stefansson-wrangel-09-15-077

ONTARIO COLLEGE OF EDUCATION University of Toronto

168 Walmer Road, Toronto, Oct. 13, 1924.

Dear Mr. Taylor:

The copy of the manuscript of "The Adventure of Wrangel Island" reached us on October 8, 1924, page 84 is missing.

We have read the greater part of this document and find therein a number of statements with which we do not agree, one in particular on page 156 which begins as follows:

"Of course, the relatives and myself are of the opinion that Mr. Noice removed the ten pages etc" We do not accuse Mr. Noice or anyone else of removing pages from the diary. On the advice of our lawyer we are wiring our objection to The Macmillan Company.

I am enclosing a copy of page 137 of the Manuscript. It would appear from the statements on this page that you and Mr. Anderson had told Mr. V. Stefansson that Mr. Noice had related to you things "shocking beyond belief" about the contents of Lorne Knights' diary, that "the diary contained unbelievable revelations" etc. We cannot conceive of Mr. Noice making such statements when the entries in the diary would prove them to be utterly false. We feel that possibly Mr. Noice in the stress of the moment did not express himself very clearly and that you and Mr. Anderson being much upset and worried by the news of the tragedy put a wrong construction on Mr. Noice’s statement.

It is inconceivable that if Lorne Knight and his companions had been guilty of wrong-doing that Lorne Knight would wish to publish it to the world in his diary.

The statements on this page give an unfair impression of you and Mr. Anderson and you should see that they are eliminated from the book. Do you not think so?

The omitting of Fred Maurer’s last letter to his wife, dated Jan. 29, 1923, from the book will give rise to the charge that the author has suppressed valuable documentary evidence. This letter of Maurer’s has already been given to the press by his widow and published in the Toronto Star and elsewhere. The public is therefore aware of its existence and its omission will give rise to unfavorable criticism.

With kindest regards

J.T. Crawford,