HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Herald, 1909-09-17, Page 2NO DOUBT
AS TO WEARY.
All Accept the Statement That He
Reached the Pole.
Many Discredit Cook's Story—
Makes Poor Showing.
Peary Captained and Crewed by
Newfoundlanders.
London, Sept. 13.—Philip Gibbs sends
the following to the Daily Chronmle
from Copenhagen: Dr. Cook's leoture
to -night before the King and a great
audience proves eonolusively that his
claimto have reaohed the North Polo
belongs to the realm of fairy tales.
It was all so very quick. In his own
phrase, he climbed the 'ladder of lati-
tude with lightning rapidity, although
on the downward journey he beat
about the ice floes in a bewildered
way and put up for months in winter
quarters in spite of the daily risk
of starvation, for hie provisions would
bo eatauuted months before but for
convenient miracles.
Magic bears and birds appeared on
the ice, and he was able to shoot
them with stings. In the same way
a magic boat appeared. We have
never heard of that boat befog;, His
way back was like the delirious dree,m
of an Arctic explorer zigzagging and
returning constantly upon his own
path. The great audience, anxious to
hear about the North Pole, remained
there exactly two minutes on this per-
sonally conducted tour and knew lit-
tle more than what the map and the
geography primers taught theta as
chile en, but they were solaced with
Cook's last words that if they desired
further knowledge they would be able
to buy his book, which would he pub-
lished shortly.
There were many awkward pauses,
and Cook stumbled badly over his fig-
ures. His face was flushed, his fore-
head beaded with perspiration, and he
had the grim look of a man determined.
to be believed as he drove the Big Nail
home with unconvincing, flashy phrases.
"I am in a position to state that the
Danish Geographical Society in limit-
ing his lecture to them to an hour
have asked Cook to dilate especially
on his travels near the Pole and
what the Eskimos said and dkl on
that April day. But he did not do
this to -night."
FROM ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCI-
ETY.
New 'York, Sept. 13.—The Royal Geo -
gra 'cal Society of Great Britain has
ea ed its etelerattlieionse to Command,
er Peary and to theMmerican Geograph-
ial Society. The telegram was signed
by the President of the Society. It ex-
pressed the Society's delight at hearing
of the explorer's safe return, and ex-
tended warmest congratulations. A mes-
sage was also sent to Mr. Bridgeman, of
the Peary Arctic Club, inviting Com-
mander Peary to lecture before the
Royal Geographical Society. The Soci-
ety awarded Commander Peary its Royal
Medal some years ago, so that the na-
ture of the new special award has yet
to be determined.
DISCREDIT DR. COOK'S STORY,
Indian Harbor, Labrador, Sept. 13.—
(Via Sydney and St. John's, Nfld.)—Ac-
cording to Peary's crew, Commander
Peary reached the Pole April 6, 1909,
or five months ago, and was the first
to i+eaeh there. He and his party dis-
eredit Dr. Cook's story entirely. They
say he had no equipment for such an
undertaking and he did not get near the
Pole. They say he went west of all the
recent explorers in order to secure a
section of the Arctic Ocean where his
observations could not be checked by
those of previous rivals.
St. John's, Nfld., Sept. 7.—Caiptain
Robert Bartlett, who accenapanied Com-
mander Peary to the north, in charge of
the Roosevelt, has sent a wireless mes-
sage to his mother at Brigus, stating
that all were well and that the expedi-
tion was successful.
Among the crew of the Roosevelt
are the following Newfoundlanders:
Guehue, mate,
J. Murphy, boatswain.
J. Barron, B. Scott, J. Wiseman, A.
Skene, P. Joyce, P. Skeans, J. Cori -
:Ws, J. Barnes, D. Murphy, seamen
and. firemen.
Murphy and Barron were with Peary
in 1905. Connors was two years with
Captain Bernier.
SHOWERS OP CONGRATULATIONS.
