The Washington times., 1906-09-13
ELOPING PASTOR
NOT REPENTANT
ABOUT HIS FALL
The Rev. CoombS in
Washington Waiting
for Wife.

II am not remOrseful nor repentant
1 am sorry the girls name has been
brought before the public in this un-
fortunate aspect. but I have no other
regrets. She IS a brilliant and charm
ing woman ard 1 love her. That Is all
there Is about il"
The Rev Q. Thomas COOmbs. almost
a double IN appearance of William
Jennings Bryan, father of five children,
and a month ago in charge Of a Meth
odist Episcopal Church in the suburbs
Of Pittsburg. outlined thus this MORN
ing 10 reporter. or The Times tne
nature of his sentiments regarding his
elOpement with Miss Ida y. Nycum.
He is At the Raleigh Hotel
Girl Was in DeacOness Home.
Until a brief while ago Mr.. Coombs
was the pastor OF the Lexington Ave
nue. Methodist Episcopal Church IN
Pittsburg. A short distance from the
church is located the Methodist Epis-
copal Deaconess' Home. where Miss
Nycum was a probauOner. Miss Nycum
became an assistant 20 Mr. COOmbs ia
the discharge of his pastoral duties
and the acquaintance thus begun rip
cned into an unfortunate ana Illicit love.
About the first Of last month MI
COOmbs determined 10 abandon his pas
t0rate and leave the ministry. he so
notified the presiding elder OF his ais
York and enter business. Miss Nycum
went with him for the avOwed purpose
Of becoming his secretary.
Lived as Man and Wife.
Nothing was heard Of the couple for
three or four weeks. In The meantime
they had been at the Hotel ST. Denis,
& ~
ed as G 7. Co0mbs and wife, and in
nj. Vernon. y. Y, where they occupied
a room at a fashionable boarding house.
AT Mt Vernon they were known as Mr.
and Mrs. FTuyn.
Finally Miss Nycum became a bis in
discreet. and Ia letter 10 a girl ac-
quaiutauce, also q pT0batiOuer AT the
Deaconess Home disclosed her where
ab0Uts. and declared 10 was Mr.. COMBS
purpose % divorce MS wife and marry
her. The friend told what she knew
and then came the thunderciap.
a. q. G.. Mckalip, president of the
board Of trustees Of Trinity Methodist
Episcopal Church, Of Pittsburg, and
the Rev. T.. II. LelZure. pastor of the
church. employed two detectives, and
the four followed the trail and at M
Vernon came across Mr.. Coombs and
Miss Nycum The latter was persuaded
finally 90 return 20 the home of her
parents I'm Everett, Pa,
Brave as Young Lioness.
"She went because advised her TO
60" said Mr.. Coombs this morning.
"She was as brave as a young ll0ness,
and nobody. save myself. could have
induced her TO leave me ] advised her
to - because ] thought IL the best thing
she could do
while / left home. I did not desert
INV wife and family. We have five chill
cren and I am strongly attached 70
tH.m all i have written my wife all
most daily, and have had letters from
her. She understands, ] hope and be-
lieve, the unhappy situation Ia which 1
am placed.
This afternoon I expect her 10 join
me en- Washington. Our eldest child s.
q boy OF eleven and we intend placing
him IN the military school at Bethel,
Va That has been determined.
What my wife viii do I ara not able
% say. There has been some talk OF a
divorce. but whether fl has come from
her / am not sure This, at least, IS GER
tain-the divorce proceedings viii have