stefansson-wrangel-09-20-089-001

New Philadelphia, Ohio.
December 15, 1924.

Dear Mr. Stefansson: ;

I will give you my opinion of Fred's letter . .
. . . My opinion of Fred's letter to his wife and the other evidence is that Fred did not want to leave the island and
that Knight and Crawford insisted and brought forward the argument
about the shortage of food and he was persuaded to go with that
reason. . . . No doubt he also felt that the two young men [ Crawford
and Galle ] needed some one with experience with them to cross the ice.
. . . . . . In reading Knight's diary carefully I get the opinion that
Fred allowed himself to be persuaded to go for two reasons, one to
protect give the benefit of his greater experience of ice travel to Crawford and Galle, and the other to leave Knight and Ada
enough food.

I am sure that the boys could have caught enough
game to keep alive and perhaps to have saved Knight if they had all
stayed on Wrangel Island. The diary shows Knight and Crawford making
arrangements to leave long before they did, only waiting for the right
season, but not a word about Fred or Galle wanting to go. I don't say
this to criticize Knight, for he no doubt thought it going to Nome was the best thing
to do. Evidently Fred also felt sure of getting safely across to Siberia
and Alaska. . . .

I have taken up with the family the question of
publishing Fred's letter. We all agree that the letter itself should
not be published, for it is of too private a nature.

With kindest regards,

Sincerely,

(Signed) John Maurer

Mr. V. Stefansson,
Broadway and 156th Street,
New York, N. Y.