stefansson-wrangel-09-18-011-002

information reached Moscow on Aug 28.
that the expedition had vanished.

We wrote to the "Monitor" asking them
what information they could give us,
and they at once answered saying the
report had come from their correspondent
in Moscow. At their suggestion we wrote
to this correspondent, and now recieved
an answer saying that he did not send
this report in "and that he was not in
Moscow at that time, also that he was
unable to find out who sent this message
to the "Monitor."

I am telling you about this now, as we would
appreciate your advice and opinion.
In our knowledge there has been no one
who knew about the fate of the expedition
before Sep. 1. here in U. S. or in Alaska
before the eve. of Aug 30. when Noice landed.

Since the date of the published report and
the arrival of Noice are conflicting we
cannot resist but wish to keep on investi-

gating as long as there is something to
[walk] on, and all spurred on by our
friends and Milton's friends, and therefore
this persistance.

I believe if you would try and get this
back number of the "Monitor" you would
more fully see what I tried to tell you.
The clipping I had sent to Mr. Crawford
who said he gave it to Mr. Taylor. Mr.
Taylor believed the last paragraph was
added by the "Monitor" its self and was not
part of the message. He may have told
you about it, and if I knew would certain-
ly not care to [bother] you with it now.

It is only because the Siberian Gov. protested
and had also tried to command Noice's
advance to Wrangell, that we believe possibly
there could be reason for not having heard
from our boys should they have been fortun-
ate enough to reach Siberia.

We have from Mr. Knight, of course, what
[Mssr] Castell and Masik said about the chances
for this hope, we hold out.