add Convincing Proof Of Hav-
ing Reached the North Pole.

New York. Dec. 25.--"Need we stoop
| to the depths of literary muck raker
| to get public attention. asks Dr.
| Frederick A. Cook tonight, in an open
| reply to the attack on him by knud
| Rasmussen, the Danish explorer. pub
| lished On November 9 last.
Incidental to his defence of his own
narrative, Arctic exploration. DR..
Cook says that by Rasmussens meth
DDS of Investigation Robert E. Peary
| could with equal ease be discredited
| but declares that he will take Mr.
| Peary's word in preference to either
| that of Rasmussen or the Esquimos
| in the matter of his own accomplish
mentS."
Rasmussens attack con Cook was
| sert by him to his Wife in Copen-
| hagen and by her made public. 1t
| contained what purported to be state
| merits from Cooks two Esquimo COM
| panions in his North Folar quest,
| Itukusuk and .Apilak. Rasmussen
said he did not personally talk with
| the ESQ uimoS. but their statements
| were taken by two missionaries who
were working in the country from
| which Or. Cock said he started for
| the Pole
| The Esquincs left .tnnatok with Cook
| with eight sledgcs in February, slept
once on the ice on the ice the way
to I1llsemere land. and took four days
| to cross that land. Eighteen days on,
all but the two EsQuimo boys left,
| The nineteenth day they changed
their course westward. Later Apilak
| came upon Dr.. Cook drawing q map
| He asked him whose route he WAS
| drawing my own said the eXplor-
er. but that the statement makes
| the boy say was lie because he
drew the map a long way out AZ
| sea, where lie lad never been.
| The Esquimos' statement continued
that the party eventually reached
| Cane Seldom and wintered there thai
| DIR. Cook spent most of the time VIII
| ing and at first sight of the sun they
| started home that the explorer prom
| ised them a good reward, but W.
| did not get the guns he promised us
| He gave us only a knife. some
matches ard a useless boat.
| Commenting on this report fasmrs-
sen said:
Il regard the report as absolutely
| authentic"
| In his reply tonight. DR.. Cook an
swers catagorically the statements I'M
| unted TO the Esquimo boys. denying
each in turn anc giving reasons WHY
no thinks they should be considered
| f.1sa no declares that Rasmussen mas
reason to dislike him (Cool). He saw
IA effort was made to get at the run
in the alleged examination OF the
| +wo bovs but that, on the contrary
they were piled with leading ques-
tions designer to bring out the an
sv.nrs desired and he points out wAat
ha terms the well-known trait OF ali
,;.,. tn rive answers which they
ha,,eye will please their Iuesuohe'S'
DR.. Cook says Rasmussens iopu,.' w.. 49,,
.r a, Arctic slcdgc-travc!er rests up
on q Journey from iassi"s''N ~
York. .. ,>,o,, &c t,u,v
This trip" ne says. "N men Is u NY
wonderful one, was a sep '.l
return voyage, occupying oil's .a
and enc half days. ana II Is :,
NV enc sentence ending nay II .,,. -
Rasmussen's reason 10 pc io''1
hin, the brooklyn explorer mus IA 'i,.N
n,bicb he was compelled to aoi'i',is'e, W
tho Dane in 1907, when the yacil' ID "u
arr;ved in North star bay. hasii'u7','
came aboard, he says, dresser ~ w.
greasy furs and strong with 'hs s'e'e-'
~ train oil. He and the Dane peo''
| "chummy" at once, and ne saio " ="
p,aa,av. I'VE must invite Rasmusse''
90 dinner" Bradley. he SAID iepi'.u
mo. for Gods sake, no! Will se'
sick from that odor.' .o. he
rha res,lt was, Dr. Cook says tna' "e
osLed his captain to invite the Ian"
mess forward, and Rasmussen n''o So
osor IN take this treatment as d Si'"'
..,., 1000 . saws the statement, "Rasihus
u, relatives and friends OF tne LIS
,'..o hovs who had been with me 'iho
- ther, gathered information whlci
,,,;rcea him that 1 had been 10 ''''
o,o ue has no other information no"
~ for reasons best known TO hii'ise''
no comes to an opposite opif''o"
..Now. let us examine Rasmussen ia.
oharpes He starts out by saSi"s
.,,.o.dv in 1909 there existed sfas'
ao,,h+s as to whether DR.. COOK rea"s
,,ad reached the pole If this IS ''"'
..o+a,,ent then Rasmussen eonvlc,s MN
.,e oe . false position at the very sl"''
I,or ,vithout a word of instruction IRON
no came out in vigorous and voiuh,'
nous reports in my defence WY u,t
! he lump into the Cook band "aso" ''''>
shout if he had doubts!
..Jn the story, which 1t IS aii t3ss
came through two missionaries
,,ssan nuts the following phrases III
.ho mouths of my Esduimo ooSs
l..wo travelled from Annoatok WV" C ~is
W. in company with DR.. CooN
crhers were II sledges-faise state
; ment No. ID a W.
".Erom there to Ellsmere Lano W
on1v once, We slept severe
SEP before we reached Fiagier DAY
f iFalse statement NO. - ,,na,;on