Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-02

Other aSsailantS arose. Among them waa
George KEENAN,, who had spent three conseeu-
tive winters in Siberia and commended that e
q physical impossibility for DR.. Cook TO
have remained in the ice fields Of the Arctic
for 81 days, as he had claimed, with no other
food than that which he carried with him when
he started.
Finally, the then Capt Robert E. Peary re.
turned from the Arctic with the announce
ment that he had reached the Pole April g.
1909, and had found no trace of the records
DR.. Cook had said he left there. There fol-
lowed one Of the bitterest controversies I'm the
history OF science.
Meantime, the University Of Copenhagen to
which DR.. Cook had promised to submit proof
OF his discovery, began to grow impatient for
his records. They apparently had q feeling
they were going to be left holding the bag and
they wanted to get it over with. In the midst
of it all, DR.. Cook Cancelled his lecture tour
and retired to a New York hotel with the an
nouncement that he was putting his observa-
tions in shape for the Danes. This finished no
intrusted them to his secretary, Walter Ions
dale for delivery at Copenhagen and then
quietly disappeared.
TN due time the blow fell. Newspaper head
lines Of December 81, 1909. best tea the
story Says . newspaper Of that day:
DR., Cooks Claims Declared worthless:
Branded Faker by Danish Scientists"
''Peary's Opponent for World Honors Is Now
Dsgraced."
Copenhagen Board Stunned by utter Lack
Of Convincing Proof That Physician Penetrated
Arctic Wastes for Any Great Distance"
Washington is Aroused to Action"
Geographical Society Announces That In
vestigation of Cooks Whole Career Will be IN
stituted Without Delay"
The verdict of the university since 1t had
been predispOsed notably in DR.. Cooks favor.
was overwhelming Directly following it the
Explorers Club in New York, in a singing re.
port, declared him unworthy of belief and ex-
PEELED him from membership. The Arctic Club
also held a meeting and, although Dr. Cook
had founded 1t, the directors declared him an
undesirable member and voted his expulsion.
For almost year DIR. Cook remained In hid
ing. Like IShmael he wandered-to London.
to Spain, to South America and back to Lon
don-while an angry world heaped contempt
upon him. October /, 1910 he was located i'm
London and November of the same year i'm
New York he came closer to admitting the
truth Of the charges against him than he ever
has before or since. In his famous comics.
ston," published in Harper's Magazine he said:
Did I get to the North Pole? Perhaps
made mistake in thinking that did. Per.
hapS did not make q mistake. After mature
thought confess that do not know absolutely
whether reached the Pole or not.
"Fully, freely and frankly / shall tell you
everything. Tell you everything leave the
decision with you. If, after reading my story.
you say. Cook is sincere and honest; half crazeA
by months of isolation and hunger. he believed
that he had reached the Pole; he is not .
faker, then 1 shall be satisfied -. .f.t,
DR.. Cooks bid for vindication reached
pathetic climax November "a 1911, when he,
made theatrical, but futile attempt in Copen-
hagen to reassert his claims.r Appearing In
the same hall where two years previously he
had held spelIbound an audience that tn~.
cluded the royal family and the most d1s~
tinguished scientists of Europe. he was booed,
Kissed, jeered and finally egged from the place
under police protection.
The 'stolid Danes" had had their revenge:
the ruin of Dr.. Cook was complete gA~.r i.s44