The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-31
Cooke Tells Of His Domestic
Unhappiness Before Run.
ming Away.
HOPES TO WE'D HEIRESS
San Francisco Friends and
CIergymen Are Caring for Tn.
frOcked Pastor of Wealthy
Episcopal Congregation
and Girl and Baby Son.

SAN FRANCISCO. Dec. 31.--Ths
Rev. Jere Knode Cooke, formerly rec
tor of the fashionable st. Georges Epis-
copal Church of Hampstead. L. l.. of
which August Belmont is senior war
den, and Floretta Whaley, the 17-year-
old heiress with whom Pastor Cooke
eloped on May /. desertng a wife to
whom he had been married for nine
years. after stealing away from their
little flat, 1893 Green street. yesterday.
where they had been discovered living
under the name of MIR. and Mrs. Gerald
Balcom. taking with them their baby
boy, born two months ago, were located
again today.
They are staying at the home of q
friend. where they are comfortably sit
uated. Cooke said today that he will
return East and as soon as matters can
be arranged he will marry Miss Whaley.
1t is expected that the grandmother
of the young woman Will send her tho
funds necessary to return East.
Mr. Cooke, it is said, has found
friends among the clergymen OF his
church who will see that neither he nor
his companion suffer hardships
The discovery of Cooke and the girl
was made yesterday through the fact
that Captain Cleary, who had met
them as MIR. and Mrs. Balcom.'' when
they arrived here last June from Los
Angeles, recognized the girls picture
when 1t was published last week in
connection with dispatch from
Louisiana stating that Cooke had
deserted Florotta Whaley and had
given her away to a family there who
was educating her."
Yesterday a newspaper representa-
tive called at the home where Cooke
and his companion lived under theia-
assumed names Cooke. Yale grad
uate, worked at painting and decorate
ing. and when that was not abundant
he did any manual work that he could
get.
When the interviewer called Cooke
admitted his identity. but sent tho
young mother and the baby into an
other room. asking the reporter to
lower his tone. that she might not
learn of the discovery of their Identity
MY God. what an awakening from
our happiness" exclaimed Cooke. '.AlI
l want is a chance to get away. |
don't mind Sing Sing or hell, but it is
she. The child was born two months
ago. and discovery and apprehension
would kill the mother"
Pacing back and forth. Cooke told Ire
story of his life and OF his elopement
with Miss Whaley.
1.-The inexorable law must be main-
tained," he said, 81 have preached 1t SO
often l ought TO know. There Is moth
ing that will paint black sheep white.
But / have my reasons. For ten years
have kept silence. For the last eight
months | have borne without a .nur-
mpr all the abuse, the vilest lies that
newspapers could concoct."
Cooke told of his marriage and of his
unhappy married life. He declared
that his wife admitted to him that she
had married him for no other reason
than that it would prove a convenient
stepping stone for her social ambitions.
He added that 1t would be "caddish TO
dilate upon my marriage troubles"
"Then | awoke TO love and every
thing else was worthless" he continued.
you know the end on the one hand
was a loveless life with honor and po-
sition and wealth, and on the other
love and poverty. 1 chose this. He
pointed to the scantily furnished room.
II don't praise myself for the step
took 1t was weakness, 1t was un-
manly, but am only human, and as
am to be judged by human beings. 1t
is but right that they should know
that gave up all that had fought for
and won. Now all l ask is to be let
alone.
81 am doing mans work. have
sinned, but I have suffered. Now.
beg the world To let me alone with my
wife and child. 1 can liYe the life OF a
rrl. I n
decorator. | was kept at work long
after the other men were let go during
the financial strlngency. I ask the
world to let me be painter, nothing
more; to do a mans work and enjoy
the average society and happiness Of
the average man."