South Harpswell, Maine, Sept. 13.—
In the absence of Commander Peary
the task of bearing the honors at-
tained by the explorer on his quest
for the Pole fell upon his wife, who
has been spending the summer at
Eagle's Island, the Peary summer
estate. All day long she was the re-
cipient of a steady stream of tele-
grams and letters of congratulation.
Ur to this evening Mrs, Peary had re-
ceived no further message from her
husband than that which came yes-
terday, in which he said his expedi-
tion has been crowned with success.
She . was anxiously expecting a second
message in which the explorer would
tell her his wishes regarding her
meeting hint. Mrs. Peary spent part
of the day making preparations to
start for. Sydney, N. S. immediately on
receipt of further direct advioee
Miss Marie Peary was kept busy
nearly all day answering the salutes
of passing steamers, yachts and tug
boats. Bvery craft saluted as it
awed Bagle's Island, and to each.
lea Peary responded by dipping tite
Stars and Stripes, which were un-
furled from the tall flag pole.
"Please don't oall me `the snow
baby'," said Miss Peary to -day. "I
don't like it."
Miss Peary, who has the distine-
tion of being the only white child
born north of the arctic circle, is
now sixteen years old, and a student
in the Western High School, Wash-
ington, D. C. Robert E. Peary, jun.,
the other child, had his sixth birthday
a week ago Sunday.
COOK GETS A MEDAL. .
Copenhagen, Sept. 13. --One of the
most remarkable results of Commo-
dore Peary's rivalry with Dr. Cook
for the discovery of the Pole is that
Dr. Cook's profits from the enter-
prise are likely to be largely increas-
ed. He received to -day offers for his
books and lectures . at twice the fig-
ures previously tendered. The Bing
and Queen, Prince and " Princess
George of Greece, and many members
of the Royal family, together with a
large gathering of the most prominent
people in' Copenhagen, this evening
witnessed the presentation to . Dr.
Cook of a gold medal by the Crown
Prince, and listened to the explorer's
story. Standing in front of an im-
manse map of the aretice region, which
was surmounted by the Stars and
Stripes, Dr. Cook outlined his progress
to the Pole. In introducing the ex-
plorer, the Crown Prince said that his
reception in Greenland and at Copen-
hagen showed the way the Danes ap-
preciated his wonderful exploit. The
Prince then presented to him the
medal of the Geographical Society.
Dr. Cook told his story coolly and
without hesitation. "It is too early,"
said the explorer, "to give the gen-
eral reasons for the expedition. I
am bound to acknowledge that suc-
cess would not have been possible
without the less fortunate forerun-
ners. A11 honor to the pioneers, the
path -finders to the Pole, the earlier ex-
plorers. We are plainly in debt to Nan
sen and Peary. In my case, I am es-
pecially indebted to Captain Sverdrup,
who is here to -night."
NOT TO INDULGE IN CONTROVERSY
The explorer cleared doubts about
the lowest temperature recorded,
which he reiterated was 83 degrees be-
low zero Fahrenheit. When shown the
despatch which said that Commander
Peary claimed to be the first man to
reach the Pole, Dr. Cook said: "Com-
mander Peary, of course, can
say whatever he wishes. I am not
accustomed to indulge in contro-
versies. By going much farther to
the east than I did Commander
Peary has cut out of the unknown
an enormous space, which, of course,
will be vastly useful and scientifically
interesting."
These were the words of Dr.
Frederick A. Cook when he was told
to -day of the receipt of despatches
confirming the previous reports of
Commander Peary's success in ,reaches
irt'g he North Pole.
Asked. whether Commander Peary
was likely to have found traces of bis
progress over the polar seas, Dr. Cook
replied:
"No; he scarcely would have come
across nay tracks."
Dr. Cook then said: "I understand
that a rumor is current about my
having taken some of Peary's provi-
sions at Etah. This is founded on Es-
kimo gossip and misunderstanding. I
desire no controversy. I simply say
in reply to such assertion, 'No. Com-
mander Peary is a friend of mine.'"
