The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1925-04-16


born in Sullivan county, N. Y, Jun
"Doc Cook, the man who has blutfed
in big way all through life, has never
yet put one of them across. But he
is still trying. Only last week in Fort.
Worth, Texas, he attempted bold and
grand biuff-of how he had refused to
join a Jail delivery. This was just
before his transfer to the government
prison here. Wardens Biddle and
Zerbst of this institution will perhaps
have many such bluffs and brainstorms
Of the famous doctor to deal with be-
fore he says goodbye.
If the reader is of the younger gen.
Grafton, perhaps they are not familiar
with the doings of Doc Cook. Here
are some Of his bluffs--one of which
he cashed in on--but was caught.
1 Doc Cook claimed to have been the
first man to scale Mt Mckinley. He
was given a seat In the hall of fame
beside such explorers as Agassiz and
Herschel. Later his claim was dis
approved. This was in 1906.
Claimed he Had Reached North Pole
In 1909 he returned from the North
less than two weeks ahead of Admiral
Perry, the real discoverer, claiming
that he had reached the North Pole.
He returned by way Of Denmark
which country official honored him.
New York gave him the freedom Of
the city" and hung garlands of roses
about his neck Fehyfs sudden re-
turn with AUTHENTIC data and proofs
of himself having reached the pole
was the bomb which exploded all Of
! Doe Cooks claims--and the praise and
honor he so glorified In was quickly
turned to ridicule and scorn.
The nations scorn was SO great that
Doctor Cook left the country, going to
Borneo. There Is no record Of his
bluffs on the wild folks Of the East
Indies, but that there were some, there
is no doubt.
No sooner had the famous explor-
er returned to the United States, than
he was busy again "stringingD suck
ers. His ideas were along new avenues,
however, for, whereas he always had
specialized on scientists, royalty and
a trusting general public, he now turn
ed his attention to widows, orphans
and poor folks who wanted TO get rich
quick by the oiI-well route--and he
strung them TO the tune of some s4,-
000, 900.
His Oil Ideas Brought S4,000,O00
1t would seem that his idea of a
going concern was to consolidate some
800 bankrupt oil companies with dry
wells and make them into one big SOL
vent company with flowing. wells. He
sold" the idea of the big company
so well to the inexperienced and ignor-
ant, that he was rolling in millions
when the government stepped in to in
vestigate.
Conviction was obvious from the
first He was sentenced to serve Ia
years.
TO show the workings Of Doc Cooks
brain--he sued Fort Worth news
paper for libel, claiming $1,000,000
damages after he had been convicted.
Doc Cook had rare gifts, had they
been used in the right direction. He
was endowed with rare personality,
a beaming smile and affability that
won the confidence of strangers. He
started life well enough--but never
could control the desire to bluff. Leav-
ing the home place up state in New
York he went to Brooklyn where he
drove milk wagon until he had
earned enough money to start through
medical college.
He was member of Admiral
Perry's party on one Of the earlier ex-
plorations had been missing for
! some years when he came from the
north with his announcement of hav-
ing reached the pole. Even after all
Of his claims were disapproved he
maintained his stand and even went
Il
forth on the lecture platform to carry
out his bluff. However, his pictures
were old, his dairies falsified and in no
way had he data which would stand