South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-01-19
WHO DISCOVERED NORTH POLE?
few facts which may help the contestants in The News
Times contest-Confession given according
to Dr. Cook.

Since our announcement in yester-
days paper that we are going to con-
duct an essay contest under the aus
pieces of this paper on the subject of
who Discovered the North Pole"
several students have telephoned the
contest department for further infOr-
nation We hasten, therefore, to give
it through the columns OF our paper
so that all may be advised of the
points brought up.
The first question asked was about
Pearys supposed recognition by the
government as the discoverer of the
North pole. Peary was given pen
sion of $4,000 per year and the thanks
Of congress for Arctic explorations
which resulted in his having reached
the North pole. and he was denied his
claimed title of "discoverer'' on ac-
count of DR.. Cooks prior claim and
the words "discOVerer' and "discov-
cry" of the North pole were stricken
from the bill as finally passed. There
is. therefor. no national endorsement
of Mr.. Peary.
The second question asked was:
How do you account for DR.. Cooks
confession that he did not reach the
pole - That is easily explained. DR..
Cook prepared a series of articles for
Hamptons Magazine, which appeared
in four issues of the magazine begin
ming with January. 1911. After DIR.
Cook had O. KID the galley proofs
and had sailed for Europe. to bring
back his wife and two little girls,
thinking that the articles would prove
his case to the satisfaction of the pub
lie and that everything would be plain
sailing for him thereafter. Hampton
to create a sensation and boost the
sale of their magazine. cut through
the galleys and inserted four whole
pages of insanity matter and supposed
confession. They also cut out many
Of the vital facts as written and o. X. d
by DR.. Cook Then they sent out a
statement for the press announcing
the Forthcoming magazine with DR..
Cooks confession portrayed in box
car letters on the front cover The
article appeared while DR.. Cook was
in Europe and helpless TO defend
himself il did create a sensation and
an enormous number of the magazines
were sold but not enough 10 put
Hampton on his feet financially. for
the magazine went broke soon after
that and is not now in existence. Sen.
Miles POindeXter. who introduced the
resolution in the senate asking that
DR.. Cook be recognized as the discov-
eTer of the North pole, has in his pos
session certified copy of the original
statement for the press of DR..
Cooks confession as issued 10y Hamp-
tons, and an affidavit from the stenog-
rapher who wrote the stuff for one of
the editors. She states in the affidavit
that she was commanded TO sign DR..
Frederick A Cook to the statement
on the typewriter and that DR. Cook
never saw it until 1t appeared in the
papers.
The third question asked was:
Why did scientists recognize Peary
and deny Dr. Cooks claim 90 They
did not DR.. Cook now has in his pos
session letters of recognition and con-
gratulations from over so of the
worlds foremost scientists and eX-
plorers including such men as Capt.
Otto Sverdrup, discOverer of the land
over which part of Or. Cooks route
was forced; Capt. J. r. Bernier, COM
mandeT OF many Canadian Arctic eX-
petitions: the late Rear Admiral W 5.
Schley L. :. y. commander of the
Greedy relief expedition; Prof. w H
Brewer. for 10 years president of the
Arctic Club Of America; Prof. otto