The name of Peary was heard more
frequently in Copenhagen this morn-
ing than that of Cook. Experts, the
general public, and the newspapers
accept Commander Peary's triumph as
an unquestioned fact. While loyal to
their belief in Cook. the people await
the revelations to be made by the
publication of the details of his obser-
vations. The opinions of scientists on
Dr. Cook's achievement are of particular
interest at the present time, for the
reason that University of Copenhagen
to -morrow will make Dr. Cook honorary
professor of science, a greater distinc-
tion than the honorary degree which it
was first proposed to confer upon him.
THE GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY.
Washington, Sept. 13.—"Have won at
lest; 'the Pole is ours!" wits the laconic
massage that reached. the National Geo-
graphic Society from Robert E. Peary
to -day, as a report to the society which
contributed to the expedition. The mes-
sage was dated Indian Harbor, via Cape
Ray, yesterday. The Board of Mana-
gers of the society -met during tine day
and despatched the following telegram:
"Robert E. Peary, Chateau Bay, Lab-
rador: In answer to your telegram to
the society that you have reached the
Pole, the National Geographic Society,
through the action of its Board of Man-
agers to -day, extends to you its hearti-
est congratulations on your great
achievement" The board voted to defer
taking any further action, pending for -
mai inspection of the records,
What promises to be the most bril-
liant banquet in the annals of the
Geographic Society will be held next
winter, it is proposed, with the two
North Pole discoverers, and the British
explorer who penetrated farthest south
in seeking the South Pole—Lieut. Shack-
leton—as the star figures.
F. D. Reville Retires in Favor of W.
W. Ross,
Brantford. despatch: A surprise was
caused here to -day when the atmounee-
ment was made that F. D. Reville, re-
cently appointed sheriff of this Bounty,
had deelined the position, and that W.
W. Roes, a local insurance underwriter,
had been appointed. Mr. Reville will con-
tinue as editor of the Brantford Courier.
The new appointee came here a few
years ago from Hamilton,
DECLINES TO BE A SHERIFF.
The 'nett.
vention of t
at Toronto,
The offici
people paid
Exhibition
Timely
Tueada
home -s
Mort
tionel
Council
;j est.
Jame
]''taxis
B.,''
appa
Ho
ly at•
posed I
tion to a
tation.
,
inti rrtartional eon -
C. A. will be held
d. that 142,320
to the Toronto
ft Toronto on
a co sibitieil
era' excursion.
have' a Na-
ar. The City
rds the pro -
shot by an
r Rook, N.
c, and was
l Tuesday.
couraging-
of the pro-
nnial' . Exposi-
seutative depu-
•
Col. Fox k'oity, for many
years a pr. re iv ;the Repub-
lican politic. York' State, was
killed at New. , N. 'Y., by falling
from his auto e.
Richard Mort 19 years old, lies in
a precarious oon oil at the Vancouver
Hospital. He ' 'run, over by a street
car on Westmi avenue. Bot(:•1egs
were severed" be w the knee, an arm
broken, ana his head eut.
George W. Doi Rufus„ Iceland, Wil-•
berforce Sully ai Frank t Wells were
arrested, at New York charged with
conspiracy in d:+" auding the United
States Governmer t out of 1,760 acres of
coal lands in Land r, Wyo.
3. P. Altberger, • iperintendent of the
Philadelphia district • of the Western Un-
ion Company, VMS. ,•rested at Philadel-
phia and held inf,'i.. X00 bail on a charge
of diverting pit ; information from
the Western Uni, 'eompany's wires.
Mrs. Edward :: renter, aged 50, of
Peterboro, ahem; l to end her life by
taking a dose of t ~rosive sublimate,,a
deadly poison. Ai.er taking it she a-
parently changed her mind and rushed
into aneighbor's and informed them
of what she had done.
it is believed by the Mexican authori-
ties that the total casualties in north-
ern Metiieo from .:he recent floods will
leash a total of less than 3,000,
making the record of death at Monterey
and' other points second only to that of
the Johnstown disaster.
