Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-30
Rev. Cooks and FIoretta Wha-
ley Are Foun1
LIVING IN SAN FRANCISCO
Echo of Famous Sensation of Hemp
stead, L. I.
SOUGHT FOR EIGHT MONTHS
Passed Under the Assumed Name Of
Gerald Balcom-Identity
Admitted.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, December 30.-The Even
ing World publishes the following spe
cial from San Francisco OF this date:
Hunted for eight months. Rev. Jert
knode Cooke, Yale graduate and former
pastor of st. Georges Church of Hemp
stead, l.. l.. who created one Of the SEN
sations of the year by deserting his wife
and eloping with Floretta Whaley, a
seventeen-year-old heiress. was located
with the young girl yesterday in a mai
at 1199 Green street in this city.
During the eight months since his dis.
appearance while the police of the coun.
try have been endeavoring to find him
Cooke has been living quietly in Los
Angeles and San Francisco. working as
painter and decorator. and, when cir.
cumstances were against him, doing the
hardest kind of manual labor to exc out
an existence for himself and the girl. A
child has been born to them, and the
two have stood by each other, hungr ~
hunted, but apparently happy.
Inc discovery was brought about by
Capt. Clearey Of the Morse patrol agency
On coming here from Los Angeles las,
June June Cooke and the girl met Capt
Clearey. Yesterday the latter noticed
that photograph in a daily paper. Ia
beled Floretta Whaley. was the picture
or the wife of the painter and decorator
VINO were going under the name Of Mr.
and Mrs. Gerald Balcom. Cooke admitted
his identity when confronted
Il threw away everything had gained
IN years OF struggle because Of my love
Tor Floretta Whaley, and all that ask
now OF humanity is to be permitted tc
i've In peace and support my wife and
child by hard manual labor" he said
Three davS after 6rc orrio
wife told me frankly that she had mar.
ried me simply because Of her social am.
billions.
MY years with her were years In hell
love was, and all else was forgotten. We
have both suffered, but all we ask Is tc
be let alone"
No Confirmation at Mineola, L. I.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
MINEoLA. L. l., December 3o.-Distric,
Attorney Coles said today that he had a,
yet received no official confirmation of the
report that Jere Knode Cooke, forme,
pastor OF st. Georges Episcopal Church
of Hampstead, and Floretta Whaley, with
whom he eloped last April, had been found
in San Francisco. He added that until
he did receive word he would take nc
action in the matter.
There had been SO many erroneous re-
ports of the discovery Of the missing
pair. Mr.. Coles said. that he did not
think it necessary to make any move In
the case until he was officially assured
that they had been found. If. however
he added, he should receive an official no.
tice that Cooke had been located, he
would Immediately ask the proper authort.
ties that the man be taken into custody.
as a warrant had been issued for his ar
rest
This warrant was issued by Judge Git
tens Of Hampstead. after the disappear
ance OF the pair. IT calls for the former
pastors arrest on a charge of abduction
Cooke has not been indicted
Inquiry this morning at the fiat occupied
by ]. Knode Cooke and Floretta Whaley
revealed the fact that the couple had fed
with their child.