stefansson-wrangel-09-14-116-001

Dear Mrs.Crawford.

I am not making a copy of this sheet for the others
but I am saying to you privately that, I am more than pleased
at the attitude you have assumed in your last letter and I can
assure you that, your letters which you have asked me to burn, will
be treated as you ask and I am so glad to know that you are so
reasonably disposed that you can see the matter in a measure, at
least,the situation as I see it and I should be greatly relieved
if I could know that you could cast out every grudge,banish every
unkind thought and put away every personal predjudice.

I am firmly and honestly convinced that Mr.Stefansson is not
entitled to the censure that the Candaian press heaps on him.

In one article you sent me there appears the assertion that,
in 1913, "he put his ship (The Karluk) into the ice & c & c" .

Captain Louie Lane, formerly of the Polar Bear told me in 1914
that he had talked with Captain Bartlett, commander of the Karluk
who had been an Arctic navigator on the Atlantic side and that,he,
Lane, had advised him that, he must avoid going into open leads
in the ice on the Pacific side but, Bartlett,believing himself as
wise as Lane,had deliberately ran into an open lead of which he coul
could not see the end and, the lead closed behind and ahead of
him and the loss of the Karluk later was the result.
All this time, Mrs. Stefansson had nothing to do with this for,he
was ashore on the north coast of Alaska hunting for meat and did
not know of the catching of the ship until days later.

I merely tell this to show that, many things are the result
of a misunderstanding and of misinformation. We get wrong ideas
from some information which does not tell the matter just as it
is and a great injustice is done some one through a mis under-
standing of the facts.

If there is any doubt as to the true facts, In view of the
great big fact that Lorne knew Mr.Stefansson so thour well,I
am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

My Dear Mrs.Crawford, I wish I could help you to get yourself
in hand and to not allow yourself to break your health because,it
can do our boys no good, they knew how we loved them,and I hope I
may be able to say something which will help you.

Mrs.Knight joins me in kindest personal regards.