William Nichol, an old man residing
just outside the city limits of London,
was bound and gagged in his house by
four men last night, who then proceed-
ed to go through the place and ransack
it. They secured very little, and then
went off, leaving the wean bound. •
Rev. Dr. Arrnstrong, for thirty-five
years pastor of :St. Paul's' Presbyterian
Church, Ottaw r• sighed from the
pastorate. Dr. ,gtwill devote all
his time to fi i g.,t e• office of Presi
dent of the Ottawa Ladies' College,
which position he accepted last spring.
At Peterboro Clarence Hicks; 28 years
of age, was fatally shot while hunting
in the country. He and his brother-in-
law, Clifford Chapin n ware pessia:g
through the woods, Hicks in front. Chap -
man's gun accidentally exploded, the
charge entering Hicks' thigh in the rear.
Commencing to -day, the tri -weekly
passenger trains over the Grand Trunk
Pacific Railway west, which have hith-
erto run only to Scott, Sask., go through
to Wainwright, Alberta, 100 miles far-
ther west. The regular passenger service
is now within 115 miles of Edmonton.
The Government has appointed Prof.
L. A. Herdt, of McGill University, and
Mr. W. A. Lambe, of the General Elec-
tric Company of Peterboro', to be a
Board of Examiners to examine candi-
dates for positions as Electrical Inspec-
tors in the Inland Revenue Department.
Mount Robson, the highest and hith-
erto unassaifed peak of tie Rockies, has
been conquered by a. Canadian, Rev. Geo.
Kinney, Methodist minister of Victoria.
Mr. Kinney wires that he accomplished
this remarkable feat unaided on Aug. 13,
and that he has authentic proofs of the
ascent.
Men sent to San Juan,. Porto Rioo,'by
President Gomez, of Venezuela, are
watching for the possible landingof
ex -President Castro. • They say a rge
reward will be given to anyone `subm:it-
ting information of an attempt by Gen-
eral Castro to land at Porto Rico or the
adjacent islands.
POSTMAST ERS.
Ontario Assoc;
structiv
Toronto des
vention of t'
sociation w
ple lbuildin
Burger, of
and near.'
Preside
chiefly with t
masters of
sented to the
May 12 last,
The memoria.
quests for the
master's lot, ins.
eentage on stamp
anee for night w
the service and
merit with the " possi
to the civil service.
A general discussion on Complaints,
and especially on missent letters, was
led by Masers. William Forbes, of
Grimsby, Tannblyn of Oshawa, Sin.
Clair of Beamaville.and Burgar of Wel-
land. The convention expreened a de-
isten to In-
sses.
annual eon
stens' As -
he Tem-
he chair,
e. present.
ess dealt
of the post -
was pre.
eneral on
signatures.
fifteen re -
if the post -
higher per-
a fair allow -
permanency. in
Lotion through
ility of entrance
sire to have a monthly organ for the
province devoted to matters of interest
to postmasters. The question was left
with the • executive for consideration,
Secretary Proctor brought up the
question of assistants' salaries in large
towns and smell cities. He referred
to the statement made in the House of
Commons last session that the sweating
system was in vogue in these places.
This statement was the cause of con-
siderable discussion, in which the con-
vention showed decided disapproval of
any such practice. ^
The officers for next year are as fol -
Tows: Honorary President, Thomas Far-
row, of Brussels; President, Geo. H.
Burger. of Welland; First Vice -Presi-
dent, James Scott, of Clinton; Second
Vice -President, Wm. Hamilton, of Ux-
bridge; Third Vice -President, William
Forbes, of Grimsby; Secretary -Treas-
urer, H. E. Proctor, of Aurora. Mr. H.
Sinclair, of Beamsville, was elected on
the executive committee..
LOST FIFTEEN DAYS.
S.
Wandered in Woods Between Win-
nipeg and Fort William.
