Evening star., 1944-01-26
Col. {. Fred Cook,
Editor and Masonic
Leader, Dies

wi. ". rICu SOOh, ~, memOel
OF The Stars news staff for more
than 43 years, died early today ir
the Naval Hospital at Bethesda, Md
He was prominent in military cir
cles, having served in both the
Spanish-American and World Wars
and was a former grand mas
ter of Masons OF the District OF
Columbia.
Col. Cook began his career as a
reporter for The Star on March
1894. He progressed from reportorial
work to hold the successive position.
Of assistant city editor. copy editor
city editor and news manager. For
many years he was in charge OF the
makeup" OF the paper. Relinquish-
ing active duty in the news depart
ment in 1928. he served as reference
librarian until 1897.
A native Washingtonian Col. Cook
was born June Is, 1872, the son OF
Truman A. and Mary Virginia
Schrivener Cook. He was educated
in public schools and attended
Georgetown University. Before COM
ing to The Star, he was private Sec
retary to Thomas G. Alvord, editor
of the former Evening News.
Covered Famous Cases.
AS a reporter, Col Cook covered
the Farrell murder trial at La Plata
Md, and the Cooking lynching at
Port Tobacco, Md. His interest in
military activities started in his
early days as a side captain" OF
the Young American Rifles.
Having been first lieutenant Of a
prize company of high school cadets
Col. Cook entered the District Ma
tional Guard in 1892 as captain OF
Company B. End Battalion, later
the champion drill company of the
United States in State competition
and better known as the Morton
Cadets
He combined military interest
with newspaper work and reported
many competitive drills throughout
the country, national and interna-
tional rife matches and National
Guard encampments. for The Star
and the Associated Press.
Served at Santiago.
Col. Cook served through the San
tiago campaign in the War with
Spain as an officer of the First
District of Columbia Infantry
United States Volunteers, and was
present at the surrender of the
Spanish forces.
Returning from Cuba, he con-
tinued National Guard service until
1915, when he retired with the ad.
vance rank Of lieutenant colone,
for specially meritorious service ;
In the World War, he was com
missioned major and served al
brigade adjutant to Brig Gen. Lloyc
M. Brett OF the 80th Division, al
Camp Lee. Va. He went to France
in May, 1918. in command OF the
305th Ammunition Train, and ir
August was made base adjutant OF
base section No. 5 at Brest.
Returning home after the war
Col. Cook became editor in chief OF
the Come Back, soldier newspaper
at Walter Reed Hospital, and also
supervised publication of AZ other
Army hospital newspapers, and the
official souvenir programs of the
lst Division parades here and in
New York City. He was also in
structor in newspaper production in
connection with vocational training
of disabled soldiers.
Aided National Guard.
After, he returned to civil life in
1920, Col. Cook joined forces with
those who worked to reorganize the
National Guard. and in 1924 received
the, District National Guard Medal
for rs years of meritorious service.
At the time of his death, he held
the rank Of full colonel on the Army
OF the United States retired list.
Col.' Cook was grand master of
Masons in the District of Columbia
in 1881. He was also a past high
priest OF Mount Pleasant Chapter
No. 13, r. A. NJ. a member of the
Anointed High Priests of the Dis
trict, e past master and treasurer
of Temple -Noyes Lodge, No. 80, F.
A. A. NJ, and for many years chair
man Of its Entertainment Com
mittee.
A Scottish Rite Mason, he also was
a member Of Mount Pleasant Coun-
Gil, No. S, Royal and Select Masters;
prophet of Kallipolis Grotto and
a noble Of Almas Temple of the
Shrine. He was sir knight OF
Washington Commandery, knights
Templar, having been knighted in
the first class to take the degree in
the George Washington National
Masonic Memorial. Alexandria, Va.
Headed Star Club.
Col. Cook was president of The
Evening Star Club for four success
sive terms. He devoted much time
to planning entertainment pro-
grams, especially for annual ban
quets held in former years that
were notable for the attendance of
Presidents of the United States and
top-ranking persons in public life.
He also had a large part in pro-
ducing THE Morning Star" humor-
GUS tabloid distributed as souvenirs
Of the banquets.
He was member of the Associa-
ton of Oldest Inhabitants and a
vice president of the Society of
Natives, and a former member of
the Rotary Club.
Col Cook married Louise Eliza
beth Baldwin, a native Washing
tonian, who survives. They have
one son, Baldwin Frederick Cook,
a member of the Coast Guard, sta