The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-05-03
Miss WhaIey Wrote Home
She'd Gone With Cooke
IHE IS MARRIED, SHE 49,
Rev. Jere Knode Cooke, Rector Of St.
Georges Episcopal Church at Hamp-
stead, +. Il, Takes His Personal
Belongings and Disappears.

New York, May 3.--Members Of the
fashionable st. Georges Episcopal
church Of Hampstead, II Il, were as-
tonished yesterday when they learned
that their pastor, the Rev. Jere Knode
Cooke had departed from Hampstead and
that Miss Floretta Whaley also had left
her home and had written letters saying
she would not return TIE Rev Mr..
Cooke is married. His wife IS Miss
Matilda Clarke, daughter Of Rienzi "A.
Clarke of Hartford, Conn. She left
Hampstead some time ago and IL now
al her fathers home.
That official cognizance II to be taken
Of the mysterious departure OF the pas
tor Ii evident from a formal statement
(which was issued yesterday BY Bishop
Burgess Of Long Island. He says that
immediate action viii be taken BY the
vestry of st. Georges church to- flI the
vacancy caused by the departure Of Mr..
Cooke.
"The vestrv Is overwhelmed by the
unexpected calamity said Bishop Bur-
CESS, ssand Is at a loss To account for 1t.
Il Is inclined to the belief that DIR. Cooke
cannot be Of sound mind. Three years
ago, with Mrs. Cooke and party Of
Sunday school children, be was IN troll
Ixy ear collision and he has been nerv-
our wreck ever since He obtained a
I leave Of absence for year and vent
TO EArope TO rccuperate. but bis condi-
ton since his return has been poor The
church and its property are in the best
Of condition. The funds are intact. The
lyestry will take Immediate steps to fll
The vacancy caused BY the departure Of
Mr.. Cooke
According to stories which were cir
culated freely In Hampstead yesterday
the infstuation Of the minister for Miss
ANhaley has been apparent for some
time and was the direct cause Of Mrs.
Cooke leaving for her fathers isAine.
| II II said that Che young woman's GRAND
mother, with whom she made her home,
became aware OF the infatuation some
time ago and asked the minister to cease
his visits to her home.
| Miss Whaley left her home several
days ago, saying she intended 70 visit
friends in this city A little later the
igrandmother received letter saying
that when it was received they would
be ont Of the country. Mr.. Cooke has
not been seen since the letter was re-
eeived.
The case Of the missing pastor was
discussed at length AZ meeting of
prominent members Of the st. Georges
church which was held at the home of
August Belmont Wednesday night. II
was the sense Of the meeting that the
pulpit OF the church should be declared
vacant at once. Bishop Burgess formal
statement was issued al the conclusion
OF the meeting.
Mr.. Cooke was popular during his pas
torate in Hampstead and also was very
successful in a financial way. In the
five years since be came to Long Island
from Grace church, Baltimore, where he
had been as eurate, he had raised nearly
$780, 900 In his parish With this money
lie built parish house, made extensive
Improvements on the church edifce and
had begun improvements on the Sunday
school building. He Is a man OF pleasing
presence. ana a good talSer
| Miss Nhalev, the missing young wo.
man. has fortune said to amount 10
Si25,oO0 which came to her at her faith.
er's death.