Winnipeg, Sept. 13.--A wreck of a
nuut, frightfully scarred about the
• ewe, hands, arms and legs, sat in the
Tecumseh House this morning and
told to a reporter a distressing story
of his adventures when he was lost
for fifteen days in ee wild tangle of
bush, muskeg and rocks, north of the
0. P. R. line between Fort William Bend
Winnipeg. He reached the C. P. R.
track at 11 o'clock yesterday morning,
although he was unable to say at what
point, and was given a square
meal for the first time in half a month
by one of the foremen employed on
the double tracking. During the time
he was lost he subsisted, he says, solely
on bunch berries, which were bitter, and
for all he knew poisonous, but he took
the chance.
The man, according to . his story,
was panicstricken in his anxiety to
reach human • society, and states that
he rarely ate more than one meal a day,
drinking whatever came , handiest,
whether it was from nmekeg or lake.
He states that as he staggered on, day
after day, .roping against hope, he lost•
his head and thought he would go in-
sane. Yesterday morning, • through
the dead silence of t'he bush his heart
leaped, when there was faintly borne
upon his ears the long -drawn whistle
of a locomotive. He plowed through
a perfect jungle of undergrowth and
finally struck the shining ribbons of
steel which 'connected with civilization.
The man, who gives his name as
Joseph Sherrah, of Leamington, Ont.,
is 69 years of age. He was a member
of a harvest excursion. Sherrah states
that one night he was surrounded by
bears. He admits that he. was intoxi-
cated when `he was left behind of fell
off the train and cannot remember how
he first wandered from the track.
e
ASKING FOR MONEY.
More Charges Against Montreal
Aldermen.
Montreal despatch: More graft was
revealed at to -day's session of the
Royal Commission. As the work of
the commission is nearing an end the
tales told before it are becoming
worse. Accusations of a most serious
character were levelled against Ald.
Emery Lesperance. Mr. Joseph Jacob,
contractor, swore that Ald. Lesperance
had demanded $1,000 to procure him
the contract for building a stable for
the incineration department. He had
come down to $600, but Mr. Jacob
got the contract without him. Then
Mr. Jacob swore Aid. Lesperance had
made trouble for him in carrying out
his contract. His son, Rodolphe Jacob,
testified that Lesperance had demanded
$300 from him and had threatened him.
Ald. Lesperance was quoted as saying:
"Don't give the money to Mederic Mar-
tin. He would keep it all."
Damase Leclair had still more damag.
ing evidence to give. He thpught of ten-
dering for the same job, and mentioned
the matter to Ald. Lesperance, who told
him ht.hat five per cent. commission to
the members of the Incineration Commit-
tee was usual; it was usually paid to one
member, who distributed it.
The Messrs. Jacob also swore that
Ald.
Lesperance demanded that they
subscribe to Ald. Mederic Martin's
election fund, Two hundred dollars
in cash was then carried to Ald. Mar-
tin, who refused it; his wife, however,
took the money.
Ald. Martin swore that he did not
know whether bis wife took the money
or not.
This "five per cent. rake-off" seems
to have been the regular commission
levied on all city contracts.
TOWN GONE.
Soto La Marina Almost Completely
Disappears.
Mexico City, Sept. 13.—Word was re-
ceived here last night that the destruc-
tion of Soto La Marina, a town in the
State of Tamaulipas, was so complete
that the whole place has completely die -
appeared, with the exception of a few
church towers, that project froom` the ear -
face of a veritable sea. No one has been
able to get closer than a leagtie from
where the town once stood. Froin this
point rescue parties have noticed tents
on the side of a ,tall hill, the only eti-
donee of life remaining,
HARRIMAN.
Dr. Lyle Says He is Suffering Fr
"Acute Indigestion."
Newspaper Men Again Flocki
the Neighborhood.
