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Show COOK'S VERSION OF PEAOnjIOCT Noted Danish Physician Makes Public Story Which the Explorer Ex-plorer Told Him. PEARY LEFT MAN IN CHARGE OF COOK'S STORES Gave Him Written Order Stating That Dr. Cook Was Long Ago Dead. COPENHAGEN, Sept. 12. A remarkable remark-able 'letter, giving Dr. Frederick A. Cook's version of the trouble with Commander Peary over supplies, appears ap-pears in the Politikcn. The letter was written by Dr. Norman Hanson, a prominent prom-inent Danish physician, who several times visited Greenland to study eye diseases. Dr. Cook told practically the same story to one of liis closest. American friends .inst. .1 week ago, before Commander Com-mander Peary reappearod on the scene, but said he 'did not intend to mako it public because it might lead to unpleasantness. unpleas-antness. Dr. Hanson was with Dr. Cook for some time in Greenland aud returned with him on tho Danish steamer Hans Kgedc. Physician Tells Story. "Now that Dr. Cook has gone," he writes, "I am no longer under any obligations ob-ligations to keep silont, and will exorcise exor-cise my right to publish the story about the house in Annatook, a story which Dr. Cook himself had too much delicacy deli-cacy to relate to the world. I write it from memory, as Dr. Cook told it to me, and I am fully convinced that in no details aro my recollec'tions wrong. "Dr. Cook "has built his houso for stores in Annatook, north of Etah, and it was this depot which ho started to reach in February, 1909, crossing Smith Sound. It was "a pretty large house, the walls being built of heavily-filled provision boxes so that Dr. Cook knew that when this important point was reached everything was safe. He had. before the start, given permission to a voting friend named Whitney to use the "house while hunting musk oxen for sport in the winter of 1908-190D. Peary's Men in House. "When Dr. Cook nnd his two Eskimos, Eski-mos, exhausted and half-starved, came within ti short distance of the house in Annatook, young Whitney came out to bid him welcomo, but inside the house was a stranger, a giant Newfoundland boatswain, on watch. This man had been placed in Dr. Cook's house by Peary, whou tho latter passed Etah with" liis ship bound north. Peary had given the boatswain a written order, which commenced with the following words: " 'This house belongs to Dr. Frederick Freder-ick A. Cook, but. Dr. Cook is long ago dead and there is no use to search after him. Therefore, 1, Commander Robert E. Pcar install 1113- boatswain in this deserted houso.' "This paper the boatswain, who could neither rend nor write, exhibited to Dr. Cook and the latter took a copy. "This copy, however, he does not intend in-tend to publish if Peary's course does not force him to do so. Dr. Cook gave me a livoly account of how the young millionaire Whitney, during the whole winl or, was treated like a dog by tho boatswain and how he had witnessed the sailor bartering Dr. Cook's provisions provis-ions for fox and bear skins for himself. Dr. Cook also had to put, a good face on the unpleasant situation. He had to beg to get into his own house and had to make a compromise with the I boatswain. Forced to Compromise ."J)r. Cook made a present of the house with all of its contents to his two faithful Eskimos, with the provision pro-vision that Whitney was to have the use of the house as long as his hunting hunt-ing trip lasted, but ho was compelled to let. the boatswain continue liis watch. The boatswain, however, received re-ceived strict orders not to exchange any more of the provisions or guns. "To Mr. Whitney Dr. Cook gave his instructions Mid hij. observations, as ho thought these precious things worn safer there than on tho long sledge trip in the 'spring across Melville Bay, but all his notebooks and soiled record hooks, which have been so closely written writ-ten upon, he kept and carried with him.- "To men who understands only very little astronomy, the record written down so closely nnd in all directions wero very hard to read, but what, is the record tonis? The two men, Penry and Cook, their character, their conduct, con-duct, that is what interests us, and every little item throwing a sidelight upon their natures is valuable " BELTS VES DR. COOK CLIMBED MT. McKINLBY SEATTLE. Wash.. Sept. 12. Captain E. A. Swift of the barge Neptune, which arrived In port today, declares that lie baa faith in Dr. Took nnd not only believes be-lieves that be discovered the north pole, but also that he ascended Mount Mckinley. Mc-kinley. "Dr. Cook was brave, fearless, and n born leader of men." said Captain Swift. "At the time he entered Alaska he talked of ascending Mount Mclvlnley and he made a proposition 10 mo that I refused because of his daring. Dr. Cook proposed pro-posed that I take hlih np tho I'-hiilliina rapids, through tho Box canyon. In his launch. I had never neon tho rapids, but know that the trip would be vorv dnn-Kerous dnn-Kerous and 1 declined to try it. Dr. Cook-took Cook-took two men and went through the rop-ld.f. rop-ld.f. Afterwards T mot a miner who told me he had seen the launch in the ennvon with full power on, making slow but sure headway up stream. "After Dr. Cook nsended the rapids ho landed at the base of the mountain on tho south side, where ho followed ben I on tracks of animals up tho mountain. This, ho told mo afterwards, and I know him well enough lo be certain that he ascended as-cended Mount Mclvlnley at that lime ns ho claimed. LONDON PAPERS STILL FAVOR PSARY'S CLAIMS LONDON. Sept. Ill.The London nows-papora nows-papora now appear content to allow tho rival explorers" stories to speak for them-scIvof. them-scIvof. The London Post, however, In U spo-Conlinucd spo-Conlinucd on Page Two J. COOK'S VERSION OF PEARY'S CONDUCT Continued 1'rom Pace One clal article today, compares the accounts of Dr. Cook and Commander Peary, and says that the latter's tale Is a plain, unvarnished un-varnished tale, bearing tho Impression of genuineness and carrying conviction. The writer thinks Peary's dropping the white man In the last stage of his journey jour-ney was duo partly to his desire to make the last desperate effort unhampered by a large party, and partly through reluctance re-luctance to share his triumph with any other white man. Th Post points out that whereas Com-maiyfer Com-maiyfer Peary had independent witnesses on his Journey to nearly the eighty-eighth parallel. Dr. Cook's only white companion com-panion left him at Etah. Willi regard to tho unexampled speed of tho journey, tho Post supposes that Sa was due to superior organization and equipment. |