Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-12-23
DR.. COOK BACK.
IMPERTURABLE
Arrives by Steamer and Hands
Reporters Copies Of Type
written Interview.
NO PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
Denies He Is Trying to Make Money
but Says He Wishes to Reestab-
IiSh Good Name.

New Nork, Dec. 23.-Dr. FredeT-
ick A. Cook, the explorer, came back
to his native land yesterday on the
steamship, George Washington, as
calmly as if there never had been
a north pole controversy. He looked
we'll and said little; in fact, a type
written interview handed to report
ers embraced all that he had 10 say,
with the exception OF the necessary
fOrmalities of conversation thrust
upon him by interviewers.
PASSENGERS IN CONTROVERSY.
f! OF far more dramatic interest was
a heated controversy among the
steamship passengers concerning the
impression he had made upon them
The doctor still asserts he believes
he was at the pole. Here is his state
ment in part:
! q have no statement TO make
other than that which | have care
gully prepared and which is now be-
/ ing published. Any interview
might give would necessarily be
fragmentary and doubtless mslead-
| ing also, so | shall not now give out
any interviews, and any purported
/ TO come from me will not be author
lied.
SPENT WEEKS ON STORY.
! Il spent weeks carefully preparing
my story and l have frankly said in
/ il all that there is TO say. Every
charge against me is taken up and
answered in its proper place in my
narrative.
| Il will say, however, that I was
/ in the United States less than a
month ago. l arrived in Quebec on
/ Oct. %. went to Troy. y. Y, then
( TO Newburgh and Poughkeepsie. 1
was in the two last named cities
about three weeks, writing. revising
and correcting proofs on my story.
TOO 8USY TO TALK THEN.
Il registered under an assumed
name because l was busy-too busy
/ to receive my many personal friends
or newspaper men. No other pre-
cautions were takeR-te-leeep my pres
ence concealed. l stopped at leading
/ hotels and took an automobile ride
each pleasant day.
4 was at the Palatine hotel in
New burgh most of the time. / left
Poughkeepsie on the night Of Nov.
%, and went directly to Halifax,
where ! sailed for Europe on ;he
same steamship line, on the same
steamer and just a year from the
time | sailed from the same port
when l left America in 1909.
No PLANS FOR FUTURE.
81 do not know what my plans for
II los
whatever for going on the lecture
platform. have not returned TO
America with the intention of max
ing money out of my arctic exper-
fences.
Money did not prompt the writ
ing Of my story. as | have seen sug-
gested in certain newspapers. As |
have said. l have come back solely
for TIE purpose of rehabilitating my
self and my family by setting mat
ters right with my countrymen.
PEARY TO FURNISH PROOFS.
Washington, Dec. %. - After
months Of persistent refusal on the
ground of interference with contracts
with publishers. Captain Robert +.
Peary, the arctic explorer, has prom
ised to furnish congress with the
proofs upon which he relies to sup
port his claim of attainment of the
north pole. The assurance has been
communicated indirectly 70 some of
his advocates at the capitol in con-
nection with the bill TO reward him
with a rear admiraiship on the staff
in recognition of his arctic achieve
ments.