Arden, N. Y., Sept. 13.—The warming
runiors regarding the condition ",of Ede
ward H. Harriman have been revived
following his relapse of Senday night..:'
From . the best information obtainable•
to -day, however, it is believed that the
attack that caused a hurry call for a
New York nurse and probably two
nurses, one for day and one for night,
was a temporary sickness, caused a sud-
den change of temperature or an indis-
cretion in diet which the sick man in
his weakened condition was unable to
throw off. Dr. W. G. Lyle, Mr. l3'arri-
man's, private physician, calls the a t-
taok "acute indigestion,"
• In his statement last night he said
his patient was better. One result of the
news has been a swift reassembling of
the newspaper representatives whose
presence a week ago at every avenue.
leading to the Harriman house finally
caused the sick man himself to issue a
statement regarding his condition, and
promise that if the press of the country
would withdraw its representatives he
would see that it was informed of any
subsequent crisis in his condition. For -
this reason an effort is being made to se-
cure daily bulletins from Dr. Lyle,
While Mr.Harriman's last attack in
itself may not bo serious, there may be
grave consequences in the case of a.
man as weak as Mr. Harriman.
Talk of an operation has been revived,
but there is nothing definite to support
such a rumor. It has been pretty defin-
itely established that for a week prior
to this last attack Mr. Harriman's con-
dition was reassuring. It was learned to-
day that he showed active interest in
the work about his place, and in his trot-
ting horses.
Van Rensselaer Weston, who looks aft-
er his string of thoroughbreds at Gosh-
en, 15 miles west of here, called at the•
house several thnes last week to discuss
turf and stable with his employer. His.
last visit occurred on Sunday, and upon
leaving he told several persons that Mr.
Harriman seemed better. This was be-
fore the ill -turn of Sunday night. This
came about midnight. The sudden flash-
ing of lights on the tower hill told the
people in the valley of the activitly that
reigned on the hill. Men were sent to
turn on the electricity at the plant at
the foot of the incline railway. The•
telephone operator at Arden was called
out of bed and messages were see to
New York for nurses and doctors who
were brought to Arden in a hurry in the
morning. ,
4
LUMBER CASE,
Commissioner Reports That Govern-
ment Was Defrauded.
Toronto despatch: That the Provin-
cial Government was defrauded of $1,-
580.07 in timber dues, and $1,068.75
trespass fines,- by false returns sent in
on behalf of tae i+'ort Frances Lumber
Company, is the finding of Mr. S. Price,.
of the Mines Department, who was ap-
pointed as Royal Commissioner to ,in-
Vestigate the charges against the com-
pany and its President, Mr. W. A. Pres-
ton, M. P. P. for Rainy River. At the.
same time Mr. Price says: "The evi-
dence precludes any reasonable suspi-
cion that Mr. W. A. Preston, the presi-
dent of the company, was a party to or•
cognizant of the fraud, and there is not:
sufficient ground for believing that the.
manager, Mr. W. W. Cassady, was im-•
plicated in it.'
FORCED TO FLEE,
Suffragettes Put the British Premier'
to Rout.
Hythe, England, Sept. 13. -The mfli- •
taut Suffragettes have pursued Mr.
Asquith, the Premier, into his vaca-
tion privacy. They climbed the windows .
of Lympne Castle Sunday while the Pre- .
mier and his family were at dinner,,
throwing atones through the windows.
and shouting Suffragist messages. They
then made their escape in the darkness.
The same afternoon, while the
Premier and Mr. Herbert Gladstone
were engaged at golf in the neigh-
borhood, Suffragettes accosted and,
pestered them until, according to
some accounts, ' a scuffle occurred and
the Ministers fled to their motor car..
CHILD DIES.
Faith Cure Fails aa` a Remedy For
Diptheria.
Welland, Ont., despatch: Ruth, the
five-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Edward Brecken, Crowland, is dead.
The child was taken i11, and last
Tuesday Dr. Oolbreck was called to
diagnose the case, which he pronouutbed
a bad ease of diphtheria. The parents
'are members of a deet known as
"Santis," and believe in prayer instead
of medicine. They refused to have
Medicine et antitoxine for the child,