The Washington times., 1908-03-15
PASTOR
ASKS FOR HELP,
BUT IS IGNORED
WhaIey Girls Grand
mother Refuses Money
to Pair.

NEW YORK. March 1L-Alrs. Kaziah
Whaley, grandmother Of Floretta Wha-
ley, the eighteen-yeaT-0ld girl who
eloped last April with the Rev. Jere
Knode Cooke, rector Of St. George s
Episcopal Church at Hampstead, l.. l.,
viii ignore her granddaughter appeal
for assistance, IL was said today, as she
is Inclined TO believe that the unfrocked
pastor is anxious 10 live a life of idle
ness.
The appeal for money reached the
grandmother yesterday in a telegram
from san Francisco. where the pair are
living with their fOur-mOnths old baby.
The message was signed by FIoretta
Whaley, and read:
"Jere and the baby are sick. VIII you
send some money. care OF the Western
Uniong WIN write later"
Il do not intend to assist the runaway
pair" said Mrs. Whaley today. If 1
90 so the minister would live In idle
ress and not make any effort TO work
and care for my dear child and her
baby. / do not intend to support him,
and 1 viii ignore their request for funds.
1 understand that Mrs. Cooke Is 10 get
a divorce. / hope she is not 10 obtain
IL with the idea thai her husband may
then marry my FIoretta. as I would
not care TO think that he should ever De
her husband. He is no companion or
man for a husband"
Others Extended Aid.
il is understood I'm Hampstead that
other appeals for assistance have come
from the runaway pair, and that they
have NJ been entirely ignored.
a dispatch from San Francisco says
that Cooke mas been working steadily
there at his former occupation of paint
er, and that they have seemingly not
wanted for the necessaries Of lie
The inhabitants OF Hampstead, VINO
have watched the varying fortunes OF
the discredited minister and the girl
since their sensational disappearance,
shook their heads today ana knowingly
remarked:
Il told you SO"
The latest development in the sordid
story, said those who had known the
minister during the many years he Had
been pas or OF the wealthy and eXclu-
sive church. was but a natural Sc
guence. They believed all along, they
said. that the minister had "A greater
girl was to inherit than TO the girl her
self
ElOped With Girl.
Cooke threw the quiet village of
Hampstead into a fever Of excitement
one day during the latter part Of April
last by sending a letter 10 the vestry-
men Of ST. Georges Church, Of which
August Belmont is senior warden. At
the time he was thirtv-siX years old
and had been married five years. On
the same day another letter was received
by Mrs. Whaley from her granddaugh-
ter stating that she had run away to
join Cooke and that the two were going
10 leave the country.
The bitterest Indignation against
Cooke was expressed on all sides, par
tIcuIarIy when IL was remembered that
the girls father. who HAD died a few
months before, had appointed the min
lister as her guardian. He had left her
and her elder sister a fortune of about
sl25. 900, as his wife was already dead.
A few days after the disappearance
of the pair the clipping clergyman was
deposed from the Episcopal priesthood
t.v Bishop Burgess of the Long
island diocese.
8 warrant was later issued for Cooke
-rzt. but little effort was made To To-
a. him.
MIS-. Matilda Cooke. the wife of the
r,ctor. left her home in Hampstead and /
went 10 live with her parents, in Hart
ford, Conn.
Denounced From Pulpit.
Cooke was denounced from the pulpit
Of his own church by Bishop Burgess
as 4 traitor.
The runaway pair were reported as
living in various parts OF the country,
but nothing definite was heard about
them until last December. when they
were found in a little fiat at 1870 Green /
street, San Francisco. Their baby was
two months cid then, and Cooke was
earning a living as a painter and dec
orator At first Cooke denied his iden-
tity but he finally admitted he was |
the clipping pastor, eNClaiming:
-'F1nis! Now the awakening My God! |
What an awakening. Give me a chance !
TO get away. don't mind going to /
Sing Sing or hell, but it would kill /
Flcra"
Cooke continued to tell at great length |
. rambling story about his unhappy life 1
with his wife, which he said was tile |
eause OF the elopement with Floretta /
Whdiey-
The Nassau county authorities refused |
to advance the money to bring Cooke !
East, and he was not disturbed Moth |
ing more was publicly heard of the /
pair until the message asking for money |
was received yesterday.
,Ir,.t NM nnnAr1n nnnr