Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-01-19
The Rev. MIR. C0oke-FuII Account of
His wanderings, His Return, and
What Happ ened After

His wanderings, His Return, and
what Hspp ened After.
Special to Cincinnati Commercial.l
New YORK, January ID, l870.-Tbe
city is excited over the resppear-
ance Of Reverend Horace Cooke. He laid
a deliberate trap to ruin one of the young
and innocent lambs of bis flock, Miss
Matte johnson; but after getting her
into bis power, and enticing her from her
! home, his courage failed him, and his
conscience goaded him, and be brought
her back, and perceiving what q fool he
had made of himself he now attempts to
take refuge from public scorn and repro.
baton in simulated insanity, just as the
triple assassin Buckhout does, and with
the same i'll success.
The simple truth of the matter is, that
the Rev. Horace Cooke is not now, and
never has been insane, but is now and for
long time has been q most designing
and atrocious scoundrel. His letters to
Miss johnson conclusively show these
facts. 4a
In those letters, which have been read
by more than one person, and which can
be produced at any time, occur such ex-
pressions as these: II will not be satis-
fed with you saying that. you like me
you mus. say that you love me-" 10
another letter he says: :" My darling,
dearest Matte, my own love, 1 cannot
live without you; you must be NINE
And again he says: my own dearest, if
you cannot bid me hope, my life will be
valueless to me, and shall destroy it,
You must save me-
Imagine such letters as these, and
there are many of them, addressed by
her pastor to sensitive school girl, who
looks up to the writer as her religious
guide, and not only that, but the letters
supplemented by passionate vocal
appeals and protestations, pressed home
to the child's heart with all the skill of
internal ingenuity and sophistry, and
what wonder that he should succeed in
inducing her to elope with him Z
i5 The Rev. Horace Cooke letters to Miss
johnson are in safe hands, and will be
published in due time, for the benefit of
the conference which is to try and, we're
it not for these letters, acquit him.
The Sun has got at the bottom of the
pipe-laying, which has already been set
in motion in certain quarters to secure
the acquittal of the Rev. Mr.. Cooke at the
coming conference, and the pipe-lsyers
will be defeated. raeV
All of Cookies statements as to his flight
are untrue. He has been tracked clear
through. He went first to Philadelphia,
where he left Miss johnson in safe keep
ing, and then rushed back to New York,
to complete preparations which he had
left unfinished. On arriving in New
York he became alarmed for the safety
of Miss johnson, and rushed back to
Philadelphia. Finding Miss johnson
where he had left ber, he brought her on
to Railway on Monday, where he left her,
and again came to New York. Here he
heard the gossip about his elopment,
and on Tuesday morning he read the
whole story. This wilted what little
courage be had left, and after running
around town for several hours, he went
back to Railway and brought Miss john
son to this city, and left her at the
Everett House. on Union Square. From
thence, on Wednesday morning,an anony-
nous note was cent to her father, and be
called at the Everett House AMI took his
daughter home s
The Rev. Mr.. Cookies behavior while
in Philadelphia and Railway was sort
Of compound between that of gay Lo-
thario and convicted sinner on the snx-
ious seat at Methodist revival. At one
moment he would protest undying love,
and then he would break into snivel of
repentance, and talk about the ihunders
of Sinai and an svengipg God. He was
hungering for forbidden fruit, but stood
in mortal terror of the old man watching
the tree, ao aasl
On finding the pitiable condition in
which be was placed before the public,
Mr.. Cooke went home and began to play
the iunatic; bat he did it poorly. de
than attempted TO commit an assault
upon tue Hon. David G. Croiy, the hus-
band Of Jennie gpne, and the managing
editor of the World, was taken to the
Reekman Street station-house, and thence
to the Toubs, yesterday morHang, where
be was discharged, as no complaint APP
peafsd against him.
At Nc Gooke'S residence. in Seventh
street, yesterday AFTERNOON, everything
was In confusion. The family we're
packing a D to rsroVe to Williamsburg
Mr.. Cooke looks hsRKard ana demoral- |
ized. He evidently feels that his char
ecter is gone, and his wild bot puerile
attempts to explain his conduct till one
with pity sud sadness. He personally
casts DO blame upOh si' in.snosa e s;oh Sle.%,
but takes il ell upon himself, =hieo F" IN
accord with the fsets OF the case, ss
shown in his letters. Some Of hls friends,
however, being indisereet, have pro-
voksd much public indignation BY at
tempting 70 ShpB shat this pastor OF
hock was led into fatal alteration oy |
a mere school girl. Cookies excuse
that Miss Johnson is the exact I'm
age Of q girl he loved nearly = score OF
years ago, and therefore had an irresissi-
bls attraction for him, is q strange ex-
ouse for clergyman to put forward but
the unfortuugle naG i entitled 70 al the |
help it may give him with YseSis yhom
such stories can satisfy.
Cooke intends to keep himssit in OBJ
Deausy g short time, until the curiosity